To sit or not to sit if child has a cold?

[ian35mm]

Of course if a child is genuinely ill they should delay the test. One of the kids I tutor nearly died while on holiday and couldn't sit the test due to the trauma of emergency surgery in another country a couple of weeks before the test.

When he finally sat the test, he did fine.

My problem here is what could be considered a cynical attempt to play the system. Really, how often does it casually arise in a conversation that a child might be ill at the time of an important test, and that if it happened the child would be expected to do the test at a later date?

Fast forward a few years. "My daughter has a cold so she will not be taking her A level maths exam." Really?

[Sally-Anne]

My child is due to sit the 11+ in October. In a passing conversation with the head teacher I mentioned that I would not bring her in if she had a cold. However, the reply was to bring her in anyway because if it came to appeal, her health on the day would be taken into consideration.

Is this true?

Thank you for any advice.

My problem here is what could be considered a cynical attempt to play the system. Really, how often does it casually arise in a conversation that a child might be ill at the time of an important test, and that if it happened the child would be expected to do the test at a later date?

ian35mm, I can see nothing whatsoever in the OP that justifies your repeated cynical comments in response to a first time poster. The OP has asked whether the child's health would be taken into account at an appeal, and that is all!

I can quite easily envisage a parent having a conversation of that sort with a Head teacher, especially given that the advice from BCC is quite clear: "Do not send your child into school if they are unwell." The parent has said that they would follow that advice, but the Head has contradicted it.

[bravado]

I reckon "colds" vary - many times people can plough on and work / study normally but if they are struggling with a fever / congestion and counting the minutes to the next dose of analgesia / decongestant etc etc it is pretty awful.

I totally agree with you. I rarely give in to any illness or pain relief - anyone who knows me, knows I push myself VERY hard. However, whenever I get a cold, it invariably makes my eyes stream and ache, I get bad congestion which gives me a blinding headache and a marked inability to breathe through my nose. Oh how I identified with your comments about counting the minutes to the next dose of analgesia and a decongestant

And to Sally-Anne - I totally agree re your comments above

Have a heart, people!

I had to do my 11+ in the Head's Office as I had Tonsillitis - I'd have done anything to have sat it with everyone else, as I was so nervous but I know that in reality, being ill to the point where your performance is going to be impaired, was a no-brainer for this test.

[Etienne]

..... the reply was to bring her in anyway because if it came to appeal, her health on the day would be taken into consideration.

Under the previous system, the headteacher would have been right to say her health would be taken into consideration - because an appeal panel has a duty to consider any matters brought to its attention - but completely wrong to imply that an appeal panel would automatically accept the point and make some allowance. In most cases the panel probably wouldn't give any weight to the argument, in view of the clear guidance given to parents by BCC, but it would depend on the precise circumstances of the case.

Whereas an appeal panel normally has a legal duty to consider anything brought to its attention, it's worth pointing out that under the new system being introduced in Bucks this matter might never get as far as an appeal panel. It will be dealt with first by a review panel operating in secret under its own rules.

Will there be a right to an appeal in the event of an unsuccessful review? Yes, parents can subsequently appeal for a place at individual grammar schools, but the rights of parents to present whatever case they wish could be severely limited under this new system. If the grammar school chooses to argue that there has already been a 'fair, consistent and objective review', and can persuade the appeal panel that this is so - then, as the law stands, no other issues will be considered at the appeal.

[Sally-Anne]

Really, how often does it casually arise in a conversation that a child might be ill at the time of an important test

Head: “Hello, GoreCottage. How is GoreCottage Junior settling into Year 6?”

GoreCottage: “Quite well thank you, although he's got a streaming cold. Thank goodness it’s a couple of weeks until the 11+ so he has time to get over it. I wouldn’t let him come to school to do his 11+ as he is now!”

Head: “There's no need to worry about that, GoreCottage. If he doesn’t pass you can always appeal and it will be taken into account that he wasn’t at his best on the day.”

GoreCottage: “Oh, really???…”

Inconceivable.

Obviously far-fetched and worthy of a soap opera.

A put-up job clearly designed to prepare the ground for cheating.

[GoreCottage]

Just to clarify, when I say "cold" I do not mean a slight runny nose! There is often a fine line to walk in the decision to send your child to school or not; often they are a bit snuffly but perk up when they get there and sometimes you're picking them up half an hour later when it's erupted into a fever. And thank you for the clarification. If I believe that illness could affect the result I will not send my child in to take the test. If I were on the appeal panel I would also find it irritating to be told a child was ill after the fact.

[GoreCottage]

I also meant to thank Sally-Anne for very kindly pointing out to Ian35mm that I did not invent the story, that the scenario I described could well crop up in conversation (particularly at this time of year) and that my question was unlikely to be part of a grand scheme to circumvent the system. I did choose to largely ignore this rather mean-minded suggestion. To be brutally honest the incorrect usage of the word "cynical" combined with the idea of such an absurd and unworkable plot seemed to come from too weak an intellect to bother arguing with.

[Sally-Anne]

Good for you, GoreCottage.

Unfortunately even in this sleepy little backwater you will find the occasional crocodile snapping its jaws ...

[gertie]

When dd sat her first paper she decided she was well enough despite having been a bit "under the weather" the previous day. I went along with this not wishing to make her anxious but suspected she might not be at her best. She came out of school very subdued saying she was unable to finish the paper and just couldn't think quickly. That evening she had an earache and sore throat.

Over the next few days she developed some kind of cold/earache virus and by the time of the second test, although improved, she still had symptoms. The head advised if in doubt to keep her off as any appeal panel would take a dim view of us sending her in and then claiming she was ill afterwards. I informed my GP who made a log of the situation and I put a note in to school. DD did her second paper the following week with 2 others from her class which she was happy to do. She completed the paper in the same time and achieved pretty much the same mark as she had done consistently in practice over the few weeks previous.

It's tricky but I think you can only judge knowing how your own child will cope and the circumstances at the time.