Worrying test results year 3- help!

[Bitsnbobs16]

Has anyone else had really bad scores the first proper assessments their kid has done? (And later had them go on to do well academically?) My kid just got 97 out of 141 for English and I am shocked! (We have an older child who has never had anything like as low as this).

The school is selective and we’ve always had stellar reports for DD until now (and no concerns at parents’ eve a month or so ago) so I’m really surprised, honestly I thought she was really bright! The teacher said not to worry, they’re so young, it’s their first time etc, but I’m really panicked! Thoughts? Is it quite common for bright kids to sometimes just not really “get” assessments at first?

This sounds like a scaled score not 97/141. The scale will run from 60-141. Average scores sit at 95-105. So your child is scoring exactly average. Going either direction from that is in increasing or decreasing levels. Below 85 is a concern. Above 120 starts denoting the brighter children. 141 would be exceptional. This is on a population level so your school may have a slightly different profile. The school will let you know if they’re concerned. Also ask for the raw score and what it is out of . You might be reassured.

Given the 141, I would assume standardised (like the CAT4 or whatever), rather than scaled (like SATs), which is slightly different - but anyway, it's highly unlikely that it was a test with 141 questions, of which the OP's DD got 97 correct. But anyway, right in the 'average for the test cohort' range, if just below the mean.

@Bitsnbobs16 , what information has the school given you about the test(s)? The standardised test providers (GL being a main one) usually supply information sheets, I think. Is there any information on the school's website about the type of testing used?

If it was a standardised test, but the teacher has literally told you that your DD scored '97 put of 141', then they need to do a little bit of reading up themselves...

it’s standardised - either ISEB or CATs, not sure which, but either way below average, and very surprising for someone who has been doing well so far

Listen to the teacher. DD is very young and yes, this is first round of tests and honestly that result does not sound all that terrible to me at the end of the day.

The result is exactly average for CAT but CAT doesn't have English subtest, do you mean Verbal?

ISEB average SAS is also 100, your DC's result is not low.

It definitely is low unfortunately - national average is 100, this school (and most preps/junior independents like it) require 115 minimum. I’m hoping they won’t care particularly with this first one on the off chance she’s just had bad day but if she continued to get anything like this she wouldn’t be allowed to continue into the senior school.

Ah you mean low for future 11+? Not school do ability tests though, my DC did 11+ but no ISEB or CAT for them. Are you sure your target schools are doing them?

In theory, innate ability tests results shouldn't change much but in practice tutoring for the test and frequent re-testing do improve results a bit. If you're at prep, they'll be doing exactly that so I wouldn't worry, you still have enough time.

I don't believe in modern ability tests precisely because the results can change with tutoring and in theory they shouldn't if they were really measuring the innate ability.

It’ll be GL PTE (progress in English). If so, it’s a measure of content coverage against National Curriculum rather than aptitude. Wait until next year to see if growth happens.

Continuing to seniors is more about coping with the school work and getting decent results in subject tests, not ability tests.

With good teaching, a child of average ability can definitely achieve well in tests up to GCSE.

If it's GL PTE, the score should improve even more with good teaching. IIRC my DC's PTE score jumped 10 or 12 marks in three months.