Altrincham Boys score /weighting query

[scary mum]

Highest and lowest scores ( 423-334)

this is really surprising... 423! They actually have a 423 boy!

I thought 423 was almost impossible unless from Mensa.

It's a standardised score, so there will.always be boys on this score, it doesn't mean they necessarily scored 100% in all the papers.

[EmmaF]

It's a standardised score, so there will.always be boys on this score, it doesn't mean they necessarily scored 100% in all the papers.

In this age-standardised score system, the higher/fewer score is, less the people will fall into. It is almost impossible to score 423. 1-5 can reach 400+. 375+ will be top 5% generally~~~~

PS, I don't know the actual situation in this school, just my understanding of the term of “age standardisation” .

[Omega250]

It is almost impossible to score 423.

It is perfectly possible to score 423. I know for sure (my DD scored 423 a few years ago in one of the GL exams)!

[KaB£H1s3]

423 is the maximum sum of 3 standardised scores.

Only 1 or 2 kids per 1,000 will get 141 in a single paper.

So to get 423, the child has to be 1 or 2 per 1,000 in all 3 papers.

It's an incredible score!

[scary mum]

96% of children will fall with 2 standard deviations of the mean, so yes, very few score the top scores, but there will always be top scores, it's a feature of the system
(I think I've remembered the figures correctly, someone will correct me if not!)

[Omega250]

96% of children will fall with 2 standard deviations of the mean, so yes, very few score the top scores, but there will always be top scores, it's a feature of the system
(I think I've remembered the figures correctly, someone will correct me if not!)

Yes, this is correct. Essentially, 423 is an indication of how far the child's score is from the 'mean' (i.e. the average of the particular cohort) which is more than two SDs. So, either the child's high score or a low average (or both at the same time) could lead to 423. In fact, it is also possible, in principle, to get more than 423, but I think they just use this cut-off.

[EmmaF]

423 is the maximum sum of 3 standardised scores.

Only 1 or 2 kids per 1,000 will get 141 in a single paper.

So to get 423, the child has to be 1 or 2 per 1,000 in all 3 papers.

It's an incredible score!

You are right, not to say they have to be born on 31st Aug. or close to 31st Aug.

It is extraordinary ~~~~~~

[scary mum]

423 is the maximum sum of 3 standardised scores.

Only 1 or 2 kids per 1,000 will get 141 in a single paper.

So to get 423, the child has to be 1 or 2 per 1,000 in all 3 papers.

It's an incredible score!

You are right, not to say they have to be born on 31st Aug. or close to 31st Aug.

It is extraordinary ~~~~~~

Why would they have to be born close to Aug 31?

[ToadMum]

423 is the maximum sum of 3 standardised scores.

Only 1 or 2 kids per 1,000 will get 141 in a single paper.

So to get 423, the child has to be 1 or 2 per 1,000 in all 3 papers.

It's an incredible score!

You are right, not to say they have to be born on 31st Aug. or close to 31st Aug.

It is extraordinary ~~~~~~

Why would they have to be born close to Aug 31?

Our local system (CSSE, Essex and Southend), since age adjustment was introduced a couple of years ago, has actually used a linear system, related to 'days younger than born on 1st September'. I don't know how common that is, though - most places don't say anything more than 'age standardised', let alone publish the actual calculation used on their websites.

[EmmaF]

Why would they have to be born close to Aug 31?

Agree with ToadMum.

Standardisation takes account of the age. Younger you are, higher you score. For example, if two kids have same raw sores (rs), the younger one will have a higher standardised score (ss).

Since the youngest kid allowed to sit 11+ is born on 31st Aug, they will always have the highest ss when it comes to the same rs. Some examples/spreadsheets from internet gave us a general idea how different it would be based on the month they were born, not big but still different. It probably will be same if you were born on 1st and 31st in Aug., but those who were born on 1st Aug. and 31st July, not that same.

The fact that Alty also takes account of the paper's difficulty level makes the ss even more complicated. Again, to sit on a ‘just right’ paper is not that easy.

That is why almost all ss curve lines do not reach max/min point, because from a statistical point of view, the probability is very low (my phrase: almost impossible). But I am not surprised that someone got it, because those lines do not touch zero either, which indicates the probability is not zero.

Of course, all these are based on my own understanding. I am not surprised to be wrong.

Anyway, whoever got 423 and close-to-423 have done a marvellous job without a doubt. Actually, everyone who pass the score have done a marvellous job without a doubt. The Alty/Trafford grammars are very competitive. That is for sure.