1. Scaled Scoring

2. 100 Scaled score the DfE will be using 130 80
STA have decided the scale will centre around 100 points.
This 100 points represents a child has met the new standard.
In old money this would be roughly a level 4b.
Centring around 100, the scale will run from 80 to 130.
130
Maximum score
100
New standard 80
Minimum score
Scaled score

3. A scale allows direct comparisons of results from one set of assessments to another
Such comparisons would be difficult to make using raw scores because tests may be different – for example, they can have different numbers of questions, the number of correct answers required to pass may be different etc.
Mapping raw scores to a scaled score helps to minimise any variance between different test results.
Raw Score X
Scaled score
Raw Score Y
100 85 60
Due to the difficulty of Test X, a raw score of 60 could map to a scaled score of 100
Test Y is not as difficult as Test X, so a raw score of 85 could map to a scaled score of 100

4. The mapping of a child’s raw score to the scaled score will be done by the Standards & Testing Agency through a statistical mechanism.
You do not need to know the detail of this mechanism to grasp the concept.
For example, a child may score 42 out of 70 in their mathematics KS2 test. This might be mapped across to a scaled score of 98 70
130
Maximum score
Maximum score 98 42
Child’s scaled score for mathematics
Mechanism
Child’s raw score for mathematics 80
Minimum score
Minimum score
Raw Score
Scaled score

5. Min score to meet new standards
So why scaled scoring?
The raw score that would indicate a child has met the new standard is mapped to 100.
What raw score maps to a scaled score of 100 may vary year on year to address the variances in the tests that give raw scores.
One year this could be 42 out of 70, one year this could be 35 out of 70.
Sometimes the mechanism will mean a range of raw scores will map to a single scaled score.
Raw Score
Scaled score
Maximum score
variable = 130
Min score to meet new standards
variable = 100
Minimum score
0 = 80

6. What the DFE plans to do with scaled scores

7. Scaled scores will be used for both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 national curriculum assessments.
They will use scaled scores to measure progress from KS1 to KS2.

8. This process will be undertaken for Maths, Reading and SPaG
To measure progress from KS1 to KS2, the DfE will, using pupils’ KS1 scaled scores, sort pupils into national cohorts for the different assessed subjects.
All KS1 pupils who scaled score 98
KS1 scaled score 102
KS1 scaled score 99
KS1 scaled score 105
England
KS1 scaled score 110
This process will be undertaken for Maths, Reading and SPaG

9. Example: We take the national cohort comprised of children whose scaled score was 98 in KS1 mathematics.
The individual performance of each pupil within this cohort at KS2 is assessed and compared to arrive at a score indicating sufficient progress has been made.
(this example uses a simple averaging method that is yet to be confirmed)
Individual Pupils
KS1 scaled score 98
National Cohort
For those pupils whose KS1 scaled score was 98 the average scaled score in KS2 is 99
National Cohort
KS2 scaled score 104
KS2 scaled score 96
Progress made
Not made sufficient progress
KS2 scaled score 97
KS2 scaled score 108
Not made sufficient progress
Progress made
KS2 scaled score 90
KS2 scaled score 99
Progress made
Not made sufficient progress

10. Extreme example: Individual Pupils National Cohort National Cohort
KS2 scaled score 88
KS2 scaled score 86
KS2 scaled score 82
Individual Pupils
National Cohort
KS1 scaled score 99
National Cohort
For those pupils whose KS1 scaled score was 99, the average scaled score in KS2 is 86 therefore progress has been made if a pupil scores 86 or above.
Progress made
Not made sufficient progress
‘averaging’ methodology is not yet confirmed – consultation just refers to ‘sufficient progress’

11. Sufficient progress replaces “2 levels of progress”
Only in comparison with the progress made by other pupils with the same initial scaled score will it be possible to establish if a pupil has made sufficient progress.
Sufficient progress replaces “2 levels of progress”