Age adjustment
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Age adjustment
Hi, think I may be being a bit dense, but whilst visiting FW this morning, it was mentioned about the score being age adjusted. I have had a quick look and "wow" am I baffled! Can anyone tell me in lay terms what it actually means and how many ponts it actually equates to????
Thanks.
Thanks.
Re: Age adjustment
There is no simple answer I'm afraid. You can have a look through this thread. http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... sc&start=0
Re: Age adjustment
Very (very) roughly... for every month your DC is older than the competition, he/she will need to score ~1% higher raw score to be at par
Basically this is to create a level playing field for younger DC's which are supposedly disadvantaged due to being younger than the rest in the same school year.
Basically this is to create a level playing field for younger DC's which are supposedly disadvantaged due to being younger than the rest in the same school year.
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serialtester
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Re: Age adjustment
The test is age standardised. Essentially it's an attempt to level the playing field a bit - after all some kids sitting the test will be 11, whilst some will only have turned 10 during the summer holidays. It's the same with other 'intelligence' tests (eg brain training on a DS, or a standard IQ test)... they are generally all age standardised.
As to how many points it confers to the younger members of the cohort - I'm not sure!
However, I can give some purely anecdotal advice! I have 2 daughters who are at the older end of their year groups, they have both always sailed through school, the 11+ and are holding their own in years 8 and 9 at grammar schools with little visible effort.
My son was one of the youngest in his year group at primary school (I think that there was perhaps one child younger than him) - he's a bright boy however he has always lagged a little at school. I tend to 'judge' his performance based on the year group below him..i.e when he was in Y5 I always looked at his work etc within the context of what was expected in Y4.
He sat the 11+ last year and wasn't successful. In my opinion the standardisation doesn't mitigate for the fact that kids who have just turned 10 are in many ways less mature than their peers. My son could really have done with way more exam preparation but he was just too young to cope with extra tuition, and I think on the day he found the whole situation quite daunting.
If he had been born 3 or 4 weeks later he would be sitting the exam this year and like his sisters he would have sailed through it.
He's at a state comp. now and it is the right place for him. He would have struggled to cope with a complicated journey, the high standards, the homework etc... after all when his sisters were his age they were still in Y6!!!
Obviously there are some 'young' Y6's who are frighteningly bright and will sail through the 11+ but in my very humble opinion being 'young' in the cohort can pose some significant challenges that even age standardisation doesn't mitigate against.
As to how many points it confers to the younger members of the cohort - I'm not sure!
However, I can give some purely anecdotal advice! I have 2 daughters who are at the older end of their year groups, they have both always sailed through school, the 11+ and are holding their own in years 8 and 9 at grammar schools with little visible effort.
My son was one of the youngest in his year group at primary school (I think that there was perhaps one child younger than him) - he's a bright boy however he has always lagged a little at school. I tend to 'judge' his performance based on the year group below him..i.e when he was in Y5 I always looked at his work etc within the context of what was expected in Y4.
He sat the 11+ last year and wasn't successful. In my opinion the standardisation doesn't mitigate for the fact that kids who have just turned 10 are in many ways less mature than their peers. My son could really have done with way more exam preparation but he was just too young to cope with extra tuition, and I think on the day he found the whole situation quite daunting.
If he had been born 3 or 4 weeks later he would be sitting the exam this year and like his sisters he would have sailed through it.
He's at a state comp. now and it is the right place for him. He would have struggled to cope with a complicated journey, the high standards, the homework etc... after all when his sisters were his age they were still in Y6!!!
Obviously there are some 'young' Y6's who are frighteningly bright and will sail through the 11+ but in my very humble opinion being 'young' in the cohort can pose some significant challenges that even age standardisation doesn't mitigate against.
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DIY Mum
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Re: Age adjustment
Serialtester- that is interesting!
I have two DC in the same school year and always find it illuminating comparing their levels / homework etc. DC2 is more confident and academically more 'able' whereas DC3 appears mediocre. I'm sure (had she been born a couple of days later) it would have been a different state of affairs.
