Standardised does not mean percentage
Raw marks count how many marks a child earned on a paper. A standardised score converts that performance onto a scale used by the route or test provider.
That conversion matters because selective tests are often taken by children of slightly different ages and across more than one paper. Some routes publish component scores, total scores, qualifying scores or outcome bands. Others give less detail.
Example
A child might answer a strong number of questions correctly, but the result letter gives a standardised score rather than a raw mark. That number should be read using the route’s own explanation, not as a simple percentage.
What to check
- Whether the score is a total score, component score or outcome category.
- Whether the route uses age standardisation.
- The published qualifying score, if there is one.
- Whether the target school uses rank, distance, priority area or another rule after qualification.
- Whether the score can be used for one school, a group of schools or a wider consortium.
Why parents should be careful
Standardised scores are useful, but they are not a universal grammar school currency. A score in one area may not mean the same thing in another. Read the score beside the route guidance and the admissions policy for each school you may name.