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Entrance appeals for year 8

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:48 pm
by talksfartomuch
Hi i am a newbie so forgive me. I am just trying to find information on how i would go about getting my son to sit an entrance test for year 8. He failed his original 11+ and decided not to appeal. However its now quite apparent that he is at the top of his year with his sat tests and key stage levels. I appreciate we would have to sit on a waiting list if no spaces were available. Do i need to contact the KCC to ask for an appeal or do i contact the relevant schools directly. Many thanks in anticipation of your answers and guidance. :D :D :D

Re: Entrance appeals for year 8

Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 11:57 pm
by Belinda
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Re: Entrance appeals for year 8

Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 12:02 am
by Belinda
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Re: Entrance appeals for year 8

Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 7:21 am
by Etienne
Strictly speaking, you have to be refused before you can submit an appeal, because it is the refusal to admit that triggers the right of appeal.

I think there are two different ways of looking at the late entry situation.

1. There is no time limit in law for making an appeal, so in theory, at least, you could still appeal against the original decision not to admit to your preferred school. However, there is a possible 'catch' where the 11+ is concerned, in that some admission authorities have a rule that a successful result in their 11+ is only valid for a specific period of time (e.g. one year from the date of the test), and a grammar school place must be taken up before the deadline, or the qualification lapses. A situation could possibly arise, therefore, where you appeal successfully against an 11+ decision made in year 6, but the qualification would no longer be valid because of the length of time that has passed!

2. Alternatively, it should be possible to make a fresh application for late entry (e.g. into year eight). The 'catch' here might be that some admission authorities appear to be arguing that there are no spare places as this is not the normal point of entry, and besides, "your child has already taken the 11+ and didn't reach the standard required, so we're not prepared to test".

However, the current Code of Practice clearly states "Some grammar schools do not offer a facility for testing applicants for admission outside the normal admissions round. In this situation, if the admission authority is not willing to accept that a casual applicant is of the required academic ability for admission, it should make arrangements for an appropriate assessment of the child’s ability to be made if an appeal is lodged e.g. by obtaining information from the current or previous school. Otherwise, the panel must work on the assumption that the child is of the required academic standard."

I suggest the best way forward would be to contact KCC and ask what their view is of these matters. If you report back here, we will be happy to give any further advice needed.

Re: Entrance appeals for year 8

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:49 pm
by slough mum
Can you also apply for a year 8 place within the Slough area for:
- Langley GS
- Slough GS
- Herschel GS
- St bernard's

or do any offer a 12+

Re: Entrance appeals for year 8

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 12:03 am
by Etienne
slough mum wrote:Can you also apply for a year 8 place within the Slough area for:
- Langley GS
- Slough GS
- Herschel GS
- St bernard's
I see no reason why you can't apply for a year 8 place in any school (and then appeal if refused).
or do any offer a 12+
I don't know about these schools, but if they refuse, then see point (2) in my post above - and be prepared for the possibility of a long drawn out dispute.

Re: Entrance appeals for year 8

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:49 am
by sherry_d
You need to contact the school directly and they will arrange to test your child but oversubscribed school might drag their feet a bit. If your child passes and there are no spaces then you can put in an appeal.

Which part of Kent are you in? West Kent grammars are the ones that tends to be more oversubscribed and there is some info in the appeals section and Kent section on how oversubscribed diff year groups in certain West Kent schools are if you search for the name of the school.

Re: Entrance appeals for year 8

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 10:07 am
by Looking for help
St Bernard's and Herschel explicitly do not allow anyone to take another test for the school - 'Any pupil who has taken the 11+ test will not be permitted to re-sit an entrance examination for Herschel Grammar School whilst at statutory school age'

Perhaps Etienne can advise whether someone could challenge this refusal to allow another sitting ?
:oops: just reread the thread....so if a school refuses a retest, then an appeals panel MUST assume the child is of the required standard ? Am I reading this correctly ?


Neither Langley nor Slough GS have this in their admissions policy, theirs state
'Admissions after the initial year of entry will depend upon the availability of a place, and
suitability of a pupil for a grammar school education as determined by admission tests.
This includes admission to the Sixth Form where the relevant admission test will be
performance in GCSE examinations or equivalent. '

Re: Entrance appeals for year 8

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 10:23 am
by Etienne
just reread the thread....so if a school refuses a retest, then an appeals panel MUST assume the child is of the required standard ? Am I reading this correctly ?
That's how I read it, LFH, but I'm not aware if anyone in practice has ever challenged a foundation school that simply says "No can do" .......

As I wrote above, it would probably lead to a lengthy wrangle!

Re: Entrance appeals for year 8

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 10:34 am
by slough mum
So for Langley GS and Slough GS, can I apply now for year 8?

When do they do the tests, is it as and when a place becomes available.

Would the child start midway in a year or would it be at the start of Year 8 or a year?

My child didn't meet the passmark for the 11+ and I didn't put langley on the CAF, would all this be irrelevant if I apply for year 8?