Parent guide
Marking 11+ maths with written working
Method marks vs answer marks
On papers that want working, marks are usually split:
- Method (M) marks— for correct approach. If the child set up the problem right, they've earned these even when the arithmetic is wrong.
- Answer (A) marks — for the correct final answer. No working, right answer, full credit on most 11+ papers. Wrong answer, no A marks.
The hardest judgement is when the child has skipped a step. Rule of thumb: if you can follow their logic without help, they've shown enough working. If you can't, dock the M mark.
Five patterns parents get wrong
| Situation | Mark like this |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic slip in the middle of a long calculation | Award method marks if the setup is right. Don't penalise twice for one mistake. |
| Right idea, wrong units (e.g. answered in cm when question asked for m) | Award method marks, deduct one mark for the unit slip. |
| Correct answer in an equivalent form (e.g. 0.5 instead of ½) | Full marks unless the question specified a particular form. |
| Left the answer as a fraction the question wanted simplified | Most mark schemes deduct one mark. Teach simplest-form reflex. |
| Multi-part problem: got part (a) wrong, part (b) follows through correctly | Follow-through marking: if the method in (b) is correct given the wrong (a), award (b)'s method marks. Don't double-penalise. |
When to get help
If a problem-solving question is worth 4 or 5 marks, the mark scheme is usually too detailed to parse quickly at the kitchen table. If your child's working is messy or multi-page, ask someone who teaches maths at Year 5/6 level — a school teacher, a tutor, or use an assisted marker.
Parent questions
Does my child need to show working?▾
For GL Assessment multiple choice papers, working isn't marked — only the final answer. For ISEB, CEM-style, and independent school maths papers that require written answers, yes. Working protects marks when the final answer is wrong but the method is correct.
What's a method mark?▾
A mark awarded for the correct approach, even if the final answer is wrong. Example: if your child sets up the equation correctly but makes an arithmetic slip, they can still get the method mark.
My child got the right answer with no working. Full marks?▾
On most 11+ papers, yes — if the answer is correct and written clearly. For multi-mark problem-solving questions, the mark scheme sometimes splits marks across method and answer. In that case, no working = no method mark.
How do I handle 'equivalent fractions'?▾
½ = 0.5 = 50% = 2/4. Accept any correct form unless the question specifies the form it wants ('in its simplest form', 'as a decimal').
What if the working is messy?▾
If you can follow it, it counts. The marker isn't grading handwriting — they're grading whether the child thought correctly. That said, teach your child to write the final answer clearly at the bottom: the marker looks there first.
Let the app read the working for you
Scan the paper — we pull out the question, the child's answer, and any written working. For multi-step maths, we compute the expected answer, compare, and tell you which mistake they made.