A GUIDE FOR PARENTS

How Are the 11+ Maths Exams Marked?

Understand the difference between question marks, raw scores and standardised results, and what they mean for your child.

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There is no single marking system used by every 11+ maths exam. The assessment provider or school determines how answers are marked, whether working is considered and how results are reported.

Always check the official instructions for your child's assessment. The following guide explains the main terms and the questions worth asking.

1. Marks are awarded according to the mark scheme

Each question is marked using the rules for that assessment. Some papers award the same number of marks for every correct answer, while others give different marks to different questions or parts of a question.

Do not assume that a question is worth more marks simply because it looks harder. Use any mark allocations shown on the paper and follow the published instructions.

2. Working is not always awarded marks

Multiple-choice questions

Where only the selected answer is marked, calculations on the question paper do not earn separate method marks. Your child must record their chosen answer in the correct place.

Written-answer questions

A written answer does not automatically mean that method marks are available. Some assessments mark only the final answer; others may award marks for working. Check the relevant mark scheme or guidance.

Working is still useful. Writing down calculations can help your child organise their thinking and check an answer, even when the working itself is not marked.

3. The marks form a raw score

The raw score is the total number of marks awarded before any standardisation or other score conversion is applied.

A simple example

If a paper contains 40 questions, each worth one mark, and a child answers 30 correctly, their raw score is 30 out of 40.

That is 75% of the available marks. It does not tell you their standardised score or whether they qualify for a particular school.

4. Results may be age-standardised

Where age standardisation is used, the raw result is converted to a score on a defined scale, taking the child's age into account. The exact calculation depends on the assessment.

A standardised age score is not a percentage. It should be read using the explanation supplied by the test provider, rather than interpreted as a mark out of 100.

You cannot reliably convert a practice-paper percentage into an official standardised score without the relevant assessment's scoring information.

5. Schools apply their admissions criteria

Depending on the admissions arrangements, results may be used alongside other test scores, a qualifying threshold or a ranking of applicants.

There is no universal 11+ pass mark. A score that meets one school's requirements may not meet another's, and achieving a qualifying score does not necessarily guarantee a place.

Read the current admissions criteria for each school you are considering, including how places are allocated when there are more eligible applicants than places.

How are Northern Ireland SEAG results reported?

SEAG reports a Mathematics Standardised Age Score and an English or Gaeilge Standardised Age Score, based on performance across the two assessment papers.

These two subject scores are added together to produce the Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS). Parents also receive a Band and information about the child's position within the assessment cohort.

SEAG explains that its standardised scores take account of the child's age, the number of correct answers and the difficulty of the assessment.

For the official explanation, visit the SEAG frequently asked questions. Check each school's admissions criteria to understand how it uses these outcomes.

What should my child practise?

Reading instructions carefully: understand how answers must be recorded.
Showing organised working: use calculations to support accurate answers and checking.
Using the answer sheet: become familiar with its layout where a separate sheet is used.
Checking details: review units, decimal points and the final answer.
Learning from mistakes: use practice results to identify topics that need more attention.

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