11 Plus Exams Forum

I have my Consortium Appeal next week. A couple of questions:

When the school reps present the school case and then ask whether I have any questions, what type of questions are they referring to?

When the chairman gives the school rep and me to sum up the case, will the school rep be against offerring a place at Herschel for DC, whereas I will be for a place?

Has anyone yet been for their appeal at Herschel, what can I expect or is it more or less the same as the Bucks appeals?

Its a shame we have to wait for all appeals to be heard before they let you know the outcome, unlike the Bucks.

Being in the fortunate position of not having to go to a consortium appeal I cannot be sure that my answer is correct... but...

When the school reps present the school case and then ask whether I have any questions, what type of questions are they referring to?
The schools case is based on the fact that your child did not meet the required level on the day of the exam and because of the PAN (planned admission number) and that allowing your child to attend would be a disadvantage to the rest of the class as they would be admitting over the recommended number. Unless you can challenge either of these statements then I would not think that there are any questions that can be asked.

When the chairman gives the school rep and me to sum up the case, will the school rep be against offerring a place at Herschel for DC, whereas I will be for a place?
I believe the reps summing up usually takes the form of quoting the policy and stating that the school is oversubscribed.
Your summing up should be the salients points in one paragraph......

Hopefully someone who has been through the process can advise more fully.

just wondering, chad....how can the school use the 'oversubscription' defence now when allocations at this stage have not been finalised ? Also just wonder how some consortium schools can run appeals before 1st March, and others after 1st March, that seems wrong to me

Because your child has not achieved the level then the school will say that it is non qualification.

In slough an appeal that is won is, by default, an offer of a place at the school. Therefore the panel will have to make a decision on both areas.
I do not think it is fair that appeal can be won before allocation day as if a child that has met the appropriate level but does not get offered a place because they have not got a high enough score then goes to appeal they have a harder job as some places have already been given on appeal.

There is a discussion on this..... I will try and find the thread

yes I was thinking about this - the non qual appeal implies a score is reached that is enough to get a place... whatever that score happens to be, jumping over many between 111 and the qualifying score

Our appeal for St Bernard's was in April, which is when they hold appeals every year. Surely the consortium should do just that and act as a consortium ie follow exactly the same process ? What is to be gained by Herschel, and possibly Langley holding appeals before allocations, and St Bernard's afterwards? I imagine then there are shedloads of appeals for St Bernard's because all the Herschel and Langley ones were not upheld. Of course those children will, having not been happy at the idea of a Catholic school before the exam, be very grateful of a place on appeal, with their higher scores. The whole thing smacks of dodgy practice to me

If you are successful in being offerred a place at a Bucks school (and notified on 01.03.11), and later in March (end of march) find out you were successful in HGS.

How would this work, would you have a choice? or depends which school is placed top on CAF form.

Hi Just wanted to let you all know that I have had the HGS appeal.

Have been told that 200 children passed with scores of 111 or above, and only 120 places will be allocated. 200 is quite low for passses!

Not sure how many appeals they are hearing, but I know has been every day this week and will also be next week.

Now I have to wait up until 25th March for outcome

Wait until 25th March for outcome? That is a long time......

I guess this is when the last of the appeals is heard.

This is from Langleys appeal guidance (supposed to be the same as Herschel)

The Clerk will inform you of the combined Appeal Panel’s decision in writing as soon as possible after the
Hearing but only after all Appeals have been heard. The school’s governing body and representative will
also be advised. The decision of the combined Appeal Panel is final and binding.

I wonder whether the '200' figure is everybody that passed..... or everyone that passed who put Herschel first choice on the CAF?

I hope the appeal was not too much of a trial for you.......just the wait now

the combined Appeal Panel’s decision

That's interesting, chad. So is this a consortium panel rather than an individual school panel?