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11+ standardised scores explained

Updated 2026-11-04

Many 11+ results are given as standardised scores rather than raw marks. Understanding what these numbers mean can save a lot of worry, especially when comparing them with practice results.

What a standardised score is

A raw score is simply the number of marks a child gets. A standardised score turns that raw mark into a number on a common scale, so that results from different papers, or different sections of one test, can be compared fairly.

Many tests use a scale where 100 represents an average performance among the children taking the test. Scores above 100 are above that average and scores below are below it. The exact range of the scale varies between tests.

Standardising also helps when sections have different numbers of questions. Without it, a section with more marks could count for more than intended.

Why age matters

Most 11+ tests are age-standardised. Children in the same school year can be almost twelve months apart in age, and at ten years old that difference matters.

Age standardisation adjusts scores so that a younger child is compared fairly with others of a similar age. In practice, a child born in the summer may receive a slightly higher standardised score than an older child with the same raw mark.

The adjustment is designed to make things fairer, not to give any child a large boost. It is one reason why two children with the same raw mark can end up with different results.

Section scores and totals

Many tests report a standardised score for each section, such as English, maths and reasoning, as well as a total. Some areas also weight sections differently, so one part of the test may count for more than another.

This means a child’s overall result depends on how the sections combine. A child who is very strong in one area may make up for a weaker area in some tests, while other tests set a minimum score for each section as well as for the total.

Results letters usually explain how the scores were worked out and what the local standard was. If anything is unclear, the council or school admissions team can normally explain how scores are used, though they will not usually share raw marks or conversion tables.

Why mock scores cannot be converted

Parents often ask how a practice paper score translates into a standardised score. The honest answer is that it cannot be converted reliably.

Standardised scores depend on how everyone else taking the real test performed. A mock paper does not have that group of children behind it.
Practice papers differ in difficulty from the real test and from each other.
The real test’s conversion tables are not published, and they can change from year to year.
Conditions are different: a mock at the kitchen table is not the same as a test hall.

Any website or book that offers to turn a raw mock score into an exact standardised score is guessing. Treat such numbers with caution.

How qualifying scores work

Some areas set a qualifying score or pass standard, sometimes with separate requirements for each section. Areas such as Kent and Buckinghamshire are among those that use standardised scores in this way.

These standards can change from year to year, and reaching them does not usually guarantee a place at a particular school. Popular schools may be oversubscribed, and their admissions criteria, such as distance or ranking by score, decide who is offered a place.

Check with your council or school for the current qualifying score and how places are allocated, as this varies a great deal between areas.

Using mock scores sensibly

Practice scores are still very useful, just not as predictions. They are best used to guide what to practise next.

Look for patterns across several papers rather than reacting to one result.
Compare your child with their own earlier scores, not with other children.
Note which question types and topics cause most mistakes.
Check whether marks are lost through not knowing, misreading or running out of time; each needs a different fix.
Use percentages as a rough guide to progress on similar papers.

A child scoring steadily higher on similar papers, finishing in time and making fewer careless slips is making real progress, whatever the exact numbers say. NITU’s four-test packs are designed for exactly this kind of tracking over several papers.

Keeping scores in perspective

It is easy for numbers to take over family conversations in the months before the test. Try to keep mock scores between you and your child, and focus feedback on effort and specific improvements.

A disappointing practice result is information, not a verdict. Most children have up and down days, and the real test is just one morning.

Finally, remember that results are only one part of finding the right secondary school. Your child’s happiness, interests and wellbeing matter just as much.

Questions parents ask

What is a good 11+ standardised score?

It depends on the area and school. On many scales 100 is average, and selective schools usually require well above that. Check with your council or school for local qualifying scores.

Can I convert my child’s mock score to a standardised score?

Not reliably. Standardised scores depend on how all the children sitting the real test performed, so mock results are best used to track progress instead.

Are younger children disadvantaged in the 11+?

Age standardisation is designed to reduce this by comparing children with others of a similar age. A younger child may receive a slightly higher standardised score for the same raw mark.

Want to see what a paper set out like your child's test looks like? Every pack and handbook has a free sample. Find your test area or try the free flash cards.