Changing the pass score in kent?

[mystery]

Just thinking out loud here. If the west kent grammars maintain their extra classes and an annex opens there would be a surplus of grammar places. But these could be filled by lowering the kent pass score so that a higher percentage pass, and the grammar places could be filled, and the adverse effect would pass to the non selectives.

Or every selective academy could have its own pass score and fill up that way.

Or the pass score could be raised so that there were not any children who have passed but do not have a place.

The possibilities are endless. Or is there something stopping this kind of thing happening?

[tigger2]

No,I don't think that there is anything to stop this from happening.They could lower the pass score and the pass needed in each paper to get the desired amount of passes. It is as simple for KCC to lower the score as it is for them to raise it...They have to tweak the process so the top 21% pass (allowing a further 4% for successful ht reviews). The passmark needed per paper has been as low as 115 before now (some years ago before the equal preference system). If they were in this position it would be a great time to overhaul the way we handle appeals in Kent. I would like to see non qual appeals being heard before March so the successful ones can be part of the main allocation. KCC could factor this in at the same time.

[doodles]

Beat me to it Tigger, was going to say this year's 119 is a moveable feast and I've certainly known it at 115 and 117 in the past (but as I am rapidy losing my marbles I can't remember which years these were).

There is no indication as to the "pass mark" for each paper until after the results come out.

[mystery]

I am thinking though of a rather more radical variation than this, even on a school by school basis, if there was a big over provision of grammar places in a particular area. E.g. At the moment the grammar campaigners are saying that there are sufficient children travelling out from sevenoaks to fill a school in sevenoaks if in future the new year 7s opt for a sevenoaks annex instead of travelling to school in tonbridge or tunbridge wells.If the west kent grammars also used their rights to expand a bit the percentage of children who could attend grammar could be much higher than the current 25 per cent or so. Each grammar school could lower their pass mark as much as needed to fill as many places as they wanted to fill.

It would be bad news for the non selectives. However, the current admissions regulations permit these "competitive tactics" don't they?

[West Kent Mum]

Having had a quick glance at Mysterys proposal, that sound like a great idea IMO! And why use a pass or "fullmark" at all?
Each child could get his actual score and each school could set their own pass mark etc depending on their admission criteria. Ok, ok I know it might not be realistic but if we are throwing radical ideas around I thought I could add one as well!

[MMMum]

Is 119 the pass mark for this year -2013? I thought it was 120...

[mystery]

No one knows yet.

[MMMum]

My son's head teacher seemed clear it was 120 ,as my son scored 119 in one of the practice papers they did a few weeks ago and we were led to believe this would have been a fail if it had been the real thing.....

[U400JB9]

I certainly though the pass mark was decided after the test was sat. No one knew the pass mark beforewwith either of my DCs

[doodles]

Pretty sure that it's not known until after the test has been sat - unless of course the teacher is aiming for 1 mark above the highest recent pass mark.