Transfer Test AQE 2014-2015

rowla

Annabel_Lee wrote: »

My boy did only the GL tests because friends said it was easier. He has a cohort percentile of 76. He wants to apply to Antrim Grammar instead of going to Ballymena. Can someone explain the procedure or tell me if it is likely he will get in? If there is no point in applying to Antrim (they accept AQE) he knows that Ballymena it must be.
Any advice is welcome.

Have a read of Antrim Grammar's admissions criteria - http://antrimgrammar.org/manager/resources/ags-criteria-for-year-8-september-2015.pdf

Annabel_Lee

Thank you for the reply. It looks as if he has the same as the top of AQE. This is confusing since we were told that GL was easier but I am not arguing.
Will try to get a copy of the school prospectus.

Mrs_mum

I would have to reiterate what Busy Mum said, your best bet would be to contact the school your child is interested in attending. When we went to Belfast Highs open night the Headmistress said herself and other head teachers had cleared their diaries for the first few days after the results were out to take telephone and email enquiries, so I am sure pretty much all the grammar schools will do the same. Good luck x

rolo1_2

Link to Admission scores (AQE/GL) for all schools for last 4 years......should be used as a guide only, and don't let it put you of applying for your first choice.

http://www.thetransfertest.com/schools-intake-information

tines2

Congratulations to all! Ok so my daughter got 98 which will thankfully be enough to get her in to her first choice going by all previous years. However I have heard people talk about a high birth rate of girls this year (hopefully just scaremongers)!!. Also she is an August birthday and I'm just wondering if others feel a July/August birthday have impacted their child's scores.

Mrs_mum

Hi Tinies2, I remember when my daughter was born there was talk at the time of a "high birth rate" and when I was applying for a nursery placement for her, the nurseries where over subscribed, which they hadn't been previously. As for the July/august birthday and scores, I'm not sure. 2 of my daughters friends are Sept birthdays and they got 120. I don't really think the age standardisation makes that much of a difference (maybe I'm wrong and someone might be able to tell you different). Anyway, congratulations to your daughter and to you for surviving it, lol. It def was a stressful time.

attritioner

tines2 wrote: »

Also she is an August birthday and I'm just wondering if others feel a July/August birthday have impacted their child's scores.

Mrs_mum wrote: »

As for the July/august birthday and scores, I'm not sure. 2 of my daughters friends are Sept birthdays and they got 120. I don't really think the age standardisation makes that much of a difference

The standardisation causes a lot of concern - and rightly so. The examination bodies are quite opaque in telling us about the process - and in providing the data used to obtain the standardised scores. For example, the AQE state

AQE_FAQ wrote:

5. Will my child be disadvantaged by age-standardisation.
No; a computer programme has been developed specifically for AQE Ltd to ensure that no child is disadvantaged. For each test, pupils are assigned to groups according to their age, calculated to the nearest month. This ensures that, for each paper, pupils are only compared with pupils of the same age, to the nearest month. A pupil who takes all 3 tests will have three age-standardised scores (one for each paper). The average of the best two scores is computed for each pupil. For pupils who take only two papers, the average of these two scores is computed.

Similarly the CCEA (GL) state

GL_FAQ wrote:

16. How will my child’s results of the Entrance Assessment be reported?
As with the previous CCEA Transfer Test, your child will receive an overall grade, i.e. A, B1, B2, C1, C2 or D. However, with the Entrance Assessment, you will also receive the Standardised Age Score achieved by your child in both the English and Mathematics assessment papers. The grades will be allocated on the basis of the combined total of the Standardised Age Scores and in line with the guidance provided by the Department of Education for the allocation of grades for the previous CCEA TransferTest.
We do not provide percentage marks because the Entrance Assessment is a standardised test. Standardised Age Scores have a scale running from 69 to 141 with 100 as the mean score.

18. Will the age of my child affect his/her final mark?
An age allowance operates within the scoring of the assessment and it is one of the reasons why we will report the results
as Standardised Age Scores on which the grades will be based. In calculating the Standardised Age Score, the age of the child is taken into account but no child will lose marks because of his/her age.

