Transfer Test AQE 2014-2015

AnotherAQE

Hi guys just to add to attritioner's last post. This is correct. The standardisation process seeks to take 2 things into account. 1, as we all know, is supposed age differences. The other is to account for differing levels of difficulty across the papers. It appears from the very small (and statistically unreliable!) sample of scores that we have here that Paper 2 was the 'easiest'. Motherearth's dd had her best performances in the relatively harder Papers 1 and 3 which helps to explain why her standardised score went "up". Although, as attritioner notes, it is incorrect to think of it like that but it gives a bit of a proxy. You will see a similar pattern in the scores of a few others where Papers 1 and 3 were the best eg aqenewbie, I think.

motherearth

Thanks Another AQE and attritioner was was slightly unsure myself how the system works.

sca11ion

attritioner wrote: »

Some problems with the comparisons that are being presented here are that (1) you only have the overall standardised score (not for each paper), (2) you don't know the average score in each paper, and (3) you are lumping together the best 2 scores and working out the average from that.

Yip

and this is why we are seeing some strange stuff (because we are just taking the 2 highest and making that the average), thanks attritioner.

(my bad)

Agreed that it's not perfect, but it's better info than most folk have had before this year. Can maybe go through all three scores (info that we have) to make it a bit better (we're told that best 2 out of 3), so obviously the best 2 are not always the top 2 test scores that count. If they were, then our analysis would work. So which paper gave the lowest RAW scores? That would help to see which RAW mark was applied to the final AQE result.

testingtimes

hi, just wanted to ask if anyone else had any knowledge of how special circumstances work. In my child's school I suspect two children have had points added as their scores are super inflated on how they would normally perform. If you look on aqe they state that they don't have anything to do with special circumstances that it is at the discretion of the board of gov.of the school to wish you're applying. If you look at the form you need medical or other evidence that would support the claim that your child didn't perform in one or all assessments as well as they should have. Also, evidence provided by the principal of the primary school of tests from P5 - P7 and were they sat amongst their peers. This evidence is required with the transfer form after the scores have been issued so how is that helpful. Just wonder if it's the primary principal that decides the final score issued in this situation.

flymetothemoon_2

testing times

Special Circumstances (SC) are not considered by AQE AT ALL. Rather, it is a matter for the schools when they receive a transfer form with SC evidence attached. Each school considers any SC requests they receive and decide whether they are warranted. Some schools have their process spelled out clearly in their entrance criteria. Basically I think it works like this, if you apply for SC and your child has a score of say 93 but the school normally needs a few more points to get in, your are asking that school to take into account the special circumstances that prevented your child from gaining more points. If the school accepts what you say your child could be admitted with a score of 93 even though the cut off for the school was 96 in that year ie: no other child got in below 96 and the acceptance of your child could even have excluded another child with 96 at the final stage.

The press has reported that more and more people are trying for SC under the AQE and GL systems and schools have noticed the upward trend. Whilst there will always be a small number of genuine cases, this trend has caused annoyance among parents. As for the role of the Primary Principal there is a SC report they can complete and I believe this is used sparingly however even when it is used, it is still up to the Grammar School to decide on the case.

Maybe the 2 kids with super inflated scores had lots of tutoring.
I know a boy in my sons class who got the highest score of all the boys in the class (115) even though he was always in the bottom half of the class but he was tutored for 1hr per week for 15 months so that explains his score.

rolo1_2

Special circumstances -Pretty much spot on flytothemoom.

But I would add that the SC go with application to 1st preference school who initially determine if the SC are acceptable and if so they then look at the academic ability of child based on their p5-p7 school based test results and compare them to other pupils in class who also sat the AQE (names are sanitised).

If it is deemed that the SC child under performed they then get there AQE score inflated to reflect what they should have achieved in normal circumstances.
Although the SC may be accepted but it does not necessarily mean AQE score will be uplifted.

Scarletlady_2

AQE has cause more anxiety among parents and causes undue stress among kids. It is like qualifying rounds, score does not matter so much, just getting in. For 80%, they get to the school that they chose. Ultimately, the happiness of the child is most important, not the anxiety of the parents!

thestack

Scarletlady wrote: »

AQE has cause more anxiety among parents and causes undue stress among kids. It is like qualifying rounds, score does not matter so much, just getting in. For 80%, they get to the school that they chose. Ultimately, the happiness of the child is most important, not the anxiety of the parents!

Spot on its the parents that cause the stress, just cause a child done well in AQE & gets into a grammar school doesn't mean they will be able to cope with a grammar school. Many parents panic about AQE, tutor their child, get them into grammar school then let them sink when they get there.

Greenisler

I very much appreciate this forum, my second child just went through this years transfer fiasco and we got raw scores as follows:

48, 49 and 46
March Birthday
AQE score 99

We did not have tutoring and now regret this as this is a bright kid who does extremely well in school. Despite getting a very creditable 99 we know that we will not even be considered by the two local grammars as their cut-offs last year were 101+

Our first child sailed through undaunted with 115, our second, of equal abilities, and predicted to achieve a similar score, gained 99.

Our third child due to pass through transfer fiasco 2017/2018 will have the belt and braces approach, we will be having a tutor in addition to any help given by the school. We will also be taking the GL as well as the AQE if the process remains the same. With the number of dualling schools rising it seems like the sensible thing to do.

I must stress that the reason we regret not having a tutor this time round is nothing to do with the learning function and everything to do with feeling confident going into a test. Our child was averaging 89% in practice tests in the months leading up to the tests but the week before the tests began the confidence took a nosedive when it was discovered that everyone else in the class had a tutor. The anxiety was obvious. No amount of reassurance could erase his feeling that he was at a disadvantage already.

I read the accompanying letter which I found most helpful in explaining how the standardised scoring process works. I can see that posting the raw scores here will only ever be a loose guideline as really the children are averaged against others from their own birth month. However I do think it is useful to have this rough guide, and so thanks to all who have given info.

I have to say I think the AQE folks are doing their level best to produce a fair result given that some children are nearly a year older/younger than their counterparts when they sit the test.

Despite our best efforts to play down the importance of the tests and to keep our children relaxed about the whole process, we remain horrified at the level of pressure that our second child in particular felt - and I am disgusted at the idiocy of the powers that be who thought the issue would just go away if they did nothing. Dare I say, I believe the current situation it is now much worse than it ever was during the old 11+.

Craftyc

Greenisler thanks for sharing your experience. I do think that many parents feel the same frustration regarding the whole process.
Your son is bright and does well at school and will blossom in his new school. Well done for getting through the process.
It is very difficult to get the balance right as a parent regarding these tests and as a parent you have tried your best to do what was right for your family.
If anyone had the magic answer they would be rich but at the moment the tutors seem to be the rich ones. I can also understand how the teachers must get frustrated hearing my tutor said ....
What a failure and let down this process is for many parents and children.
However, the AQE /GL is at least an option to provide a service to those parents who do want selection to a grammar school, but the system needs to be sorted by the Govt.