Invigilation breach, Lighthall School, room 110

[Petitpois]

What came of all this. Did not hear same level of noise about the qm test, did KEFO or respond to concerns??

[Bob1892]

I wish all those affected by the invigilator breaches at LightHall, FW & CHG (I don't think there were any other venues ) the very best of luck tomorrow.
It's been stressful for us regular nut-jobs but it must have been a particularly stressful these last 5 weeks for those affected by the misadministrations?
Have you guys heard any more of it if you don't mind me asking?

[scgsdad]

Hi All,

I did hear within 48 hours and was told invigilator did everything properly and have testified to that fact and stated to reiterate the point of working out the invigilator paused the tape to emphasise again that workings could be carried out in the booklet. Totally blaming my DS for misunderstanding instructions and nothing untoward happedened but papers had been checked and some were totally blank with not a single working out including my DS's.

Luckily the other parent who highlighted this happened at KEFW was given the same kind of standard response. So 2 invigilation breaches, 10 miles apart and blank booklets so tests done completely mentally, could not have been down to CORRECT instructions given; especially given every child who goes to school and has done maths has been taught to write down and do workings! Every child who prepares for the 11plus and looks at the familiarisation booklet does the same!

Clearly there was CONFUSION created by incompetent invigilators who unsettled already nervous 10 year olds who were having the biggest exam of their lives by initially giving the wrong instructions after several children objected had something happen when the tape started to commit another official breach to pause the tape! I have learned that this is not allowed once the test has started. This confirmation itself is a clear admission that something did actually happen which unsettled the children. Clearly, because of the wrong instruction given initially, the inviglator admitted to pausing the tape so as to re-instruct the children. Now why on earth would someone do that! I did not hear or find out of any other instance where the tape was paused to re-explain that you can work out as is being claimed. Reality is some children where reading inside the booklet, others were in a state of nervousness and unease whilst others were still pondering " what on earth is going on here" - very easy for the poor children to have become unsettled and nervous.

What is absolutely clear to this day is my son states that the tape was never ever paused and DS said unless she had a remote control she was not giving instruction standing next to the tape but was walking around.

So why I have I had to wait! Becuase the FO told me to wait for the result and if he has done ok then everything will be fine. Absolutely not! That clearly was a get out but I have waited patiently until the result and here it is:

He got the Qualifying Score and passed! Blindfolded without a single working out, which they confirmed on his question booklet. No underling of comprehension, no elimination, no maths working out, no elimination on NVR not a single mark on the BOTH of the question papers.

Am I happy, well I am over the moon that a child can do that despite the obvious disadvantage of being given confusing instructions and losing the plot with doing the exam in an alien way to how he was taught at his tuition centre where he attended for just over 3 months.

BIG PROBLEM NOW IS - his qualifying score will only get him into Handsworth Grammar and we live in Solihull. Camp Hill was his first choice and KE Aston second because of the direct bus routes to both from the bottom of our road. However, we have excellent schools here in Solihull but our catchment school is Langley and that is why he did the test. We do not have Tudor Grange or Arden as catchments.

FO were contacted and we were told he did really well and must be a clever little boy! ok...so what were our options please? List KECHand KE Aston and APPEAL. So that is where we are. Another pupil he consistently beat by an approximate 10%-15% throughout mocks has qualified for KECHG and so DS is absolutely gutted and does not want to travel through town to go to Handsworth! Thanks for reading this.

We are all quite traumatised by this whole unfortunate experience. Truth is some confusion definitely occured although the account of the invigilator is materially inaccurate according to DS and what he said when he came out of the exam.

Any advice from anyone please! 2 Appeals will be daunting enough after this saga. I am aware from other parents that initially the children were told no pen to paper on the question paper and several booklets with no markings also confirm that. Any comments / advice would be most appreciated.

[cooljsn]

Hi All,

I did hear within 48 hours and was told invigilator did everything properly and have testified to that fact and stated to reiterate the point of working out the invigilator paused the tape to emphasise again that workings could be carried out in the booklet. Totally blaming my DS for misunderstanding instructions and nothing untoward happedened but papers had been checked and some were totally blank with not a single working out including my DS's.

