A Reasonable Pass Mark

Catherine · Post by **Catherine** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:48 am

sj355 wrote:Absolute figures are used in the University. But in this case marking guidleines exist which set precisely what constitutes a first class answer in which case the student gets 70% or above. There can be no such context in a VR test at 11+ because we do not know how the pupil reached the answer, only whether he got it wrong or right.

This is exactly the point. VR isn't like any other subject for which a score represents the amount of knowledge relatively to the maximum expected for a particular exam.
VR is different in the sense that it's not the amount of acquired knowledge or skill that is important, as the subject is not studied for itself. No one studies VR fro the sake of mastering the subject.
The aim is to establish a ranking order that enables the selection of a required number of pupils.
What the pass mark is in absolute terms doesn't matter.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:15 pm

Hi

Each question on a VR paper is worth one point. Students need to accumulate points to attain a pass mark. The points attained can be worked out as a percentage of the whole.

Discarding low scores
i.e. Bucks = 2 papers, highest paper scoring, therefore lowest scoring paper is discarded, thereby discarding 9 question types. Bucks LEA offer places to students who attain a pass mark based on 12 question types.

If the lower scoring papers were to be included in the overall pass mark, reflecting the students performance over 21 question types, then the pass mark would be lower.

Regards

Mike

Catherine · Post by **Catherine** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:26 pm

Mike wrote: If the lower scoring papers were to be included in the overall pass mark, reflecting the students performance over 21 question types, then the pass mark would be lower.

OK, but what is your point, Mike? How does this link to your original question about a reasonable pass mark?

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:40 pm

Hi Catherine

It does not link to the original posting, it is an explanation of what I had posted afterwards regarding discarding lower marks. Hopefully, my explanation now makes things clearer for you.

Regards

Mike

Catherine · Post by **Catherine** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:42 pm

So your other post didn't link to your original point then?

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:48 pm

Hi Catherine

Your quote
It depends on the ratio grammar/comprehensive places in a specific area, and the nature of the tests.

For identical tests, the pass score is going to be lower in areas with a large proportion of grammar school places than area that only take a small proportion.

I was offering another variable that affects tests scores i.e. discarding lower scores.

Regards

Mike

Catherine · Post by **Catherine** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:55 pm

Yes, I agree, there are lots of variables that can affect pass scores. That why I don't think that there is such a thing as a "reasonable" pass mark.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:02 pm

Hi Catherine

There are many variables that affect many tests where pass marks are attainable. Some of these pass marks are known in advance, such as passing the Driving Theory Test or the Police Initial Recruitment Test or the Armed Services Entrance Tests and many tests for entrance into Independent Schools. None of these consider the cohort that take the test, they use the test result as a level of competence to perform in the specific environment.

I am suggesting that a pass mark of 85% or above is adequate for LEAs to determine that student would be able to perform well at a Grammar school.

Regards

Mike

Catherine · Post by **Catherine** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:43 pm

Mike wrote:I am suggesting that a pass mark of 85% or above is adequate for LEAs to determine that student would be able to perform well at a Grammar school.

You really will have to explain how you come to this, Mike.

Is it for any VR test, from NFER multichoice 15 types to standard tests, is it for any grammar school? is it with coaching, no coaching or a specific amount of coaching? What happens in areas where the pass mark is lower?
For example, Slough pass mark is more like 80% that 85%. The schools take 25% of all the pupils. Are the top 25% in Slough less bright that the top 30% in Bucks? I doubt it. The difference is that in Slough, the tests comprise three subjects, so the level for each isn't as high because pupils are not coached as much in the specific subject. They don't even need to specifically pass VR.

Overall does it matter ? not at all. Slough LA can perfectly determine students that can perform well at grammar school even with VR score under 85%.
I do know pupils who didn't perform well at all in the Slough VR, and are doing extremely well at grammar school.