Academic Self Assessment at 7 and 11 Years: Its Accuracy and Association With Ethnic Group and Sex

S ummary . This paper reports results from a large‐scale longitudinal study of educational progress, based at the Thomas Coram Research Unit. Sample sizes were N =133 and N =175 at 11 years. Measures were obtained on academic self assessment and attainment in reading and maths. Children at 7 years tended to overestimate their attainment and there was little agreement with test scores. By 11 years self assessments matched objective measures of attainment and were less exaggerated. Although these results reflect underlying cognitive and environmental changes, emphasis is placed on differences in self assessment in maths and reading, and differences according to sex and ethnic origin of child. Academic self assessment was lowered when the frame of reference was to classmates rather than other children in general.