KE Aston Birmingham Score 217 - Should I Appeal

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brummum
Posts: 67
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:48 pm

KE Aston Birmingham Score 217 - Should I Appeal

Post by brummum »

My son scored 217 - equal to the last score admitted, but lost out on distance, although we are not actually that far away - 30 mins car drive.

He is 7th on waiting list.

KE Aston is also a Sport College, if I appeal do you think it would make any difference that he is a Birmingham District Football player, has also played with another team since he was 8 etc etc.

His school reports since Y1 have been straight As - high level 5s now.

Do you think its worth an appeal?
T12ACY
Posts: 800
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:12 pm
Location: Kent

Re: KE Aston Birmingham Score 217 - Should I Appeal

Post by T12ACY »

If you can put together a strong appeal then you should, you will only wonder what would have happened if you don't. Only the panel can decide if the strength of your appeal outweighs those of others, or the prejudice to the school if they are forced to take over PAN though. Certainly the Sport status would suit his ability if he plays at District level, and this is obviously the reason your DS wants this particular school so much? :wink:

Good luck :D
Money can't buy you happiness, but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.
U400JB9
Posts: 778
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:29 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: KE Aston Birmingham Score 217 - Should I Appeal

Post by U400JB9 »

I agree with T12ACEY, if you don`t appeal, and he misses out on the waiting list you would always wonder what if. If you are unsuccessful at appeal thern you know you did everything you could.

Loads of information about putting together a strong appeal......

Good luck
KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: KE Aston Birmingham Score 217 - Should I Appeal

Post by KenR »

Hi Brummum

I'm afraid that B/Ham KE foundation is quite different to appeals in other areas of the country. The criteria for entry is strictly on academic ability as shown in the exam unless there are special circumstances. Exceptional sporting ability will not help.

I'm afraid we get this every year - lots of very bright kids who for whatever reason don't seem to perform to their potential in the 11+ exam.

I have to be honest with you, unless there are particular extreme circumstances for underperformance in the KE 11+ exam in B/Ham there is frankly very little chance of getting through via an appeal. By this I mean something like a severe illness, recent death of a close relative etc etc.

The KE Foundation handles the appeals process quite differently to other LEAs such a Bucks where a significant proportion of appeals are successful. In KE B/Ham is only 3-4 per year that are successful and most of these relate to an appeal to move from one KE school to another

Only 3 Appeals for ALL of the KE Grammars were successful last year:-

Demand for the Schools remained strong and the number of applicants who took the test in November 2009 for entry in September 2010 was 3,781 (up from 3,585 in the previous year). This compares to the highest ever figure of 4,106 applicants for admission in 2001.

The number of admission appeals pursued to a final hearing was 84 compared to 96 in the previous year. Three appeals were allowed (five in the previous year).
You can view the statistics via the Governors Report on the KE Foundation website

http://www.kingedwardsfoundation.co.uk/ ... 9_2010.pdf


You best chance is going to be via the waiting list - given the scores there is a definite chance but don't go for the appeal route unless there are bone-fide reasons for underperformance.

Sorry I can't give you any positive encouragement but it's best you are aware of the facts
brummum
Posts: 67
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:48 pm

Re: KE Aston Birmingham Score 217 - Should I Appeal

Post by brummum »

Hi KenR

Thanks for your reply, it was very helpful.

I've been reading the Q & A section regarding appeals. I can't honestly say that we have any mitigating circumstances whatsoever regarding underperformance - so that rules an appeal on those grounds.

What do you think about asking for the paper to be re-marked? Do you know of many cases where any extra mark is found? Or lost, for that matter.

Also, my son lost-out on distance. I thought about asking them to re-check that too - just in case :!:
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Re: KE Aston Birmingham Score 217 - Should I Appeal

Post by sherry_d »

brummum wrote: What do you think about asking for the paper to be re-marked? Do you know of many cases where any extra mark is found?
Here in Kent they let you view your child's paper and they changed goalpost last year so every request to view is followed by manual remarking. I think Kent is the only county that does that. When I went to view my DD's papers they were 5 or 6 others and none of us had any errors on our DC's paper. The council lady told us of all the remarks done none had got any extra points. They even gave us the answers so you could remark it yourself if you wanted (some parents did it but I couldnt be bothered as her marks were too off). Being multiple choice chances of a machine making an error are virtually zero and I know on the Kent forum they were a couple of us who got these remarked but none of us got extra marks.
Impossible is Nothing.
fm

Re: KE Aston Birmingham Score 217 - Should I Appeal

Post by fm »

I think the KE papers are hand-marked.

I would ascertain from the KE Foundation office what would be the effect of a re-mark, should the mark then be lower. I would have thought that, if errors are made in marking, it is just as likely to be one off as one on to his raw mark. If this resulted in him ending up with a lower raw mark and subsequently a lower standardised mark, would he then end up further down the waiting list to a level which made entry virtually impossible?

By the same token, if mistakes can be made in measuring distances, they must be possible in either direction.


I would certainly ask them, historically, the chances of being offered at 7th on the waiting list. I certainly know that, in the past, KE Handworth Girls' has taken 15 off the waiting list so obviously the chances are good there but I suspect they are not quite so favourable at Aston. The only boy I had who made Aston off the waiting list was 5th, I think, and he made it in late May/early July but that was a few years ago. Things do change.

There are definitely going to be children selecting KES etc. over Aston if it is their 3rd choice. This may well clear their number over Pan. What happens also is the people rejecting Camp Hill Boys in favour of KES etc. despite it being their first choice will potentially free up some places for children originally assigned Five Ways as second choice once CHB has gone under its PAN, which, in turn, will free up places at Five Ways etc.. Of course, some of the freed up Five Ways places will go to girls so that won't create any movement at Aston. But you get the gist.

I am afraid, like Ken, I can't see the point of going to appeal unless you have evidence of a disruption during the test or a specific family trauma that would have affected his performance. There are many boys who don't make KE who are performing at high level 5 just as there are more than a few who make entry while still on 4's in English (I have had quite a few pupils like this myself). They are quite different tests, the Sats testing what the child has learned so far in school while the KE exam purports to test potential as much as current standard.

Good luck in getting in off the waiting list.
brummum
Posts: 67
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:48 pm

Re: KE Aston Birmingham Score 217 - Should I Appeal

Post by brummum »

I spoke to the Foundation Admissions office - they said that last year no-one from the waiting list was admitted, but of course, that may not be the case this year.

I'm of the view that we should just leave things as they are, particularly as my son got his 1st choice of comp and is happy with that.

I'll just keep my eye on the waiting list and see how things go - thanks to everyone for your replies.
fm

Re: KE Aston Birmingham Score 217 - Should I Appeal

Post by fm »

That's a shame. Yes, it may be different this year but I think you are very wise just getting on with the situation as it currently is.
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