Support thread for parents of chilldren sitting the transfer test in 2011

Kola

aqeworrier wrote: »

My child will be sitting the test this November and I'm really shocked and worried at how high they have to aim - my calculations tell me that your child scored over 77% when the two highest scores are used - to me this is a good score for a 10/11 year old - this really worries me as I was of the impression that a score in the 70 percentages plus would give an AQE score over 100. Do they need to aim for percentages in the 90's? Talk about pressure for the poor kids! :eek:

That seems to be the case and those with earlier birthdays will need to take into consideration the marks lost depending on their birthday. My DS thought he did better at the time and was very upset with his score. I wish he had never sat the test now as his confidence took a nose dive after he received the result.

confused_mummy_3

aqeworrier wrote: »

My child will be sitting the test this November and I'm really shocked and worried at how high they have to aim - my calculations tell me that your child scored over 77% when the two highest scores are used - to me this is a good score for a 10/11 year old - this really worries me as I was of the impression that a score in the 70 percentages plus would give an AQE score over 100. Do they need to aim for percentages in the 90's? Talk about pressure for the poor kids! :eek:

My child had an standardised score of 102 a raw score of 86% with an October birthday. How they work it out I don't believe they even know, let alone us try to guess how its worked out. :eek: I am hearing that this year the tests had to be standardised differently to previous years because the tests were easier and there where alot of children had the same mark. I think the older children were penalised beacuse of their age and this give the younger children a higher chance of scoring a reasonable mark for their age.

Keep in mind that the tests that you buy in the shops are harder than the actual aqe tests but they are good practice. I found the windmill press tests to be more like the aqe tests. My child always scored around mid 70's to late 70's in the practice tests. Good luck to child!!

beccasmum

Kola wrote: »

I received my DS raw scores a few weeks ago. His birthday is 18 July and he had 6 marks deducted from is best two scores. I know it wont change the standardised score but I was curious to know his raw score.

How do you know he had 6 marks deducted, I thought the younger children benefitted but older childrens marks stayed static.:cool:

confused_mummy_3

beccasmum wrote: »

How do you know he had 6 marks deducted, I thought the younger children benefitted but older childrens marks stayed static.:cool:

I thought no one has marks deducted just older children didnt get additional marks added on and the younger kids did. That's the way it was explained to me. Maybe I'm wrong.

Third_Time_Mum

I think one of the problems this year was that the actual AQE papers were much easier than the practice papers most of them had been doing in school. Most of the children I know had 20 minutes to spare at the end of each paper and most of them came out smiling. This was lovely at the time but I think created a false sense of security and some were devastated when they received their results. To AQE Worrier, I don't think your child needs to be scoring in the 90s in practice tests to do well (I suppose it depends on how hard the practice tests are). My son's average in the practice tests was 77% and he came out with 104 ( early July birthday). Another classmate had an average of 78% and came out with 114. At parent interviews this year we were told that pupils with an average of 70% in the practice tests last year ( Transfer 2010) came out with around 103 and those with my son's average of 77% were generally getting 111 or 112, which was what led us to expect him to get a higher score. I think pupils at our school generally were scoring lower this year than they had been predicted although a few seem to have scored higher. Just keep encouraging your child to work steadily and try not to communicate any anxiety. Practice test results at the start can be a bit scary but it's amazing how the children improve in the space of a few months!

Kola

beccasmum wrote: »

How do you know he had 6 marks deducted, I thought the younger children benefitted but older childrens marks stayed static.:cool:

Based on his raw score of 90 this gave a standardised score of 84. He scored 46 and 44 in his best two tests. It wont change anything but I was curious to know his raw score.

Kola

confused_mummy wrote: »

I thought no one has marks deducted just older children didnt get additional marks added on and the younger kids did. That's the way it was explained to me. Maybe I'm wrong.

I can only quote on the raw score sent to me and compare it to the standardised score. As to how they work this out I have no idea.

Pmum

Kola wrote: »

Based on his raw score of 90 this gave a standardised score of 84. He scored 46 and 44 in his best two tests. It wont change anything but I was curious to know his raw score.

I am pretty sure that is not the way they come up with the AQE standardised score from the raw percentage. It just happens that your son's standardised score is a number which is 6 less than the sum of his two best scores, but that doesn't mean they took 6 marks off to correct for his age. It is a lot more complicated than that.

Charliedevil

Reading all the posts on here about raw scores is interesting, however a little scary! Why is it so complicated? And it seems kids has to get around 90% to achieve a good standerised score! My daughter is actually physically sick at the moment worrying that she won't get into her chosen grammar school as he had 91 in age and c1 in gl. According to Victoria the c1 is stronger and with her other criteria her headmaster thinks she has a good chance! I am less optimistic, I expected a score between 95-105 and was shocked at her results! I can't build myself or her up for another fall! She wants me to reassure her that she won't be going to the secondary, I can't! She is now having to see a counsellor in school to help elivate her fears! (the local bullies are going to the secondary) I think thus whole thing is a mess! If it were judged in incas or class work she would walk into the grammar! The wait until may 28th is so unfair!

Kola

All very complicated indeed. Hope all the children get the school of their choice. Good Luck to everyone.