How will the SEAG test be scored?
Overview of SEAG company.
The Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group (SEAG) plays a crucial role in managing the transfer test in Northern Ireland. This assessment, known as the SEAG Entrance Assessment, serves as a replacement for the previously separate AQE and GL tests. The primary purpose of this assessment is to facilitate academic selection for parents seeking to enroll their children in schools in Northern Ireland that utilize this criterion, particularly grammar schools.
Parents who aspire to send their children to such schools will need their child to take the SEAG Entrance Assessment. The scores obtained in this assessment are subsequently utilized by the schools to allocate placements based on academic performance.
GL Assessment, a well-established company with a track record spanning over 40 years in setting academic tests throughout the United Kingdom, is responsible for both setting and marking the SEAG Entrance Assessment. With their extensive experience, GL Assessment brings credibility and expertise to the evaluation process, ensuring a fair and standardized means of assessing students' academic abilities. The collaboration between SEAG and GL Assessment underscores the commitment to maintaining a high standard of academic assessment in the context of Northern Ireland's education system.
The SEAG Test format
The SEAG Test is a significant assessment for students seeking admission to schools in Northern Ireland that use academic selection, particularly grammar schools. Here is a concise overview of the SEAG Test structure:
**Test Days:**
- The SEAG Test was conducted over two days in November 2023.
- Students are required to attend both test days and will be examined on two papers.
**SEAG Test Components:**
Each SEAG paper includes the following components:
1. **Practice Test:**
- Each test, both English and maths has 10 practice questions.
- Answers to the practice tests do not contribute to the overall test result.
2. **English Main Test:**
- Comprises 28 questions in total.
- Includes 22 multiple-choice questions.
- Additionally there are 6 free-response answer questions.
3. **Maths Main Test:**
- Consists of 28 questions.
- Comprises 22 multiple-choice questions.
- It also includes 6 free-response answer questions.
**Answer Format:**
- Answers to all questions, whether multiple-choice or free-response, are written on a separate Answer Sheet.
- For multiple-choice questions, students are provided with five possible answer options.
The inclusion of a Practice questions helps familiarise students with the test format, though the results of this section do not impact the overall outcome. The English and Maths Main Tests cover a range of question types, combining both multiple-choice and free-response answers to assess students' proficiency in these subjects.
This structure ensures a comprehensive evaluation of students' academic abilities in English and Maths, providing a standardised score allowing schools in Northern Ireland to make informed decisions regarding admissions.
The 'Statement Of Outcome' for SEAG Results provides a comprehensive summary of a student's performance on the assessment. Here's an overview of the metrics included:
1. **English Standardised Age Score (SAS):**
- Based on 56 English questions from Papers 1 & 2 (44 multiple-choice and 12 free-response questions).
- SAS range: 69 – 141.
- Mean SAS: 100.
2. **Maths Standardised Age Score (SAS):**
- Based on 56 Maths questions from Papers 1 & 2 (44 multiple-choice and 12 free-style questions).
- SAS range: 69 – 141.
- Mean SAS: 100.
3. **Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS):**
- Calculated by adding English SAS and Maths SAS together.
- TSAS range: 138 – 282.
- Mean TSAS: 200.
4. **Cohort Percentile Ranking (CPR):**
- Represents the child’s cohort percentile, indicating how their performance compares to others.
- CPR is provided for pupils in Band 2 – 4 to assist parents considering a remark.
- For example, if a child has a 58% CPR, it means they performed better than 58% of all other children in Northern Ireland who took the test that year.
5. **Score Banding:**
- Score Banding is based on Cohort Percentile and determines the child's position relative to others.
- There are six bands:
- Band 1: 60% and above CPR (top 40%).
- Band 2: 50% – 59% CPR.
- Band 3: 40% – 49% CPR.
- Band 4: 30% – 39% CPR.
- Band 5: 20% – 29% CPR.
- Band 6: 20% and below CPR.
- Bands provide insight into how a student's performance compares to their peers and can be relevant for admissions into Year 8.
This detailed breakdown helps parents and schools understand a student's strengths and areas for improvement, allowing for informed decisions regarding academic placement.
This explanation is given in good faith but may be liable to change or contain errors. Check all details with your chosen school or SEAG.
The Age Standardised Score (SAS)
The Age Standardised Score (SAS) in both English and Maths, as used in the SEAG Test, is not a straightforward percentage score. Instead, it is an adjusted score that takes into account three key factors:
1. **Child's Age:**
- The age of the child when they take the assessment is a crucial factor in determining the Age Standardised Score.
- An age allowance is incorporated into the scoring process, ensuring that a child's age does not result in the loss of marks. This recognizes that children may vary in age within the same academic year.
2. **Number of Correct Answers:**
- The raw score, indicating the number of correct answers achieved by the student, is considered in the calculation of the Age Standardised Score.
3. **Difficulty Level of the Paper:**
- The level of difficulty of the test paper is taken into account when determining the Age Standardised Score. This ensures a fair and equitable assessment, considering variations in the complexity of different test papers.
While SEAG does not provide detailed information on the specific workings of the age allowance and how it influences scoring, GL Assessment, the company responsible for setting and marking the SEAG Test, has assured parents in previous years that the age of the child is indeed a factor in calculating the Standardised Age Score. Importantly, they have emphasized that no child will lose marks based solely on their age.
This approach acknowledges the developmental differences among students within the same academic year and aims to provide a standardised and fair assessment of their academic abilities, irrespective of age.
This explanation is given in good faith but may be liable to change or contain errors. Check all details with your chosen school or SEAG.