Interesting link from Kent forum on raw scores 2010

[2Girlsmum]

I spotted this today and thought the range of scores might be of interest. There are 33 grammar schools in Kent, and all primary children are invited to take the test (not all do it) so the scores are generally lower than in Barnet/Herts/N. London as most are not superselective. I wish that we had access to this information in our area/s, though it might be rather scary if we did!

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 19&t=17635" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[2Girlsmum]

Ooops! I forgot to mention that 120 was the cut-off for a pass this year.

[mitasol]

In Kent they standardise the scores to the national average. Most other areas standardise the tests to the cohort sitting the exam. So outside of Kent the scores should be treated with caution.

[2Girlsmum]

Ah! That's why they are lower than expected. It is still interesting IMO as it shows the average, though I wonder where the 'average' figures come from if only some children actually sit these tests? Can you explain more about it please, Mitasol?

[sherry_d]

That's why they are lower than expected.

Its because 25% of kids here still go to grammars unlike in your area 2girlsmum where you are competing for one or two grammars . This year about 11 000 sat the test in Kent and around 5 000 passed so its not as scary as your neck of the woods.

I dont think the Kent figures will be helpful for you in any way because around 75% here gives you the maximum standardised score of 140 and yet 75% will not even get you a place in some schools in other regions.

[mitasol]

http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/research/ass ... scores.cfm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In nationally standardised tests the papers have usually been trialled against a large nationally representative sample.

Scores standardised against the cohort sitting the test would give quite different results. Even if all the test takers were in the top 20% nationally they would still have to be spread out on the bell curve resulting in some children in the below average lower portion of the results.

Hope that helps.

[2Girlsmum]

Thanks Sherry_d.

I realised they were lower scores and that they didn't need to be so high in Kent with 33 grammar's in your neck of the woods. The children are lucky not to have the 'boot-camp' approach to tests which most do have here, and to have a greater chance of securing a place in a selective school there. It's interesting to see the bigger picture of ability at age 10/11, and how there are subtle age differences between 10 and 11, especially in VR.

We never get to find out scores here, not even dc's one unless they fail to gain a place at Latymer (I'm not sure about QE boys, DAO and HBS) and we request it in writing. We can only guess at what is expected (90%+!?) which is such a shame. Our 1st choice school won't even tell us the order of the exams next Thursday, nor how many questions in each subject (Maths, English, VR and NVR) and how long timewise each paper is. All we know is there are 4 tests and they are standardised!

Thanks Mitasol,

I was just curious about who were the 'nationally representative sample' and when. It sounds like in Kent more than half the Y6 children sit the test (though with a greater or lesser degree of preparation) so the results published show a reasonable sample of ability range at that age.

I'd better stop now and do something else The proximity of the test next week is getting to me and I'm spending too long on the forums here....