Gender Bias in 11+ ?

Loopyloulou · Post by **Loopyloulou** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 3:36 pm

In practice significantly more girls than boys get into my local (mixed) grammar school each year. It sets NFER-type tests. Has anyone else noticed this (or an opposite) gender bias? Do different entrance tests produce different results?

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 3:46 pm

As I happen to have the file open from my other post on the R4 thread, the figures for Bucks in recent years are:

Boys

2005 31%
2006 30%
2007 31%
2008 30%

Girls

2005 29%
2006 28%
2007 28%
2008 30%

So the bias in Bucks is toward boys.

S-A

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 4:59 pm

Sally-Anne,

Can you explain to a thicko what these figures mean as the boy and girl percentages don't add up to 100%.

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 5:08 pm

Hi Tips

They are the percentage pass rates, e.g. in 2008 30% of all boys taking the test passed, and 30% of all girls.

The raw numbers will depend on the gender split of the cohort in any given year, but in 2008, 1100 boys passed and 1072 girls. By contrast, in 2007, 1172 boys and 983 girls passed.

More boys than girls have passed the Bucks 11+ every year for the past 4 years.

S-A

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 5:18 pm

Thanks Sally-Anne!

I wonder if the tests are more boy friendly because they don't require a huge amount of written content which, in my opinion, girls tend to be better at. On the whole I think that boys tend to do better in exams anyway, and girls produce better coursework. There are always those who don't fit that mould however - including me!

Ambridge · Post by **Ambridge** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:34 pm

I find the Bucks figures amazing....I have barked up this tree before....how do we Bucks folks manage to produce exactly the right amount of little darlings to pass the 11+ and fill the GS spaces every year.

Other than a slight blip in 2008 when 190 more boys passed the 11+ than girls it always seems to be just the right balance - (each class in my DS's Yr 8 is virtually split 50/50 boys and girls, give or take.)

I want love to get into the Bucks 'inner sanctum' and see how from 5,000-odd children they whittle it down to find 30% to pass (every year) and then manage to get the right mix of boys and girls - amazing

Ambridge x

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:56 pm

It's probably the same 'magic' that ensures that each cohort is about 5500

The '121' is not a fixed raw score I'm certain - it's manipulated to ensure 30% or so qualify ....

ian35mm · Post by **ian35mm** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:59 pm

Indeed, the whole process would seem to be norm-referenced, but that is no different from IQ scores.