11+ standardised score calculator
11+ results come as standardised scores, not percentages. Enter a score to see roughly what share of children taking the test scored below it, or work out the score needed for the top few per cent. Below, how standardisation and age-standardisation work, and their limits.
About 91.9% of the group scored below 121: that is roughly the top 8.1%.
To be in the top 25% needs a standardised score of about 110.
Score to percentile, at a glance
| Standardised score | Scored below it | Roughly the top |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 50.0% | 50.0% |
| 106 | 65.5% | 34.5% |
| 110 | 74.8% | 25.2% |
| 115 | 84.1% | 15.9% |
| 118 | 88.5% | 11.5% |
| 121 | 91.9% | 8.1% |
| 125 | 95.2% | 4.8% |
| 130 | 97.7% | 2.3% |
| 135 | 99.0% | 1.0% |
| 141 | 99.69% | 0.31% |
Assumes the usual scale: average 100, standard deviation 15. 121 is Buckinghamshire's qualifying score.
Your test's own conversion uses that year's results and may differ a little, and many tests add scores from several papers. Want a plan to lift the score? Two free 11+ classes.
How 11+ scores are standardised
After the test, each child's raw mark is compared with the marks of everyone who sat it. The scores are then rescaled so the average is 100 and the spread (standard deviation) is 15. A score of 115 means one standard deviation above average, which on this scale is roughly the top 16%.
Age-standardisation goes a step further and compares each child with children of the same age in months. The test provider builds a table from that year's results, so a child born in August needs a few raw marks fewer than a child born in September for the same standardised score.
What this calculator can and can't do
It converts between standardised scores and percentiles on the standard 100/15 scale, which is how most 11+ tests report results. It cannot turn a raw practice-paper mark into a standardised score: that needs the real results of everyone who sat the test that year, and each provider's own age tables.
- ✓ Use it to understand a result letter: how far above average a score is
- ✓ Use it to set a realistic target: the top 10% needs about 119, the top 5% about 125
- ✓ Don't use it to predict a result from a practice paper; use timed mocks with a large group instead
FAQs
What is a standardised score in the 11+?＋
A raw mark converted to a common scale where the average is 100 and most children score between 70 and 130. It lets results from different papers, and children of different ages, be compared fairly.
What is age-standardisation?＋
Each child is compared with children of the same age in months. Because a child born in September has almost a year more learning than one born in August, a younger child needs a slightly lower raw mark for the same standardised score.
Is 121 a good 11+ score?＋
121 is Buckinghamshire's qualifying score. On the usual scale (average 100, standard deviation 15) it is roughly the top 8% of the group taking the test.
Can I work out my child's standardised score from a practice paper?＋
Not exactly. Standardisation uses the real results of everyone who sat that year's test, which only the test provider has. A practice-paper percentage is a guide, not a prediction.
Why are some 11+ pass marks over 300?＋
Some areas add up several standardised scores. Trafford and Kent, for example, combine papers into a total, so their thresholds sit around three times the single-paper scale.
Related
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