Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

11 plus explanation please

60 replies

Hoppityhophops · 14/09/2024 17:07

Hi there,

My son took the 11 plus today but I don't understand how the scoring works tbh. He needs to get 205 (pupil premium) we are well within catchment so I think if he gets 205 he's next on the list for a place after children in care. I don't understand what a score of 205 means though. Can someone explain. Is it a certain percentage or something? He hasn't had tutoring as couldn't afford it but he has done some paper practice papers that were free. He said the exam was easy? Easier than the practice papers. But that he missed the last 5 questions on the first exam as they said but pencils down and he hadn't finished the last 5 but he finished the 2nd paper in time and went back to make sure his answers were right. Does missing 5 questions mean he's unluely to pass? For context he works at greater depth across the board and always has but I'm guessing he's at a big disadvantage not having a tutor and needing to pace himself time wise.

OP posts:
northlondon19 · 15/09/2024 07:32

Hoppityhophops · 14/09/2024 21:50

Ah well. As you said just put it out of mind until the results. Do results usually come through the post?

You would need to check the website of where you signed up for it as it varies - I had one emailed to me and one I had to log into a website to see. The website should also tell you the date the results come out - I don't know what area you are in but that's how it worked for us.

Rekka · 15/09/2024 00:49

TheWrongBus · 14/09/2024 23:15

This is my vague understanding too.

I’d also heard that some tests take into account how many wrong answers a candidate gets.

So someone who works relatively slowly, doesn’t finish the test but gets virtually everything right may score more highly than someone who does finish the test but gets a number of questions wrong.

They may end up with the same number of right answers as each other but the first candidate will be given a better score.

Show quote history

Depending on the school, 5 marks can mean a lot but can also mean litty. No one knows if beyond those 5 questions, a child truly got everything else right.

Suggest follow previous poster's advice, when it's done, it's done. Put this out of your mind and second-guessing leads to nowhere. Just wait for the result. Regardless the results, the efforts of going through the process of preparation won't be wasted. They are better prepared for the secondary and hopefully more resilient in face of challenges.

TheWrongBus · 14/09/2024 23:15

northlondon19 · 14/09/2024 17:18

Don't think anyone can help you here - the scores are usually machine marked and standardised through some formula based on age, previous years scoring and then into some sort of bell curve - depends on how many questions there were of how much a difference 5 will make. Plus how many they got right and wrong across both papers and how clearly they marked the sheet to indicate the correct answer. You need to put it out of your mind until they send you the score.

This is my vague understanding too.

I’d also heard that some tests take into account how many wrong answers a candidate gets.

So someone who works relatively slowly, doesn’t finish the test but gets virtually everything right may score more highly than someone who does finish the test but gets a number of questions wrong.

They may end up with the same number of right answers as each other but the first candidate will be given a better score.

Skintdancemum · 14/09/2024 22:48

I don’t understand this either; my dd is sitting it on monday

our school have said it’s equivalent of getting around 75-80% on an exam

catsnore · 14/09/2024 22:45

Usually it's a competitive exam so everyone's scores affect the pass mark. So if the paper is hard the pass mark goes down and if the paper is easy the pass mark goes up. Scores for all papers are added up, standardised for age and then compared. No one understands exactly what they do to calculate it all behind the scenes! You need to wait for the actual result.

Missing five questions can affect your mark but if you have performed well in the paper generally it probably won't make a difference. If you are borderline it could make a difference.

Once you've passed, that's when the catchment/siblings/distance from school becomes important. It sounds like your son will definitely get a place if he passes.

Floralnomad · 14/09/2024 22:00

Whereabouts are you as not all 11+ exams are the same .

Original poster
Hoppityhophops · 14/09/2024 21:50

Ah well. As you said just put it out of mind until the results. Do results usually come through the post?

OP posts:
northlondon19 · 14/09/2024 17:58

It's quite complicated and I don't understand it fully but the score isn't the test mark - all the marks are processed to create the scores

Original poster
Hoppityhophops · 14/09/2024 17:24

Ah ok, thank you. I thought 205 was a percentage for everyone like it represented 80 percent or something or that maybe the score was out of 300. I didn't realise there are multiple factors affecting the score.

OP posts:
northlondon19 · 14/09/2024 17:18

Don't think anyone can help you here - the scores are usually machine marked and standardised through some formula based on age, previous years scoring and then into some sort of bell curve - depends on how many questions there were of how much a difference 5 will make. Plus how many they got right and wrong across both papers and how clearly they marked the sheet to indicate the correct answer. You need to put it out of your mind until they send you the score.

Swipe left for the next trending thread