Firstly, the AQE just report the results of the test as a standardised score - you have no indication of the result of each of the 2 or 3 tests, and individual english and mathematics components. We know they have this data as the FAQ included with the results clearly state that the "computer" adds up the separate english and maths scores. The GL provides some more information in providing separate standardised scores for english and maths, and providing cohort percentile, along with the overall grade and standardised score. While the GL statement that "no child will loose marks" is correct, the standardised score can be affected as it is a inherent part of the process. For example

National_Foundation_for_Educational_Research wrote:

An older pupil may in fact gain a higher raw score than a younger pupil, but have a lower standardised score. This is because the older pupil is being compared with other older pupils in the reference group and has a lower performance relative to his or her own age group.
(http://www.nfer.ac.uk/research/centre-for-assessment/standardised-scores-and-percentile-ranks.cfm)

Annabel_Lee wrote: »

My boy did only the GL tests because friends said it was easier. He has a cohort percentile of 76. He wants to apply to Antrim Grammar instead of going to Ballymena. Can someone explain the procedure or tell me if it is likely he will get in? If there is no point in applying to Antrim (they accept AQE) he knows that Ballymena it must be.
Any advice is welcome.

There are concerns over schools operating this dualing process and the fact that comparisons standardised scores from each exam type are not meaningful
https://paceni.wordpress.com/2015/01/19/early-advice-to-parents-awaiting-results-of-aqe-gl-transfer-tests/

My own personal views on all these issues and the current state of affairs with the transfer test process in Northern Ireland is that we are much worse off now than when we had the old 11+ - no matter if you agreed with it or not.

Some politicians forced the removal of the 11+ and other had their way in preventing any alternative being proposed. Now we are in the situation where all children do not have an equal chance. Those who can afford pay for private tutoring. Those who are capable of tutoring their own children do so. Schools play no official part in the process but some choose to offer tuition by some back-door process. The rest of the children are left to their own devices. Parents are stressed throughout the process - children are stressed.

Remember in the next few months when the politicians come knocking on your door - looking for your vote – no matter if you agree with academic selection or not - their failure to agree any alternative has resulted in the current situation.

Sugarmummy

Mrs_mum wrote: »

Hi Tinies2, I remember when my daughter was born there was talk at the time of a "high birth rate" and when I was applying for a nursery placement for her, the nurseries where over subscribed, which they hadn't been previously. As for the July/august birthday and scores, I'm not sure. 2 of my daughters friends are Sept birthdays and they got 120. I don't really think the age standardisation makes that much of a difference (maybe I'm wrong and someone might be able to tell you different). Anyway, congratulations to your daughter and to you for surviving it, lol. It def was a stressful time.

I heard the rumour that there was a low birth rate for this year?? But even saying that the number of people entering the Aqe process had increased. As far as I'm concerned, they are rumours and that's it. Seeing another school tonight and then we will sit down and consider which schools to apply for. Fortunately the ones we have in mind, it doesn't matter in what preference we put the schools in, they will all be looked as if it was their first preference. This is stipulated under each school in the transfer booklet. (Not the case for all schools). Also, bear the phrase in mind "if your not in, you won't win". Some parents automatically dismiss schools if they don't think they don't have enough marks!! And a child with lower marks could get in.

gawa75

Sugarmummy wrote: »

Sounds as if everyone has done well!!

What a silly, silly thing to say. Maybe it's only bragging parents of children who have done well who are posting on this thread? Maybe parents of children who are devastated at getting mid-80s aren't as !!!!-a-hoop as everyone else.

Congrats to all kids who did well but remember not everyone got such high scores so please don't assume they did.

Rant over.

RikM

The "no child will be disadvantaged" by age standardisation, is both accurate and misleading...
the whole concept is about removing an advantage that it is believed older children have (as a result of many studies).
So, if a July child, and a November child get the same raw scores, the standardised result will probably place the younger child ahead of the older one.

From the point of view of the older child, that is certainly a disadvantage (removal of advantage). From the point of view of the general population, it could be considered a leveling of the playing field.

But the devil is in the details, and whether age standardisation has been applied correctly in a justifiable fashion. That's an area which is hidden from the participants.