Age Standardized Scores Grammar Schools

[MrsB]

Interesting - it seems to be all our own fault for not sending in summer born children to 11+ exams ? Really ?

Didn't have baby at right time. Didn't enter it for exams. I blame the parents - bad bad Mum.

[Noli]

No that is what standardisation is supposed to do but clearly isn't as the % distribution is not even.

The standardisation is supposed to level out the age difference in terms of academic ability. If it truely did then for every month the same number of children would be offered a place at grammar school. Clearly this is not the case as studies show based on the latest figures that a child born in the autumn months has upto a 35% better chance of passing the 11+ as a child born in the summer months.

Noli

[Minesatea]

Interesting - it seems to be all our own fault for not sending in summer born children to 11+ exams ?

This is an interesting point though as it certain fits with my experience from DC's primary. We are an "opt in" area so not many take the 11 plus - 7 in DC's year out of 45. Of these 3 were autumn born, 2 January, 1 March and 1 in the summer term, so that bias was there before the exam was even taken. In actual fact this group slightly bucked the trend and the two January and the summer born were the three to get places but I do think alot of parents feel that their summer born is behind their older piers (even if they aren't) and so don't bother to enter them.

I have seen research based on the distribution of birthdays in various grammar schools but is there any showing the distribution of children actually sitting the exam?

[scary mum]

No that is what standardisation is supposed to do but clearly isn't as the % distribution is not even.

The standardisation is supposed to level out the age difference in terms of academic ability. If it truely did then for every month the same number of children would be offered a place at grammar school. Clearly this is not the case as studies show based on the latest figures that a child born in the autumn months has upto a 35% better chance of passing the 11+ as a child born in the summer months.

Noli

I don't think it is 35% (see the other thread running parallel with this one In the Bucks section). Edited to add: on a rough calculation in my head I think the difference for Sep (and July) vs Dec born is about 8%. I presume this isn't statistically significant?

[Etienne]

My son is a September birthday and appears to have been deducted 27 points, does this seem high and can you ever use standardization as a reason for Appeal?

To answer the original question, no, I wouldn't recommend it - every now and then someone comes up with this argument at appeal, and the panel is likely to react with a silent groan!

There's similar issue in the Q&As with regard to confidence intervals, which .....

raises questions about the reliability of reasoning tests used in the 11+, but it’s not a good idea to challenge the system at appeal, or to argue that your child should be given the “benefit of the doubt”. Whatever the system is, that is the system that must be used (apart from reasonable adjustments for special needs). However, at an appeal you have the opportunity to come up with alternative academic evidence to try and prove that the result was not a true reflection of your child’s ability.

Keep the focus on what really matters - academic evidence.

I really can't imagine any appeal panel wanting to get bogged down in the technicalities of standardisation ......

[lottie78]

Hi all,
Well after reading this my hopes for Ds ( end of August birthday) are fading fast !!!
I am in favour of standardisation but I also feel that if a child has gone through primary school with peers of the same age that they are taking the 11 plus and done well it's not the most important factor. Ds has always been the youngest but has always been top set since reception he has hit his level 5 s already but will this translate to a gs school place only time will tell. I know he's bright but I'm not confident he is emotionally mature enough for the whole 11 plus experience. In some ways I'm glad he's a summer baby as if he'd missed the school year he would have been in yr 4 now and I'm guessing very bored!!!
I'm just hoping that him been naturally bright (very good at vr and non vr) outways his weakness, or should I say lack of teaching, in Maths . He picks things up very quickly but there is so much for any 9/ 10 yr old to take in..
I'm hoping for the best and wish you all luck!!

[neurotic kent mum]

My dd says that the majority of her class - ss grammar- are summer born. Not sure what to read into this. ( And may be inaccurate!)

[U400JB9]

interestingly, my DD is in year 8 at grammar school, at her birthday party last weekend she will be the first to turn 13 by a significant margin.....all the other 12 girls there are younger than her, most of them have summer holiday birthdays.