Luckily the other parent who highlighted this happened at KEFW was given the same kind of standard response. So 2 invigilation breaches, 10 miles apart and blank booklets so tests done completely mentally, could not have been down to CORRECT instructions given; especially given every child who goes to school and has done maths has been taught to write down and do workings! Every child who prepares for the 11plus and looks at the familiarisation booklet does the same!

Clearly there was CONFUSION created by incompetent invigilators who unsettled already nervous 10 year olds who were having the biggest exam of their lives by initially giving the wrong instructions after several children objected had something happen when the tape started to commit another official breach to pause the tape! I have learned that this is not allowed once the test has started. This confirmation itself is a clear admission that something did actually happen which unsettled the children. Clearly, because of the wrong instruction given initially, the inviglator admitted to pausing the tape so as to re-instruct the children. Now why on earth would someone do that! I did not hear or find out of any other instance where the tape was paused to re-explain that you can work out as is being claimed. Reality is some children where reading inside the booklet, others were in a state of nervousness and unease whilst others were still pondering " what on earth is going on here" - very easy for the poor children to have become unsettled and nervous.

What is absolutely clear to this day is my son states that the tape was never ever paused and DS said unless she had a remote control she was not giving instruction standing next to the tape but was walking around.

So why I have I had to wait! Becuase the FO told me to wait for the result and if he has done ok then everything will be fine. Absolutely not! That clearly was a get out but I have waited patiently until the result and here it is:

He got the Qualifying Score and passed! Blindfolded without a single working out, which they confirmed on his question booklet. No underling of comprehension, no elimination, no maths working out, no elimination on NVR not a single mark on the BOTH of the question papers.

Am I happy, well I am over the moon that a child can do that despite the obvious disadvantage of being given confusing instructions and losing the plot with doing the exam in an alien way to how he was taught at his tuition centre where he attended for just over 3 months.

BIG PROBLEM NOW IS - his qualifying score will only get him into Handsworth Grammar and we live in Solihull. Camp Hill was his first choice and KE Aston second because of the direct bus routes to both from the bottom of our road. However, we have excellent schools here in Solihull but our catchment school is Langley and that is why he did the test. We do not have Tudor Grange or Arden as catchments.

FO were contacted and we were told he did really well and must be a clever little boy! ok...so what were our options please? List KECHand KE Aston and APPEAL. So that is where we are. Another pupil he consistently beat by an approximate 10%-15% throughout mocks has qualified for KECHG and so DS is absolutely gutted and does not want to travel through town to go to Handsworth! Thanks for reading this.

We are all quite traumatised by this whole unfortunate experience. Truth is some confusion definitely occured although the account of the invigilator is materially inaccurate according to DS and what he said when he came out of the exam.

Any advice from anyone please! 2 Appeals will be daunting enough after this saga. I am aware from other parents that initially the children were told no pen to paper on the question paper and several booklets with no markings also confirm that. Any comments / advice would be most appreciated.

Not saying your DC has got it wrong or FO but a simple check by FO on other kids in the same room can clarify the situation. Ask them to check it and if few kids in the room has got blank question booklet then it will help you making your case stronger. Thought FO should have done this anyway.
C

[Tolstoy]

cooljsn, in the first paragraph sgsdad states that FO did this and yes some of the booklets including his DS were blank.

I have followed this thread with interest because in the past Gloucs DC weren't able to write on the booklet. They were at least given scrap paper but that still causes problems especially for DC with SEN. I do sympathise with you. Do you know how many DC have got places at your preferred school via appeal in the past? I suspect if you have good academic eveidence for ability at least you will have the mitigating circumstances side covered. All very unfair though as it is the FOs and their lack of consistency amongst invigilators problem but are being left to deal with.

FO were contacted and we were told he did really well and must be a clever little boy!

can they put that in writing!

Good luck anyway I hope it works out for you.

[cooljsn]

cooljsn, in the first paragraph sgsdad states that FO did this and yes some of the booklets including his DS were blank.

I have followed this thread with interest because in the past Gloucs DC weren't able to write on the booklet. They were at least given scrap paper but that still causes problems especially for DC with SEN. I do sympathise with you. Do you know how many DC have got places at your preferred school via appeal in the past? I suspect if you have good academic eveidence for ability at least you will have the mitigating circumstances side covered. All very unfair though as it is the FOs and their lack of consistency amongst invigilators problem but are being left to deal with.

