South Warwickshire eleven plus cheating allegations

Consult our experts on 11 Plus appeals or any other type of school appeal

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Guest

South Warwickshire eleven plus cheating allegations

Post by Guest »

Anyone thinking of appealing in South Warwickshire should read this article in the Sunday Times about claims of widespread cheating in our region.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... exam04.xml
hopeful
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 1:33 pm

11+ appeals warks

Post by hopeful »

Thanks for that. I have always wondered how so many children achieve 100% in these exams - thought it was something in the water! However, I have been advised it is extremely unlikely to win an appeal based on these allegations.
KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Post by KenR »

Hi Hopeful and Guest,

Just to clarify a few points - just because a child has a max. standardised score of 140 or 141 in the test does not mean that that raw score is anything like that.

The Age Standardisation process converts a raw score to a std score - scores that achieve quite a few marks less than the maximum can still receive a 100% Standardised score.

Take a look at the published results for the KS2 exams (on the QCA web site) for an example. In that specific situation some children who had a raw score of only 45 out of 50 reading test questions were still given a max 140 score. Similarly for Maths 78 out of 80 may also get full marks. The official reason given is as follows:
very low scores and very high scores are printed in the table as ***. This means that they would be below the lowest score in the table or above the highest, but cannot be calculated with the necessary degree of statistical reliability. If an exact score is needed, ........, the next score below (69) or above (141) should be used as appropriate for these pupils.
This explains the apparent anomoly why a significant number get the max. even if they didn't answer all the questions correctly.

Hope this clarifies matters.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hi KenR
I think the Sunday Telegraph article about cheating is implying that a significant number of children got a raw score of 100% on one or both of the verbal reasoning papers. This would really skew the standardised scores and definately suggests cheating.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Thank you KenR for explaining that. People need to know the facts before they start banding about these allegations.

My child passed the Warwickshire 11+ with quite a high score and it certainly was not through cheating!! I am most upset at these allegations, yes we know that there is something amiss but don't tar all the children with the same brush! Just because they got a high score does not mean they have cheated! Think about how you say these things, I understand your dismay, I am equally upset at what has been said in the press but don't take away the achievements of the majority who have done this through ability and commitment and determination!
Guest

Post by Guest »

Does anyone know what the 'pass mark' has been in previous years?

The Schools have selected 259/260 and above this year, so sadly my child's score of 253 wasn't good enough.

thanks
KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Post by KenR »

Hi Guest,

Don't know the Warwickshire process or previous Pass Marks but just a few observations:

If the 259/260 Pass Mark is the true cumulative score from 2 Age Standardised papers then this does appear very high. This is equivalent to an average score of 130 per paper which means that only the top 2% of exam pupils passed. Were there that many candidates taking the Warwickshire tests that only the top 2% were successful? Only 1 in 50 chance must make this the toughest 11+ exam in the country!

The result of having such a low proportion passing may work against older candidates by my calculations (I'd like to hear comments from either Mike or Patricia on this point). If the 130 pass mark per paper also equates to actual high raw scores as well, then I feel this disadvantages older children as they have less room to handle the odd mistake or typo.

I would be interested to understand from Warwickshire LEA if the 260 pass mark is actually 2 x 130 Age Standardised scores?
Guest

Post by Guest »

KenR, this is what I know:

951 took exam for 240 places at 3 schools
260 has been pass mark since 2003 (and possibly before that)

I believe the pass mark to be high because everybody (for the most part) does do some form of tutoring or preparing (either at home of with a tutor) and, as in other areas, this does make for a higher pass mark. My child is at the older end of the year (november) and passed with 277 out of 280. The catchment area is quite large so I assume that this would also have some bearing on the high pass mark.
KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Post by KenR »

Hi Guest

That's got me foxed, doesn't seem to make sense.

Maybe the cavalry in the form of Patricia or Mike can make sense of this?

240 out of 950 is about 25% so if this is a typical Age Standardisation (which Warks web site says it is) then the 76th quartile and above should be a pass. That would typically be an individidal exam Age Standardisation score of about 111 or 112 which would suggest the pass mark should be about 222 to 224 not 260.

I notice there was someting in the Warks admissions about a 17 mile priority circle - perhaps it's something to do with that.

Otherwise I don't know?

Any Age Standardisation experts out there??

Perhaps worthwhile reading up about Age Standardisation and asking Warks LEA why its 260 and not 222 to 224 as the Statistical tables would suggest.

Regards
Guest

Post by Guest »

If it helps make more sense I know that about 25 passed with top score of 280 and by 270 they were at about 120 as a place number.
Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now