Standardisation

LucyLou's Mum · Post by **LucyLou's Mum** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:29 am

Totally irrelevant. But was told by my DD's school that she was in the top 10% of the 957 that sat the 11+ for the Warwickshire exam. We have since had the standardisation results through and because of her October birthday her ranking by my calculations is 23% approx of the total students that sat the test. All because I didn't want to be pregnant at Christmas!! Can't complain because DD still got in but thought I'd share it as a warning for all those born early on in the school year.xx

OFF TO BED NOW.

PapaM · Post by **PapaM** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:10 am

How can one find out how Standardisation is worked out?

In particular, I ask with regard to Barnet and QE Boys...

Thanks in advance...

MollieO · Post by **MollieO** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:51 am

As the mum of a summer born I would have thought standardisation is fair. My ds is still young but there is a huge difference between him and those born early in the school year and just what I'd expect. Even with standardisation there are always far more Sept to Dec children who pass 11+ and common entrance than those who are summer born.

Tolstoy · Post by **Tolstoy** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:21 pm

Had to come in on this one as I have both. Like you Lucylou had DS's 1 & 2 in Sept and Nov because of Christmas,

.

Having frozen doing the night feeds with DS2

yes possibly did look like that was sooooo cold. Opted for DS3 to be June and DS4 is April.

MollieO is right in that my June son who is in Y1 now is definately less mature in his year group, still gets very tired etc. They are currently encouraging counties to take all children in the September of the year they turn 5 to even this out but that won't make them any more mature and ready to learn unless they are terribly bright.

However what I would say is that standardization which should be fair and even things out is probably penalising some children now because of the tutoring that goes on. I know my younger two will be at an advantage when it comes to their 11+ because with my help and their extra age points it is probable that they will score higher than their brothers.

I also object to the fact that standardization is only used to correct age differentials and not learning issues. For example children that have been taught in a different language for much of their formative years are standardized in the same way as those who weren't. Also what of children who have disibilities?

Reader · Post by **Reader** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:09 pm

What does Lucylou's mum mean? 23% of what?

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:13 pm

Is this on the right section of the forum? You may get more responses if its elsewhere.

[now moved from Independent Schools area]

meagain · Post by **meagain** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:56 pm

Look on the nfer website for an idea of how standardisation works but from what I remember when I looked, it appeared for a September born, 86% would equate roughly to 80% for and August born. However, standardisation is different for every test, based on the results, so that supposedly you child would be compared with others of the same age.
I have mixed feelings as my son was summer baby and daughter was born September. Both passed 11 plus. Although they had both had the same schooling when they took the tests, DS had only just turned 10 and daughter was already 11. I prepared them both for about a year before the tests but I think that I probably did a little more work at home with my son as I knew he was a young one. Teaching algebra to a 9 year old isn't easy. I think maybe it's easier for the older ones overall in the 11 plus just because they are more mature, althought it was a lot less nerve racking for my son who didn't fully understand why he was being tested. I saw some research somewhere suggesting that grammars have more children that are autumn/winter born and I suspect this is the case.

Reader · Post by **Reader** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:03 pm

Would agree that maths concepts are harder for the younger ones to grasp, as there can be almost a year in the age difference. It is like asking children in different years to sit the same test.

LucyLou's Mum · Post by **LucyLou's Mum** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:27 pm

I've probably worked it out incorrectly but 23% is where I belive my daughter is ranked out of the number of students that sat the test, after her standardisation has been applied, ie Her scores put her in the top 23%. There's an historical thread here somewhere (tried to find it but couldn't) that details 2 boys who both scored identical raw scores, but one was born in September and one in June. And after standardisation was applied the one with the June birthday was ranked 37th and the one with the September birthday was 80th. I found this quite interesting. :?

sycamore · Post by **sycamore** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:53 pm

If your area uses nfer to standardise scores this may be of interest.

http://www.nfer.ac.uk/research-areas/as ... ls-age.cfm

Age standarsation is carried out to negate the effects of the wide range of chronological age of the children taking the tests. It is carried out according to the results of each test and, I would guess, becomes more accurate the larger the cohort. As a mother of an 'older' child I found this very reassuring!

http://www.nfer.ac.uk/research-areas/as ... -ranks.cfm

The above link contains a table to work out the percentile ranks according to the standardised scores. Much less confusing than bell shaped curves and formulae.