FO were contacted and we were told he did really well and must be a clever little boy!

can they put that in writing!

Good luck anyway I hope it works out for you.

In such exam involving so many students and location , incidents bound to happen esp when exam pattern change every couple of years.
I don't remember reading anywhere in thread where it state FO admit some of the question sheets are blank.
My point is that
1) I am not surprised any such things happened as in such exams an invigilator (as a human) can make mistake. Although FO must have made sure they they train invigilators properly.
2) Assuming such thing happened , few sheets would have been empty. Of course easy for invigilator to deny this but FO should check question papers of other kids.
3) Assuming there are handful (say more than 20%) question papers are empty. FO will know that they are in trouble and have to do something. They don't have any ground in case of a formal challenge (legal or other option).
4) I know I am not coming across as helping to sgcdad but such discussion won't take sgcdad anywhere as it is common incidents when kids make mistaks under pressure or get the instructions wrong. Only way to conclude this and get the peace of mind is by asking FO a direct question -> how many kids in the pertcular room and out of that how many kids have almost blank question booklet. There is no reason why FO will deny you this information as it is not violation of any data protection. Once you have the information you know whether something went wrong in the room or not. 2 blank question booklets out of 50 kids would mean FO is correct.
5)sgcdad , I feel sorry for your kid and indeed it is a very good score based on mental calculation and he definitely deserve in the school of his / her choice but please understand that my (or anyonre in this forum's) best wishes cannot change the circumstances. I strongly feel that you have to find a way to get to the bottom of this and put FO on back foot.
Hope it goes well for you
C

[kenyancowgirl]

I think Tolstoy is referring to the last lines written by sgsdad?

"Any advice from anyone please! 2 Appeals will be daunting enough after this saga. I am aware from other parents that initially the children were told no pen to paper on the question paper and several booklets with no markings also confirm that. Any comments / advice would be most appreciated."

[cooljsn]

I think Tolstoy is referring to the last lines written by sgsdad?

"Any advice from anyone please! 2 Appeals will be daunting enough after this saga. I am aware from other parents that initially the children were told no pen to paper on the question paper and several booklets with no markings also confirm that. Any comments / advice would be most appreciated."

Is and several booklets with no markings also confirm that been validated by FO? See we need to understand that this is a parent's version based on inputs from other parents. I am not saying that it is wrong but only way to get a positive outcome is by challenging FO using some facts and I am asking OP to confirm this / obtain fact from FO and then it is a straightforward case.

I feel sgsdad's kid deserve school of his choice and only trying to help.

[Tolstoy]

Also the first paragraph

I did hear within 48 hours and was told invigilator did everything properly and have testified to that fact and stated to reiterate the point of working out the invigilator paused the tape to emphasise again that workings could be carried out in the booklet. Totally blaming my DS for misunderstanding instructions and nothing untoward happedened but papers had been checked and some were totally blank with not a single working out including my DS's.

I made the assumption that it is the FO sgcsdad is referring to in this opening paragraph and which as Kenyancowgirl points out he once again mentions in closing paragraph.

Not trying to criticise you cooljsn but thinking this situation must be frustrating enough for scgsdad without being continually questioned as to his DSs version of events which it looks as if the information from the FO does confirm.

[cooljsn]

Also the first paragraph

I did hear within 48 hours and was told invigilator did everything properly and have testified to that fact and stated to reiterate the point of working out the invigilator paused the tape to emphasise again that workings could be carried out in the booklet. Totally blaming my DS for misunderstanding instructions and nothing untoward happedened but papers had been checked and some were totally blank with not a single working out including my DS's.

I made the assumption that it is the FO sgcsdad is referring to in this opening paragraph and which as Kenyancowgirl points out he once again mentions in closing paragraph.

Not trying to criticise you cooljsn but thinking this situation must be frustrating enough for scgsdad without being continually questioned as to his DSs version of events which it looks as if the information from the FO does confirm.

I scanned the posts quickly so missed out. I suggests that if above is true then sgsdad should write a formal complaint asking them to response in 2 weeks /1 week. FO will know that he is serious and has to do something about it like 10% increase or something.