Which exam typically kept scores down: Maths, VR, NVR ?

SSM · Post by **SSM** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:41 pm

I feel like I'm being Mrs Standardised today.

I seem to be posting on a handful threads on standardisation. Not that I know much about it, just what I have picked up over the last 3-4 years and two boys doing 11+.

Blakesmum · Post by **Blakesmum** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:02 pm

For my DS it was Maths.
He is in the top table of the top group at school for Maths so that puts him between 1st & 10th in a year of 150 children. (he thinks about 6th)
Yet his Maths score was either 109, or 119.
Obviously if it was 109 HT appeal has shown his ability lays with Maths.
Either way it was close, as we expected him to come with at least a 130.
I would love to see his paper, but not really worth the hassle as he was given a pass.

dadofkent · Post by **dadofkent** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:05 pm

Twinkle wrote:Certainly all the children I spoke to ( including my own) thought that the Maths paper was ok compared to the VR and NVR papers ( very hard). However as far as I know now the results are through children seem to have fared worse in the maths than the VR and NVR. This may not be a reflection on the maths paper being hard, rather that in order to score highly you may have to had to get a higher percentage on this paper than on the VR and the NVR, because all the children did reasonably well on the maths paper. Does that make sense?? Quite hard to explain. In other words the easier the paper, the higher the bar. If we can get some raw scores posted against actual scores that would be very interesting particularly the raw score required to get 120.

I must admit I was concerned when my DD said the Maths paper was easy. She is very capable at maths, and was able to grasp quite complex subjects, and come up with innovative ways of solving problems, to the extent she would occasionally stun me. But, she was also very adept at making silly mistakes in basic arithmetic, or rush the easy questions. So when she said there was no algebra, nor any of the more complex question types that crop up in the NFER/Bond practice papers I was concened, because I felt the paper would be more advantageous to the less mathematical (but more careful and methodical). As it happened she got a good score on the maths, but I know that if it had been more difficult, she would probably have scored higher.

hamster · Post by **hamster** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:39 pm

[quote="dadofkent
I must admit I was concerned when my DD said the Maths paper was easy. She is very capable at maths, and was able to grasp quite complex subjects, and come up with innovative ways of solving problems, to the extent she would occasionally stun me. But, she was also very adept at making silly mistakes in basic arithmetic, or rush the easy questions. So when she said there was no algebra, nor any of the more complex question types that crop up in the NFER/Bond practice papers I was concened, because I felt the paper would be more advantageous to the less mathematical (but more careful and methodical). As it happened she got a good score on the maths, but I know that if it had been more difficult, she would probably have scored higher.[/quote]

My thoughts exactly. My DD came out saying the maths paper was much easier than she expected, as did the rest of her class. Many of the difficult topics (Venn diagrams, ratios etc.) were left out so I'm not sure what was actually in it. She scored 130 which surprised us as that was the one she had to have extra lessons for as she was hovering around 113-117 before the exam.

All the children I know about scored 139 or 140 in VR. And they all complained that the paper was difficult especially the last section. I have been told that if the majority of children can't do a question, then it gets taken out of the scores altogether which may explain why the VR scores are so high.

And all I know about scored lower than expected in NVR (119-124).

kentsussexborder · Post by **kentsussexborder** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:08 pm

Word from schools nearby is that the maths is the one which had the most affect on the scores. Several children who were expected to do very well overall had poor maths scores but most did well on VR.

My DS had little comment on any of the papers being harder or easier than the others, but VR was his lowest.

yoyo123 · Post by **yoyo123** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:39 pm

I think the reason that the maths paper seems to be the most difficult is that it covers topics which will not have been taught in school at that stage. VR and NVR although they will be improved by good technique and practice are not so dependent on subject teaching.

alfie2 · Post by **alfie2** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:47 pm

It was maths as well for us. My daughter scored 138 and 136 for NVR and VR and then scraped through at 117 for maths (actually HT appeal took it up from 116 for my daughter).

I think the appeal went through because she was ill on the day and I provided written doctor's evidence which our Head suggested was a good idea to get on a "just in case" basis. Boy am I glad I did that.

twlurker · Post by **twlurker** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:10 pm

My DD got VR 139, NVR 131, Maths 127 . The scores she got when the school administered a similar test to ascertain suitability to take 11+ were VR 136, NVR 133 and Maths 118. So VR and NVR roughly similar but maths a leap up which supports earlier theories on the type of maths in this year's paper.

Hoonercat · Post by **Hoonercat** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:31 pm

My son scored VR 136 (didn't quite finish the test), NVR 140 and Maths 126. Very surprised at the scores as Maths is and has always been his strongest subject.

U400JB9 · Post by **U400JB9** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:17 am

For us it was the maths, she did well in NVR and VR but has failed because of her maths paper.
I was told by her teacher that the maths set up this year bore no resemblence to the practise maths papers.
However, at a particular school exam she did well in the maths and failed on the NVR...!!