Two questions for Mike please.Thanks

Eleven Plus (11+) in Wirral

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Wish Upon A Star
Posts: 54
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2005 2:54 pm

Two questions for Mike please.Thanks

Post by Wish Upon A Star »

Hi Mike,

We were told by our primary Head at the pre- 11+ parents meeting, that the pass mark and cut off point is a standardised score of 236 with no boarderline marks this year.

-Can you please explain how this 236 score is worked out of a total possible 2 x 80 = 160 correct questions?

-Also, as there is no Boarderline mark this year, what do you consider is a 'reasonable score' for when a possible appeal is being considered due to a medically certified illness.

Many thanks Mike,

W.U.A.S
Mike Edwards

Post by Mike Edwards »

Hello WUAS

Sorry, can't help with the scoring system but I think there is a link somewhere on this site to NFER where there is an explanation as to how the pass mark is reached.

As far as a "medically certified illness" is concerned it depends on how much the illness would affect the score and relies on definitions of health and well-being.

Grammar schools are academic environments and focus on academic achievement, if you or the primary school believe that he would not be able to cope with the academic pressure then you should reconsider the choice of a grammar school. There is little opportunity to catch up and the student will need to keep up with his peers irrespective of any "medically certified illness".

If however the "medically certified illness" is not a barrier to learning, but may be a factor in a score lower than the pass mark then I tend to think a score within five points of a pass mark is worth considering for appeal.

The key factor in the score however is whether an average child on a good day got an unusually high mark or a bright child on a bad day got an unusually low mark.

It is worth sometimes confirming information provided by teachers with the LEA who are the body that set the test. They will be following the statutory "school admissions code of practice" that is a legal document. It has been known for some professionals to be unaware of the law and mislead parents.
Fiona

mark

Post by Fiona »

Hi,
I thought the pass mark for Wirral changed every year depending on the
marks the children got?
Also I thought there was always borderline cases and it was dependent on things like thier non-verbal reasoning scores and if thier primary head
supported an appeal, have I got this wrong?

Regards,
Fiona
Mike Edwards

Post by Mike Edwards »

WUAP was referring to a converstion she had with the headteacher of the primary school.

Wirral LEA pass marks have been consistently around the 236 mark in recent years.

It would be unusual if Wirral LEA did not continue with the NFER system of scoring.

There is no non-verbal reasoning testing on the Wirral for Grammar school entrance.

There will almost certainly be "borderline" cases that will be dealt with at appeal under the "Schools admission code of practice" and the "School admissions appeals code of practice".

Mike
Fiona

Mark

Post by Fiona »

Hello Mike,
The head of my sons primary school said that the nvr test the school makes the children sit every year is taken into consideration if you are borderline is this wrong?

Fiona
Mike Edwards

Post by Mike Edwards »

Hello Fiona

I don't know whether this is right or wrong. I tend to advise parents to discuss such matters with the LEA who are the people who choose the test and the testing criteria.

Any appeal will be heard by the LEA, not by the school. The appeal will follow a statutory "code of practice", the LEAs are careful that they do things right because of a number of cases that have been referred to the Local Authority Ombudsman.

There are two documents that you can request from the LEA that should confirm the entrance criteria and the appeals criteria, these are:

School admission code of practice

School admission appeals code of practice

Regards

Mike
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