Complicated! Anticipating an Appeal
Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2010 2:14 pm
Following our successful appeal to test BCC has finally written to us regarding a late 12+ test for our dyslexic and dyspraxic son.
"In order to start the process we would write to your son's school to ask them what measures they put in place for your son as part of his curriculum. Once we have this information we then present this, along with your evidence, to a special access panel who will then make a decision as to whether your son should receive any adjustments for the test.
Owing to the imminent summer break the next Panel does not meet until the 1st September and we would therefore not be able to test your son until later that month. However, if you feel that you would like to have your son tested without any adjustments then we could fit him into a planned test date on 26 August."
We are applying via the Late Transfer Procedure because of the great distress my son is feeling at being in his present school and not being at Grammar School and this appears to have been accepted by county (it is more complicated than I am stating here and there is evidence). My point is that TIME is a really big issue.
Do you think we should risk putting him forward for the test now and then appeal if he doesn't pass? My thoughts are:
1) it is very important to try and move my son as soon as possible and
2) that Bucks is very 'mean' about extra time so he is unlikely to get much, certainly not enough to compensate for the particular difficulties he has (working memory, spelling, writing speed all significantly below average) and that there would be a good chance that he would fail anyway. I am assuming that the fact that a child had had extra time could weaken a qualification appeal.
Please note I am not a Grammar School fanatic, the secondary school he is at is perfectly good but he really really would much better suit a GS education and has the ability to do perfectly well enough academically at GS (and the Ed Psyche agrees) and he would be MUCH happier.
I am hoping that Sally-Anne and Etienne amongst others might have some good advice
"In order to start the process we would write to your son's school to ask them what measures they put in place for your son as part of his curriculum. Once we have this information we then present this, along with your evidence, to a special access panel who will then make a decision as to whether your son should receive any adjustments for the test.
Owing to the imminent summer break the next Panel does not meet until the 1st September and we would therefore not be able to test your son until later that month. However, if you feel that you would like to have your son tested without any adjustments then we could fit him into a planned test date on 26 August."
We are applying via the Late Transfer Procedure because of the great distress my son is feeling at being in his present school and not being at Grammar School and this appears to have been accepted by county (it is more complicated than I am stating here and there is evidence). My point is that TIME is a really big issue.
Do you think we should risk putting him forward for the test now and then appeal if he doesn't pass? My thoughts are:
1) it is very important to try and move my son as soon as possible and
2) that Bucks is very 'mean' about extra time so he is unlikely to get much, certainly not enough to compensate for the particular difficulties he has (working memory, spelling, writing speed all significantly below average) and that there would be a good chance that he would fail anyway. I am assuming that the fact that a child had had extra time could weaken a qualification appeal.
Please note I am not a Grammar School fanatic, the secondary school he is at is perfectly good but he really really would much better suit a GS education and has the ability to do perfectly well enough academically at GS (and the Ed Psyche agrees) and he would be MUCH happier.
I am hoping that Sally-Anne and Etienne amongst others might have some good advice