11 Plus Exams Forum

Have just recently had our childs appeal and during the meeting the chair referred to her as being above average but we have received the letter stating that she does not have the academic ability for a grammer school. Background info is in the appeals box. How can you be above average with the desired grades but not have the academic ability ? Confused !

average (on the whole and I know we have had lots of debates..) tends to mean about 50% of kids above average and 50% below average.

So with about 30% going to GS then you can be between 30% and 50% and be above average but below the GS cut off.

thanks for that hermanmunster. Would kids with level 5's high NFER scores come within the 20% or the higher 30%. If not what would clarify as the higher 30%.

I presume when it comes to the GS test it is the top 30% of the scores for the test that they take - not sure how this matches to NFER or SATS levels.

Each year I think it can be really difficult that quite a lot of kids who get all 5s don't get into GS

The "average" in Bucks is actually somewhere around 111, whereas nationally it is, of course, 100. The average is inflated because the social "mix" in the County is above the national average.

Also, although the qualification rate in Bucks is around 30% overall, among Bucks state school children it is lower, at 24%.

I have PMed you concerning one aspect of your message to the Appealsbox.

Sally-Anne

totally it seems so unfair. do you know how the talented able & gifted thing works. The school has stated that our child should be placed on this but what is it?

Herman rightly distinguishes between above average and well-above average.

What that means in practice varies from area to area (note what Sally-Anne says about the social mix). Where the standard is very high, the top 30% locally might be the equivalent of the top 10% nationally.

Our advice on academic evidence is here:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b11" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I too have seen your message to the Appeals Box, Lookinglass. Sorry you had such a tough time. I think it hinges on the actual words used. There might be grounds for a complaint, but it rather depends just how much light the clerk's notes shed on exactly what was said. You might wish to request a copy (there's a charge of £10), but I'm afraid there's no guarantee they'll help as they're only meant to be a brief notes.

Etienne thank you for your advice. I am going to talk with the school tomorrow and take it from there.

thanks

Lookinglass wrote:do you know how the talented able & gifted thing works.

Here again it's a variable standard - a pupil who is on the G&T register in one school might not get on the G&T register in another!

DCSF guidance assumed a norm of around 10% of the school population

thanks the dp stated that if dc didn't get through should be placed on G A & T or dc would coast