How the test is marked
Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Medway Test places
We understand you may be concerned about how much classroom time your child may have missed and the impact of this on your child's Medway Test experience. Schools are working hard to ensure that pupils still get the education and support they need.
The cut-off score to decide which children can be considered for places at Medway grammar schools is calculated after the test has been sat, with the aim of assessing 23% of those in Medway maintained primary and junior schools as grammar. Therefore, the calculation for the cut-off score takes into account the overall Medway Test performance of those in Medway maintained schools.
How papers are marked
Each paper is marked to provide ‘raw’ scores:
- mathematics and verbal reasoning are marked on the number of correct answers
- extended writing is marked against specific criteria
The raw scores are then standardised (weighted) to reflect the child’s age at the time they sit the test. This is to make sure no child is disadvantaged because they're born later in the school year.
Every year a minimum total weighted score is set to determine the grammar pass mark.
This score is set at 23% of the children in the year group in Medway state primary and junior schools. This changes each year depending on the size of the year group.
The minimum score for this year will not be known until the test has been sat and the scores have been calculated.
The minimum score for the last few years were:
- 2020: 490
- 2019: 492
- 2018: 495
The following formula is used to calculate the total weighted score for each child:
Extended Writing standardised score x 2
plus
Mathematics standardised score x 2
plus
Verbal reasoning standardised score x 1
equals
Total weighted score
All children who attend Medway maintained schools, non-Medway schools or Medway independent schools whose score is above the minimum total weighted score will be assessed as grammar.
All children who have taken the tests and achieved scores that are below the minimum score will be deemed non-grammar at this stage.