Nfer Scores re Real 11+ Scores
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lg
Nfer Scores re Real 11+ Scores
My elder son sat the Bexley tests 4 years ago. I think his standardised scores were 124, 119, 119 and 118 and the pass mark was about 442. Anyway, he was about 40 points over the pass mark and had the highest score at his local Bexley primary school.
Now this is my point, on the Nfer practice papers at the time he was only scoring about 70-75% on average, probably slightly higher than this in maths and nvr and lower in english and vr. I assumed then that these were good scores.
After reading through this forum, I am very surprised that some parents are fretting that their children are only scoring about 80-85% on the Nfer papers, and seem to expect them to be scoring 90%+.
Are they really concerned (and I just don't understand why they should be), or are they just trying to scare other parents?
Finally, younger son is sitting Bexley tests this year and is scoring about the same on the Nfer papers as his brother. Should I be expecting the same standardised scores as before, or have standards risen so much in the last 4 years that I should be worried.
The only explanation I can think of is that competition for grammar places in Bexley is much lower than in other areas.
Any advice or views on this would be much appreciated.
Now this is my point, on the Nfer practice papers at the time he was only scoring about 70-75% on average, probably slightly higher than this in maths and nvr and lower in english and vr. I assumed then that these were good scores.
After reading through this forum, I am very surprised that some parents are fretting that their children are only scoring about 80-85% on the Nfer papers, and seem to expect them to be scoring 90%+.
Are they really concerned (and I just don't understand why they should be), or are they just trying to scare other parents?
Finally, younger son is sitting Bexley tests this year and is scoring about the same on the Nfer papers as his brother. Should I be expecting the same standardised scores as before, or have standards risen so much in the last 4 years that I should be worried.
The only explanation I can think of is that competition for grammar places in Bexley is much lower than in other areas.
Any advice or views on this would be much appreciated.
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Guest
I have found myself quite unerved by lots of the posts on this website and I have been wondering whether my child who I considered bright really is that bright. Acheived level 3s in KS1 and level 4a/5s in year 5. He is on the top table for everything. His table often do KS3 work in maths while the teacher is explaining KS2 maths to the rest of the class as they get really bored otherwise. He has been asked to attend G&T workshops and has really good skills in reading. However, when I look at the scores some children get on NFER tests (90+) in all 4 types of papers and comments on the Bucks forum that children need to be acheiving over ?85% in practice to pass VR I do wonder if I am just barking up the wrong tree and my son should be in the local comp! It was nice to read your post and has given me some hope.
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Guest
I think one advantage to taking the 11+ in Bexley is the number of selective places available. According to the LEA about 4500 sit the paper each year and there are just over 841 selective places available. As they have to factor in for people declining places, they say about 25% of candidates will score the pass mark or above.
Last year the Bexley 'pass mark' was 430. Obviously the mark changes from year to year, but my daughter passed by 66. She got 3 level 5's in the Yr 5 optional SATS and was at the top end of her year group. I thought she had the ability to pass, but being such a different type of test to others that they sit, I wasn't certain of what the outcome would be. Plus she was competing against children from all across the borough and beyond. I had an idea of where she was ability wise within her own school, but no further than that. Anyway, what I am trying to say is that if your children are at a similar level the likelihood is that they will do very well. In my daughter's class, of those I thought likely to pass ,all but one did (with that one only just missing the mark) ,plus there were 5 more who also passed , 2 of which were a surprise even to themselves!
So, keep positive, it sounds like they're on track
Good Luck
Bexley
Last year the Bexley 'pass mark' was 430. Obviously the mark changes from year to year, but my daughter passed by 66. She got 3 level 5's in the Yr 5 optional SATS and was at the top end of her year group. I thought she had the ability to pass, but being such a different type of test to others that they sit, I wasn't certain of what the outcome would be. Plus she was competing against children from all across the borough and beyond. I had an idea of where she was ability wise within her own school, but no further than that. Anyway, what I am trying to say is that if your children are at a similar level the likelihood is that they will do very well. In my daughter's class, of those I thought likely to pass ,all but one did (with that one only just missing the mark) ,plus there were 5 more who also passed , 2 of which were a surprise even to themselves!
So, keep positive, it sounds like they're on track
Good Luck
Bexley
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herewegoagain
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- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:10 pm
I find these posts very reassuring.... I also have been reading comments on this site, particularly in the Herts forum (which is my local one), that children are scoring 90%+ in all the practice papers they do. My daughter is around 80% which I think is good but I'm starting to panic that it probably isn't good enough! She is the most able child in her class (and please I'm not bragging - it just is the case) and I therefore assumed she would have a good chance of getting into a selective school but when I read some of the comments from some parents here I find myself sinking into despair....
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guest1
Believe me I have felt the same way as you and have begun to get stressed that my son is never going to pass even though everyone tells me he is very bright. What I keep looking for is a parent whose child passed the exams last year posting to say their child averaged 80-90% on NFER practice papers. Then I might be able to chill. I am beginning to wish that I never discovered this forum even though its so addictive!
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Guest
I think a lot of it depends on which areas and which schools are concerned.What I keep looking for is a parent whose child passed the exams last year posting to say their child averaged 80-90% on NFER practice papers.
In the very highly competitive areas or schools(10 or more children trying for one place), the bar is raised.
Whereas in areas where there are places for all children who passed their exams, the scores can indeed be lower.
In Herts, the competition is particularly stiff especially with regard to capacity of the schools or different selection criteria(music or technological aptitude).
My daughter passed in Kent last year and I don't think she ever got more than 80% for a practice paper. She usually got 70 - 75%ish.
I suspect there is some scaremongering, some misinformation and some (dare I say it) bragging going on.
However it it also true that for the super selective schools, then children do have to do extremely well. Round our way last year 120,120, 115 got you into a very good school - if not perhaps one with the social cachet of some others. Mind you, Simon Langton Girls got outstanding for every category from OFSTED and excellent results - despite taking in the "just passed" brigade!
I suspect there is some scaremongering, some misinformation and some (dare I say it) bragging going on.
However it it also true that for the super selective schools, then children do have to do extremely well. Round our way last year 120,120, 115 got you into a very good school - if not perhaps one with the social cachet of some others. Mind you, Simon Langton Girls got outstanding for every category from OFSTED and excellent results - despite taking in the "just passed" brigade!
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Guest
In Warwickshire the standard score required to pass is 260 from 2 verbal reasoning papers, competition is very stiff and our children do need to be scoring over 90% and that is being generous, above 92% is a bit more secure. Therefore they do need to be aiming for high 90's in practise tests. This is no scaremongering, it is the stark reality!
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guest1
Please do not panic.
In Kent the highest score achieveable of 140 can equate to a raw score of about 70% and a pass score of 120 to about 50%. These are figures given by The Judd school which, as far as I know, is the most highly selective school in Kent.
They gave these figures out last year in their prospectus, based on the scores for the previous year.
In Kent the highest score achieveable of 140 can equate to a raw score of about 70% and a pass score of 120 to about 50%. These are figures given by The Judd school which, as far as I know, is the most highly selective school in Kent.
They gave these figures out last year in their prospectus, based on the scores for the previous year.
