Please share experiences with 11+/Wirral Grammar Appeal
Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 8:48 pm
I'm sure we're not the only disappointed parents out there now that 11+ results are known and appeals are out of the way. Just wondering if anyone on Wirral would like to share their experiences.
Our DD failed her 11+ test by 2 points. Pass mark was 236, she scored 234. No words can describe our disappointment with this result. DD current Headteacher made a referral unbeknown to us to an Independent Assessment Board back in January. The outcome of this referral was Not Grammar. No additional information was given on how the IAB arrived at this decision.
Leading up to the time of our DD taking the 11+ our family was going through h*ll due to our eldest teenage daughters severe behavioural problems. These problems came to a head around the time of the 11+ when we were forced to make the decision to move eldest daughter out of the family home with ongoing support from us. Obviously, this was a distressing time for everyone concerned.
Now that the 11+ results are known, I am convinced that these events must of had a detrimental effect on DD. Like fools, we never made DD school aware of the issues going on at home. We were so absorbed with all the problems with our eldest daughter that unfortunately we did not consider the impact on our youngest until it was too late!
On 6th March, we lodged our appeal citing the above family problems as mitigating circumstances. On 27th April we attended our appeal hearing. We felt that the panel members were unsympathetic and biased towards the authority. One panel member said it was my fault that DD appeal with IAB had failed, as we hadn't notified the school of the family problems. He suggested that the outcome of IAB appeal would probably of been successful if we'd informed the school. I felt it necessary to admit that I was guilty in this respect.
Questions were also asked regarding DD academic capability. The only evidence we had with us were predicted SAT results for Year 6 (5b's). The chair of the panel said he would expect higher grades than this as evidence of suitability to attend Grammar School. We left the appeal hearing feeling despondent.
Eight days after our appeal hearing, we receive by post a decision letter extract as follows:
Having heard and examined the submissions made by the education authority and yourself, the panel concluded that compliance with your preference that DD be admitted to Wirral Grammar Girls School would be incompatible with the arrangements for admission to Wirral Grammar Girls School which are based on selection by reference to ability and aptitude and further it would also prejudice the efficient use of resources.
The appeals panel then considered very carefully whether DD should nonetheless be admitted to Wirral Grammar Girls School in view of the particular facts that you presented in support of your case. These were summarised by the Chair at the conclusion of the hearing and included the following:
Mitigating circumstances included severe family problems and inappropriate remarks by DD’s teacher causing her distress before the exams.
I very much regret to say that the panel were not of the opinion that these factors were sufficient to outweigh incompatibility with selection under the LEA's admission arrangements or the prejudice that would be caused by the admission of your daughter to the school. Your appeal in respect of Wirral Grammar Girls School has therefore been unsuccessful
If only we'd discovered this forum before our appeal hearing. We would of been much better prepared. The whole experience has been deeply distressing to DD and us as parents.
Since discovering this forum, we've decided to challenge the admission authority, as it would appear that our appeal/hearing did not wholly comply with the School Admission Appeal Code. We currently await their response.
Perhaps ours is just an unfortunate experience, but would be really interested to hear from anyone else.
Our DD failed her 11+ test by 2 points. Pass mark was 236, she scored 234. No words can describe our disappointment with this result. DD current Headteacher made a referral unbeknown to us to an Independent Assessment Board back in January. The outcome of this referral was Not Grammar. No additional information was given on how the IAB arrived at this decision.
Leading up to the time of our DD taking the 11+ our family was going through h*ll due to our eldest teenage daughters severe behavioural problems. These problems came to a head around the time of the 11+ when we were forced to make the decision to move eldest daughter out of the family home with ongoing support from us. Obviously, this was a distressing time for everyone concerned.
Now that the 11+ results are known, I am convinced that these events must of had a detrimental effect on DD. Like fools, we never made DD school aware of the issues going on at home. We were so absorbed with all the problems with our eldest daughter that unfortunately we did not consider the impact on our youngest until it was too late!
On 6th March, we lodged our appeal citing the above family problems as mitigating circumstances. On 27th April we attended our appeal hearing. We felt that the panel members were unsympathetic and biased towards the authority. One panel member said it was my fault that DD appeal with IAB had failed, as we hadn't notified the school of the family problems. He suggested that the outcome of IAB appeal would probably of been successful if we'd informed the school. I felt it necessary to admit that I was guilty in this respect.
Questions were also asked regarding DD academic capability. The only evidence we had with us were predicted SAT results for Year 6 (5b's). The chair of the panel said he would expect higher grades than this as evidence of suitability to attend Grammar School. We left the appeal hearing feeling despondent.
Eight days after our appeal hearing, we receive by post a decision letter extract as follows:
Having heard and examined the submissions made by the education authority and yourself, the panel concluded that compliance with your preference that DD be admitted to Wirral Grammar Girls School would be incompatible with the arrangements for admission to Wirral Grammar Girls School which are based on selection by reference to ability and aptitude and further it would also prejudice the efficient use of resources.
The appeals panel then considered very carefully whether DD should nonetheless be admitted to Wirral Grammar Girls School in view of the particular facts that you presented in support of your case. These were summarised by the Chair at the conclusion of the hearing and included the following:
Mitigating circumstances included severe family problems and inappropriate remarks by DD’s teacher causing her distress before the exams.
I very much regret to say that the panel were not of the opinion that these factors were sufficient to outweigh incompatibility with selection under the LEA's admission arrangements or the prejudice that would be caused by the admission of your daughter to the school. Your appeal in respect of Wirral Grammar Girls School has therefore been unsuccessful
If only we'd discovered this forum before our appeal hearing. We would of been much better prepared. The whole experience has been deeply distressing to DD and us as parents.
Since discovering this forum, we've decided to challenge the admission authority, as it would appear that our appeal/hearing did not wholly comply with the School Admission Appeal Code. We currently await their response.
Perhaps ours is just an unfortunate experience, but would be really interested to hear from anyone else.