11+ standardised scores explained
How raw marks become standardised scores, why your child's age matters, and why pass marks differ by area.
Raw score versus standardised score
A raw score is simply the number of questions your child got right. Test providers convert it into a standardised score so results from different papers and different children can be compared fairly.
Why age matters
A child born in September has had nearly a year longer to learn than one born the previous August. Standardisation adjusts for this, so younger children receive a boost, and older children are not penalised.
What do the numbers look like?
Standardised scores are usually set around an average of 100, and commonly run from roughly 70 up to a ceiling of around 140. The exact scale depends on the test, and each test has its own conversion table, so you can't work out a standardised score from a raw mark yourself.
Why is there no single pass mark?
The score needed for a place depends on the area, the year, how strong the group of children is, and how many places there are. Some areas set a fixed qualifying score; others rank children. Always check the admissions information published by the schools or local authority for the year your child is applying.
What this means for practice
Mock scores from practice papers are a rough guide only, because home papers aren't standardised against thousands of children of the same age. Look at trends instead: is accuracy rising, is speed improving, and which topics are still weak? That is the information that helps your child improve.