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Headteachers recomendation

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 5:30 am
by awesomedad
Does anyone know what the official line is on Headteachers letting parents know what recommendation they have submitted to county? In getting ready for the prospect of needing to put in an appeal we asked our Head who has refused to tell us. I know of other parents one at state, one private, where they have been told. The Head said that should an appeal be required they will tell us. We wanted to be part of the discussion before the submission. I understand that they give two marks one for academic performance, one for 'attitude' -i.e. self starting. The score of anything worse than a 2, 2 recommendation (1 high 4 low) will lead to an unsuccessful appeal. Our head also strongly implied that with a 2,2, recommendation you are likely to go through appeal (presumably only being a couple of marks out). I'm sure the school don't want parents hassling them to up their child's score and they can only be taken seriously if their scores come out about right - I have heard that some schools are ignore as they put in mainly 1's, but I did think it funny that within an hour of me putting in my request the Head approached my child and asked how they thought they had done :)

Re: Headteachers recomendation

Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 7:15 am
by Etienne
I'll move this to Bucks because these questions and answers relate very specifically to the procedures within that LA. They do not apply elsewhere.
Does anyone know what the official line is on Headteachers letting parents know what recommendation they have submitted to county? In getting ready for the prospect of needing to put in an appeal we asked our Head who has refused to tell us. I know of other parents one at state, one private, where they have been told.
We're not aware of an official line - it's probably left up to headteachers to decide what to do. The Headteachers Manual refers only to consultation with class teachers.
The score of anything worse than a 2, 2 recommendation (1 high 4 low) will lead to an unsuccessful appeal.
This is not entirely true of appeals - it would be more accurate to say that it is harder to win an appeal with anything less than a 2:2 recommendation. It would depend on whether there's a good explanation, and how compelling the alternative academic evidence is.
Our head also strongly implied that with a 2,2, recommendation you are likely to go through appeal (presumably only being a couple of marks out).
Untrue - it would depend on the rest of the case being put forward.
I have heard that some schools are ignored as they put in mainly 1's
They wouldn't be ignored if their 1s were mostly successful in the 11+! :?
It is, however, true that unrealistic recommendations risk being 'devalued'.

Important to note that Bucks now has a review process prior to appeals.
We give further advice here:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... laneous#e9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;