Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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supersop60
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 4:34 pm

Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Post by supersop60 »

My son has just received his 11+ score and it was 50.
He does not have special needs, he's working at level 4/5 in Maths and English.
He's been attending weekly tuition for a year, and though we knew his chances of passing were slim, we didn't expect this!
Does anyone have any experience of getting a test re-marked? Has something gone really, really wrong???
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Post by Sally-Anne »

I am sorry to hear that. It must have been a very unpleasant surprise.

You will find information about applying for a remark in the Appeals Q&A, B55, here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b55" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Despite the apparent obstacles, we believe that Bucks CC would forward the request to CEM, and they would then provide the raw scores under Data Protection legislation.

However, it is then a question of what you might do with the information. Even a remark seems very unlikely to produce sufficient information to overturn such a low score.

Perhaps you could post the breakdown of his scores into English, maths and NVR as a start?
supersop60
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 4:34 pm

Re: Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Post by supersop60 »

I might post scores if you think it's necessary.
I am wondering if he didn't mark the boxes on the multiple choice sheet sufficiently firmly, and they weren't picked up by the computer. I'm always telling him to hold his pencil more firmly, and in the practice tests he was a bit slapdash. Is that the kind of thing that might be noticed if an actual person was doing the re-marking?
I am dreading him going to school on Monday and finding out that all his friends got more than him.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Post by Sally-Anne »

Please PM me the scores if you would like to.

The optical readers that mark the papers electronically are usually very accurate. They are supposed to spit the papers out if there is any doubt about the clarity of the marking, and the paper is then hand-marked.

Sadly, I have never heard of an 11+ score changing because of a manual remark, but who knows? There's a first time for everything.

Remarks of CEM papers are also providing very little additional information compared to the old Bucks test.

Whizz the scores over to me and I'll happily take a look.
OldMaD
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2013 10:48 am

Re: Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Post by OldMaD »

I am sorry to hear about your son and hope is is not too upset.

My son also got a score way below expectations (he was a 1/1) and was expected by the school to pass well.

We had the paper remarked, and the feedback/letter showed the raw scores by section within each paper. My son actually got 60% raw score in the first paper but crashed and burned in the second...nerves, fatigue, concentration, who knows. The letter we were sent didn't comment on if they checked the line marking or got out of sync in the answers.

For me, the remark was money well spent just to make sure in my own mind that I has done all I could for him.

Good luck to you both
heartmum
Posts: 1154
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:35 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Post by heartmum »

OldMaD wrote: ... We had the paper remarked, and the feedback/letter showed the raw scores by section within each paper. My son actually got 60% raw score in the first paper but crashed and burned in the second...nerves, fatigue, concentration, who knows. The letter we were sent didn't comment on if they checked the line marking or got out of sync in the answers.

For me, the remark was money well spent just to make sure in my own mind that I has done all I could for him.

Good luck to you both
Hi 'OldMaD' thank you for that information, it would be interesting to apply for remark just to see the raw score by section within each paper. How do you apply for a remark, I must be going mad (or gone mad now :roll: ) but I can't see whom to contact for this detail?
Heartmum x x x
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Post by Sally-Anne »

It's on mamabear's appeal thread.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Post by Etienne »

Just to clarify:

The policy has changed since last year. (I think CEM have asked Bucks not to release raw scores.)
Etienne
Proud_Dad
Posts: 500
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 9:55 am

Re: Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Post by Proud_Dad »

Hi supersop60. Sorry to hear your son didn't get the result he wanted. Could have been a number of reasons I guess. Maybe he skipped a question and got out of sequence? Or maybe just nerves/stress? As OldMaD said maybe worth getting a remark so you feel you've done all you could.

Important thing is to make sure your son knows he is a bright boy and you are proud of all the work he did. Anyone can have a bad day and he was just unlucky.

We went through a similar situation last year and its tough, especially when other friends have passed. But 12 months on our son has recently started his local school and is very happy. No long bus journeys, lots of friends he knows and he's in the top sets so its all good. If they work hard and have support from parents they can do well whichever school they go to.
heartmum
Posts: 1154
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:35 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Disastrously low score - re-mark???

Post by heartmum »

Hi Sally-Anne,

I've gone through the post and am I correct in saying that I need to contact the appeals team at Bucks CC or am I looking at the wrong information?
Heartmum x x x
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