But I also feel that birth order has some part to play. For example, my eldest who claims the lion's share (despite being the youngest in his year) would easily outperform his peers and also passed his 11+.
On a side note- it's interesting how quite a few of the US presidents were the oldest child in their family
I have two DC in the same school year and always find it illuminating comparing their levels / homework etc. DC2 is more confident and academically more 'able' whereas DC3 appears mediocre. I'm sure (had she been born a couple of days later) it would have been a different state of affairs.
But I also feel that birth order has some part to play. For example, my eldest who claims the lion's share (despite being the youngest in his year) would easily outperform his peers and also passed his 11+.
On a side note- it's interesting how quite a few of the US presidents were the oldest child in their family
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serialtester
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:36 pm
Re: Age adjustment
Birth order is an interesting thing isn't it?! My oldest one is very confident in her abilities... however I do have a 'little' one (in Y2) and he really reminds me of his biggest sister 
So far school for him has been a breeze, reading, writing, maths, being organised and coping with school - all of it has just 'happened' for him (and he is one of the older ones in his cohort too!). It's always been a very different story for his big brother! I could write a book about the trials and tribulations of son number 1!!
So far school for him has been a breeze, reading, writing, maths, being organised and coping with school - all of it has just 'happened' for him (and he is one of the older ones in his cohort too!). It's always been a very different story for his big brother! I could write a book about the trials and tribulations of son number 1!!-
DIY Mum
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Re: Age adjustment
Now that is interesting... DC1 & DC4, albeit anecdotal...!
My DC4 (a Spring baby) is strikingly similar to DC1 and there's a similar trend amongst my siblings (DC1 and DC4) and also amongst my husband's...
But I do agree, the older members of the cohort do fare better than the younger ones.
My DC4 (a Spring baby) is strikingly similar to DC1 and there's a similar trend amongst my siblings (DC1 and DC4) and also amongst my husband's...
But I do agree, the older members of the cohort do fare better than the younger ones.
Re: Age adjustment
My 5th is a July baby -I'm afraid I couldn't hold on until September!
Yet I am surprised how advanced he is (at 14 months) compared to his older siblings at that age. I put it down to having so much input from a large family - there's always someone to talk to him, play with him, walk with him, etc. I think the dynamics change a lot depending not just on the birth order, but the age gaps - there's nearly 11 years between my 1st and 5th. That said, my eldest is a 'born leader' probably because he is very much the leader of his siblings - and the oldest of his cousins.
My ds1 said to me the other day that if the baby doesn't get into a Grammar, he'll pay for him to go Independent as he may be working by then! I thought this was sweet
(he is worried about his li'l bro going to the local comp, which isn't good) but I'm hoping that the little ones have a better home environment/more support anyway due to me not running around after little babies, when they are 10 and doing their exams!In that sense things will be better for them, but they may not be as independent as the older ones have had to be.
Yet I am surprised how advanced he is (at 14 months) compared to his older siblings at that age. I put it down to having so much input from a large family - there's always someone to talk to him, play with him, walk with him, etc. I think the dynamics change a lot depending not just on the birth order, but the age gaps - there's nearly 11 years between my 1st and 5th. That said, my eldest is a 'born leader' probably because he is very much the leader of his siblings - and the oldest of his cousins.
My ds1 said to me the other day that if the baby doesn't get into a Grammar, he'll pay for him to go Independent as he may be working by then! I thought this was sweet
(he is worried about his li'l bro going to the local comp, which isn't good) but I'm hoping that the little ones have a better home environment/more support anyway due to me not running around after little babies, when they are 10 and doing their exams!In that sense things will be better for them, but they may not be as independent as the older ones have had to be.-
DIY Mum
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Re: Age adjustment
Being the youngest of the family certainly has its priveledges- they're exposed to a much more stimulating environment than the others simply because they are the youngest!
It's probably why DS5 (although born in June) developed at a faster rate than the others...but whether this transpires into "academic" excellence, I just have to wait and see!
It's probably why DS5 (although born in June) developed at a faster rate than the others...but whether this transpires into "academic" excellence, I just have to wait and see!
