How the test is marked
Raw scores
Each paper is marked to provide ‘raw’ scores. The raw scores for each paper are based on the number of correct answers.
The raw scores are then standardised to reflect the child’s age at the time they sit the test. This is to make sure children are not disadvantaged because they're born later in the school year.
Weighted scores
Scores for the individual papers are weighted to create a total weighted score. The following formula is used to calculate the total weighted score for each child:
| English test standardised score | x 2 |
| + | |
| Mathematics test standardised score | x 2 |
| + | |
| Reasoning test standardised score | x 1 |
| = | |
| Total weighted score |
Minimum weighted score required to be assessed as suitable for grammar school
Every year a minimum total weighted score is set to determine the grammar pass mark.
The tests are designed to assess the equivalent of 25% of children attending Medway maintained schools as grammar.
All children from Medway maintained schools will be ordered by weighted score and the highest scoring children equivalent to 25% of the cohort are assessed as grammar.
For example, if there are 4,000 children attending Medway maintained schools, 25% of that is 1,000. If 2,000 children from Medway maintained schools sit the test, any children from those schools who achieve the same score (or higher) than the 1,000th highest scoring Medway child will be assessed as grammar.
Children attending non-Medway schools or Medway independent schools whose score is equal to or above the minimum total weighted score will also be assessed as grammar.
All children who have taken the tests and achieved scores that are below the minimum score will be assessed as non-grammar.
The minimum score for the last few years were:
- 2025 admissions: 482 (25% of the cohort assessed as grammar)
- 2024 admissions: 492 (23% of the cohort assessed as grammar)
- 2023 admissions: 488 (23% of the cohort assessed as grammar).