11 Plus Exams Forum

Can anyone explain CAT test results to me? I have been given 3 scores (VR, NVR and maths) and then an aggregate score. I do not know what the pass mark is or the maximum score. I have been told an aggregate of 120 would indicate suitability to take the 11+ . But how does a 120 CAT score compare to the required pass mark for the 11+ ?

I have done a quick scan of old threads on this forum but have found conflicting information - from some people saying the numbers are transferable (ie 120 CAT = approx. 119/120 11+ mark) and another saying add up to 10 marks to the CAT to guestimate the 11+ mark!

Can someone shed any light?

Thank you!

As far as I'm aware they aren't really comparable. They will tell you that your child is in the top x% which should give you an idea of suitability for grammar, depending on your area. The 11plus exams vary so much in type & the way they are scored I can't see how they could be comparable. I think people try to find a correlation, and I have to say that my DSs score were similar on CATs and 11plus, but my DDs weren't (scored 10 points lower on 11plus).

scary mum wrote:They will tell you that your child is in the top x% which should give you an idea of suitability for grammar, depending on your area.

But how does this work? If say my child got 120 in each? How do I know where that mark sits amongst everyone else? I don't know the pass mark nor the maximum mark.

very confused!!!

The average is 100. I think the maximum is 141, but I'm not sure about that (so in that way it is similar to many 11pluses, but they are not really designed to test the same thing). It's a statistical standardisation thing which I'm not very clear on but I'm sure others on here are.

There is no pass mark for CAT tests. The school will use them for tracking and prediction of SATs levels for year 6 ( and year 7 Cat tests are used to predict GCSE grades).
90 - 110 is average based on the test national sample it may not be the average of your child's school.

Above 110 is above average.
120 is seen as a rough guide to grammar potential , but that is all it is... a guide. The 11+ test is different.

I suggest that if someone got below 90 then their child would not realistically have a chance at the 11+, but I wouldn't place much greater weight on it than that and they should have a go if they wanted to.

You might have got a report with the scores showing a chart and also 'stanines'. For stanines.... 5-6 is average, 7 - 8 is above average and 9 is well above average... just a different way of putting the statistics.

Billie wrote:There is no pass mark for CAT tests. The school will use them for tracking and prediction of SATs levels for year 6 ( and year 7 Cat tests are used to predict GCSE grades).
90 - 110 is average based on the test national sample it may not be the average of your child's school.

Above 110 is above average.
120 is seen as a rough guide to grammar potential , but that is all it is... a guide. The 11+ test is different.

I suggest that if someone got below 90 then their child would not realistically have a chance at the 11+, but I wouldn't place much greater weight on it than that and they should have a go if they wanted to.

You might have got a report with the scores showing a chart and also 'stanines'. For stanines.... 5-6 is average, 7 - 8 is above average and 9 is well above average... just a different way of putting the statistics.

You really need this report to make sense of them. You also need each separate result as the average is a bit of a mis-leader, for example the child may have excelled at nvr but not done too great at quantitative, so you and the teachers know that they need extra help with maths.

http://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/sites/gl ... idance.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Look through this booklet to find the graph which shows you how scores relate to centiles. I bet you will be pleasantly surprised. Most schools give out duff information and advice based on CAT scores when they haven't clue.

Frequently also the test is not done under the correct standardised conditions so the result is worthless.

You need to know which edition of the tests your child did as this graph might not apply.

Thanks Mystery. That graph bears no relation to anything I've ever been told at school ....

Ditto. Our school doesn't do CAT any more. Too expensive and probably a good thing as they don't know how to interpret a standardised reading or spelling test score let alone a CAT.

I can't understand why a school would pay to do these GL tests and not read the booklet which helps you understand the results though.

Bet at some schools they then use the results in some weird way to decide which children they are going to teach semi-colons to and which ones have to stay on full stops for ever.

mystery wrote:Bet at some schools they then use the results in some weird way to decide which children they are going to teach semi-colons to and which ones have to stay on full stops for ever.

These would be tears of laughter Mystery, were it not for the fact that this is exactly what happens at our school