What is the difference between a raw score and standardised score? Why do some parents request raw scores?

Raw scores are like raw carrots - nothing has been done to them. Standardised scores are like cooked carrots: they have been changed in the cooking process.

Parents often hear terms like raw score and standardised score when discussing 11+ exam results. But what do they actually mean, and why do some parents ask to see raw scores?

Let’s break it down.

What Is a Raw Score?

A raw score is your child’s absolute score: the number of questions they answered correctly out of the total. For example:

If your child scores 8 out of 10, that means they got eight questions right and two wrong.

Raw scores are simple and straightforward. They tell you how your child performed on the paper itself, but not how they compare to other children who sat the same test.

What Is a Standardised Score?

A standardised score shows how a child’s performance compares to others in the same exam cohort.

For example:

If Little Timmy scores 8/10 but most other children score 10/10, his standardised score will be relatively lower.

But if Little Timmy scores 8/10 but most children score 5/10, his standardised score will be higher.

Standardisation also takes age into account. Younger children are given a small adjustment to ensure they are not disadvantaged compared to older children in the same year group. So, if Little Timmy (born in September) and Little Sumita (born in June) both achieve a raw score of 8/10, Sumita’s standardised score will be slightly higher because she is younger.

Why Do Some Parents Request Raw Scores?

Some parents like to see raw scores because they reveal how many questions their child actually answered correctly. It’s a useful way to see their absolute performance before it’s adjusted for comparison and age.

However, grammar school selection decisions are usually based on standardised scores, not raw scores. That’s because the aim is to ensure fairness across different test versions, levels of difficulty, and age differences.