child crying during 11 plus today

[kentlmum777]

hi, new lurker here too - just wanted to ask about my situation - the fire alarm went off during my dd vr exam. She says it didnt bother her but with the noise and people leaving then I'm afraid it might. They all stayed put but what should i do - go through the school or kkc - i do want it properly recorded just in case, Thanks all.

[Etienne]

I would have thought normally you would only need evidence of the disturbance in the event of an appeal, and that only the school is in a position to provide that evidence.

Unless there are some specific LA guidelines to the contrary, I would suggest writing to the headteacher without delay, saying that you understand there was a disturbance - and could he/she please confirm in writing the time at which it occurred, how long it lasted, and whether it was properly logged by the invigilator.

In the event of an appeal you would then have the headteacher's letter as evidence.

This seems quite a helpful topic, and it would be a pity to remove it in its entirety. Please let me (or any moderator) know if a particular post or comment needs to be amended or removed to protect anyone's identity.

[lurker]

I just thought that I would update you on how I got on with the headteacher. She has said that the disturbance wasn't that much of a distraction and won't be recording it. It also transpires that she told my ds to go back and do the two practise questions on the non verbal.
I challenged her on that, I asserted that she shouldn't be directing the children and that ds was using the two minutes to familiarise himself with the paper.
She said that it was 'perfectly correct' to tell him off for this.

I am aware that she is anti 11 plus, but I felt such hostility from her today. She then made a comment regarding tutors.
I feel so let down by the school, I have a child who did not pass the 11 plus, I know that it is not right for some children, but my ds wants this so much and has worked so hard.

She completely confused and upset him, then got angry when I challenged it.

I give up trying to resolve this with her, I have sent an email to governers and KCC. I don't want a bad relationship with the school, but I can't see what else to do.
Hope everyone else has had a better experience today- wine tonight for us all should help!

[tigger2]

I thought that it was up to the invigilator to record it not the ht to decide or not but maybe someone can advise? My situation isn't too great either. I am not expecting any reassurances when I see her today. It depends what you call a distraction doesn't it. What may disturb one child might not disturb another. I am just hoping that a few more parents have heard about the problem in my dc's class yesterday.Surely if a few claim it was a distraction then it cannot be denied can it? Anyone out there with words of wisdom?

[Etienne]

It is the invigilator's responsibility to record any incidents, but if he/she decides not to do this, it seems to me the only person you can take the matter up with in the first instance is the headteacher.

Talk to other parents to see if they have formed a view about whether there was a disturbance, and whether or not it was of any consequence.

If you are still dissatisfied, do as lurker has done - put your complaint in writing, and be very careful to keep copies of all correspondence.

To be honest, my own experience of appeals was that the 'average disturbance' rarely made much of a difference to the decision - but, if your child is only a mark or so short, then it might be significant, especially if the alternative academic evidence is persuasive.

Every year there will be parents who turn up at an appeal, say that there was a disturbance during the test, but there is no mention in the invigilator's report, and parents themselves can produce nothing in writing (such as correspondence about the issue). They are probably going to be on very weak ground, not having pursued the matter within a reasonable time after the test.

[pheasantchick]

Is it worth asking other pupils to write down thier opinions of what happened also?

[Etienne]

I think it depends how the information was to be used.

Individual parents might find it helpful to get their child to write down exactly what happened and for how long. I see no reason why this should not be part of an individual complaint ("This is what my child says. Does the school dispute the facts?")

However, if a parent were to turn up at appeal and say "I'd like the panel to see these signed statements from some of my child's classmates," there might well be a legal objection.

I can't immediately see any objection, though, to supporting evidence in the form of copies of complaints from other parents (where they might be quoting what their own children have told them).

[twellsmum]

I know quite a lot of people whose DC were taking the test in schools all over Kent (mainly West Kent). I think it is safe to say that in about 80% of those schools there were distressed children crying who had to be taken out or reassured by a teacher/TA.

Sorry to hear that the HT of the original poster was so unfriendly! Makes you wonder why some of them teach in Kent if they are so anti 11+ doesn't it?

[tigger2]

It certainly does Twellsmum! Our ht is dead against the Kent test and says so (over and over again!)in the meeting about secondary schools.Fair to say that we are made to feel like very bad,pushy parents for putting our children through it. After that meeting I did ask privately (and very politely) if they wished they worked in a non selective area!! I think that the lack of support and guidance in our school has been nothing short of scandalous.

[lurker]

Our Ht is not against SATs though. They have no problem stresssing the children out over those- extra homework, children told how important it is. You are right, it is scandalous.