What is the Highest 11 Plus Score

The 11 Plus exam is a significant milestone for many children in the UK seeking admission to grammar schools. One of the most commonly asked questions by parents is: What is the highest score a child can achieve on the 11 Plus? The exam uses standardised scores to ensure fairness, adjusting results based on the student’s age. This means younger students’ scores may be boosted to account for developmental differences

What is a Standardised Score?

Examiners use a standardised score to ensure fairness in exams like the 11 Plus, adjusting for the varying ages of students within the same school year. The score takes into account two main factors: the student’s raw score (the number of correct answers) and their age.

Younger students often face disadvantages in vocabulary, reasoning, and cognitive development compared to older peers. Standardisation adjusts raw scores to ensure fair comparisons among all age groups.

For example, a child who scores 75/80 in the raw score might receive a higher standardised score than another child with the same raw score, simply because they are younger. This process prevents age differences from skewing results, ensuring a more reliable and equitable comparison among students.

The highest standardised score achievable in most 11 Plus exams is around 141 or 142, while the lowest is typically around 69 or 70​.

This scoring method makes it easier to compare a wide range of abilities and ensures that all children compete on equal footing.

What is the Purpose of Standardisation?

The purpose of standardisation in the 11 Plus exam is to ensure fairness for all students. It creates a level playing field by adjusting scores based on age. Older children, born earlier in the academic year, often have an advantage in areas like cognitive development, vocabulary, and problem-solving.

This system balances those differences, so younger students aren’t at a disadvantage when compared to their older peers. To address this, standardisation adjusts the raw scores by considering the child’s exact age at the time of the exam.

By factoring in age, the system ensures that children of all ages can be fairly compared. Without standardisation, older children would have an inherent advantage, potentially skewing results. This process removes the bias, giving younger children an equal chance to perform well, and makes the scores more reflective of their true abilities​.

Standardisation also adjusts for variations in test difficulty across different years, further ensuring consistency and fairness in the scoring process​.

Standardised Score Table (Example)

Raw Score	10Y0M	10Y1M	10Y2M	10Y3M	10Y4M	10Y5M	10Y6M	10Y7M	10Y8M	10Y9M	10Y10M	10Y11M
100	130	129	128	127	126	125	124	123	122	121	120	119
95	125	124	123	122	121	120	119	118	117	116	115	114
90	120	119	118	117	116	115	114	113	112	111	110	109
85	115	114	113	112	111	110	109	108	107	106	105	104
80	110	109	108	107	106	105	104	103	102	101	100	99
75	105	104	103	102	101	100	99	98	97	96	95	94
70	100	99	98	97	96	95	94	93	92	91	90	89
65	95	94	93	92	91	90	89	88	87	86	85	84
60	90	89	88	87	86	85	84	83	82	81	80	79
55	85	84	83	82	81	80	79	78	77	76	75	74
50	80	79	78	77	76	75	74	73	72	71	70	69

Standardised Age Scores (SAS)

The Standardised Age Score (SAS) is a key component in the 11 Plus exam scoring process. It ensures that the scores are adjusted based on a child’s age at the time of the exam. Since there can be almost a year’s difference between the oldest and youngest students taking the test, the SAS compensates for the developmental advantages that older students may have. This adjustment ensures that younger students aren’t at a disadvantage simply because of their age​.

The Impact of Age on 11 Plus Scores

Age plays a significant role in the 11 Plus scoring system, primarily due to the process of age standardisation. In every school year, there can be almost a full year’s age difference between the oldest and youngest children taking the exam. Since children’s cognitive abilities, vocabulary, and reasoning skills develop rapidly during this period, older students tend to have an advantage​.

To ensure fairness, the Standardised Age Score (SAS) adjusts the raw scores to account for these developmental differences. Younger students may receive a slight boost in their scores to balance out the advantages that older students typically have. For instance, if two students achieve the same raw score, the younger child is likely to receive a slightly higher SAS than their older peer​.

This adjustment is crucial because age differences can greatly affect skills like verbal reasoning and vocabulary. Younger students often haven’t had as much exposure to complex language as their older counterparts.

As a result, their cognitive abilities may not be as developed. The standardisation process ensures fair assessment by adjusting scores so younger students aren’t disadvantaged compared to older ones.

However, it’s important to clarify that age standardisation doesn’t penalise older children by reducing their scores; it simply ensures that younger students are not at a disadvantage. This creates a more accurate reflection of each child’s ability relative to their age group​.

Standardising scores based on age allows schools to assess all students fairly, regardless of their birth date within the academic year.

FAQs

What is a good score for the 11 Plus?

A good score varies by school and region, but generally, a score of 120 or above is considered competitive for grammar schools. However, each school may have different cut-offs.

What is the pass mark for the 11 Plus?

The pass mark differs depending on the school or consortium. In some regions, schools set a pass mark around 121, but it varies widely depending on the local education authority.

Is age taken into account when calculating the score?

The 11 Plus adjusts scores using Standardised Age Scores (SAS) to account for the child’s age, ensuring fairness and preventing disadvantages for younger students.

Does a high score guarantee a place in a grammar school?

Not necessarily. While a high score improves your child’s chances, schools also consider other factors, such as catchment area and available places. Find out best grammar schools in UK for 11 plus