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Secondary education

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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.

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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.

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.

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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 21:50

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

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Floralnomad · 14/09/2024 22:00

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Original poster
Hoppityhophops · 15/09/2024 08:54

I'm in Birmingham so he sat the test for King Edwards grammar. As far as I understand it as long as he gets a score of 205 he'll definitely get a place as we live in catchment and that's the pupil qualifying score. For everyone else, it's usually around 224 they need to get to secure a place as well as being in catchment.

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Original poster
Hoppityhophops · 15/09/2024 08:54

GL assessment

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Original poster
Hoppityhophops · 15/09/2024 09:17

Pupil premium qualifying score is 205

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pocketpairs · 15/09/2024 22:05

In simple terms, the absolute (raw or percentage) score doesn't matter. 200 is the mean (average) score for all students that took the test. He just needs to score 2.5% better than the average to get a place, if he's pupil premium.

It's a standardised test, so they will adjust for ages - if he's born after Apr - Aug 2014 he'll get extra points (bit more complicated, but that's simple explanation).

I wouldn't worry about missing questions, lots missed some yesterday, especially in NVR section.

Original poster
Hoppityhophops · 15/09/2024 22:15

The only thing I've got to go on is the paper tests that were free from GL..He was getting bwtween 80 and 85 percent right on those but he only tried them this week. He hasn't had tutoring so I don't know if that is good or bad for his first time trying a paper. The only other thing I know is that he said the test yesterday was easier than the GL practice papers. He hadn't come across NVR before at school he doesnt think but got them right in the practise paper. He said the English and Maths they already have covered in school

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mumsickles · 15/09/2024 22:57

Sounds like he has done okay, did he say if there was anything he hadn't learnt yet? Say Roman numerals etc or had he covered it all?

pocketpairs · 16/09/2024 01:09

There's not much you can do about it now, we are all in the same boat, but 80-85% is really good on the GL familarisation tests, the English paper 1 was quite tough. We should hear back on the 14th or 15th I imagine, they always release earlier than advertised.

pocketpairs · 16/09/2024 01:11

If your pupil premium you should have got free access to Atom learning.

Original poster
Hoppityhophops · 16/09/2024 07:37

He said he covered Roman numerals in school last year so he already knew them really well. How do we hear? Throught the post? Atom learning I didn't learn about until it was too late.

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Original poster
Hoppityhophops · 16/09/2024 07:39

He said the first paper was harder than the 2nd one.

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Original poster
Hoppityhophops · 16/09/2024 07:55

He's just said they covered Roman numerals twice at school. In year 4 and year 5

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pocketpairs · 16/09/2024 10:22

They will email you on the day with the score. Nothing to do but wait, try not to fret.

Sushiandsashimi · 16/09/2024 15:02

Thanks pocketpairs. I’m glad you wrote about that some have missed some questions in the NVR section. Mine said they missed quite a lot of the NVR and I’ve been too apprehensive to ask the other parents. This has put my mind at ease just a little. I know I just need to wait for the results now…

Skintdancemum · 16/09/2024 16:00

My dd also missed some out In the NVR today!

Original poster
Hoppityhophops · 16/09/2024 20:37

Thanks pocket pairs for the info. Whatever the last bit of the first paper was is what my son didn't have time to complete.

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