11 Plus Exams Forum

Hello,

Firstly, this forum has been a great source of info over the past few months, so thanks to all.

DS passed Bucks with 123 (and 109). This was very surprising for us as VR is his weaker area, it also made us quietly confident of the Slough results. (Fingers crossed for Burnham, our first choice school even though we are OOC).

Unfortunately, his Slough result was 109 - total shock, to be honest. Anyway, staying pragmatic, we will be appealing. I am arranging an appt with the Head, and will collate his last few school reports.

Is there anything more I could/should be doing? (I think I am after moral support as well as practical help, as these results have turned everything upside down for us)

Is there anything more I could/should be doing?

If you've read through all the Q&As, and are talking to the headteacher, you ought to be on the right lines.

..... and will collate his last few school reports.

Note what we say about academic evidence in the Q&As:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b11" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes, I've read the Q&A's and will be seeing the teacher on Friday to ask her to write a statement, which the Head signs. Thanks for the link for 'what academic evidence will impress', too.

Hopefully DS will get a supportive statement from the school.

And I thought this year would be the easy bit.....

We are preparing our appeal paperwork now, and gathering all (relevant) evidence. Anything that we think would be useful we will take along to the appeal to show the panel, if requested.

Etienne, if I send you a copy of our statement next week, could you please have a quick check to see if there's anything that is missing or surplus to requirement? DS is level 5 Sats, and we are including latest school report, plus Y5 school report. We're also taking along a copy of his SAT1 results from Year 2.

We also have some extenuating circumstances : close family bereavement a week before his exam, and an ongoing medical condition that resulted in medication being given that may have affected his mental performance on the day (GP is writing a letter to confirm this).

As an aside, the only good thing to come out of this turn of events is the amount of support our friends and family have shown us, it truly is touching. It has also helped focus on the bigger picture and reduced our stress a lot!

Thanks for any help and advice.

Etienne, if I send you a copy of our statement next week, could you please have a quick check to see if there's anything that is missing or surplus to requirement? DS is level 5 Sats, and we are including latest school report, plus Y5 school report. We're also taking along a copy of his SAT1 results from Year 2.

Sorry, SUpple, we will try and help with any specific questions, but we don't normally have time to check statements etc.
Guidance about the Appeals Box is set out here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... =35&t=9907" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Please note that we cannot normally deal with wide-ranging or open-ended questions such as "We've emailed our case - what do you think of it?" or "We've sent you a copy of our draft appeal letter - please comment."

We give lots of advice in the Q&As about what should and shouldn't be included as evidence.

As an aside, the only good thing to come out of this turn of events is the amount of support our friends and family have shown us, it truly is touching. It has also helped focus on the bigger picture and reduced our stress a lot!

Really good to hear that!

Thanks Etienne!

I have a couple of specific questions, please, if anyone can answer them.

1. a very dear friend of ours is a teacher at one of the grammar schools that DS has applied but not qualified for. She was a friend first, and then we found out she was a teacher there...just in case anyone is wondering that it sounds a bit creepy
Anyway, would a letter from her stating that she thinks DS is capable for grammar school hold *any* weight at all?

2. a general question about non-qualification appeals - if an appeal is successful does the child get put at the qualifying mark? For example, a successful non-qualification for Bucks would mean the child is put at 121 to be considered for a school place? Or would the panel put them at a mark that they consider to be 'realistic'? confused!

Thanks.

1. a very dear friend of ours is a teacher at one of the grammar schools that DS has applied but not qualified for. She was a friend first, and then we found out she was a teacher there...just in case anyone is wondering that it sounds a bit creepy
Anyway, would a letter from her stating that she thinks DS is capable for grammar school hold *any* weight at all?

If you're appealing for the school the teacher is at, then this looks like being a breach of the current Code - "Panels must not allow representatives of schools to support individual appeals for places at their school at the hearing itself or by providing letters of support for appellants, because of possible conflicts of interest and the possibility of unfairness to other appellants."

2. a general question about non-qualification appeals - if an appeal is successful does the child get put at the qualifying mark? For example, a successful non-qualification for Bucks would mean the child is put at 121 to be considered for a school place? Or would the panel put them at a mark that they consider to be 'realistic'? confused!

In the case of Bucks, if the panel deem an appellant to be 'qualified', the score doesn't matter because it's not one of the oversubscription criteria for 11+ entry.

In the case of a school where score is one of the oversubscription criteria, I doubt that a panel would allocate a specific score. They would decide whether the appellant should be deemed qualified (if the minimum score had not already been achieved), and then they would have to decide whether the parents' case for admission (which might well include academic evidence that the child could reasonably have been expected to achieve the cut-off score) outweighs the admission authority's case against admission.

(How this would fit with an early Slough appeal is beyond my comprehension! )

Thanks for letting me know about the breach of the Code!
She's not actually a teacher at the school we're appealing at, but her school is on our caf form. So, we'll leave her out of this, thanks!

And thanks for the response on the appeal/score issue. I am glad I am not the only confused about it!

I have been told that (on this forum) all appeals for the Slough Grammars are now held after March 1st, and will still be a nonqualification & oversubscription appeal. If this is so then you will have to prove to the panel that your child should have achieved well in excess of the 111 pass mark, has the ability to achieve in a grammar school & that the disadvantage to you child in not attending the school of your choice outweighs the disadvantage to the school in admitting another child. The panel will be looking for evidence for each area.

It would be great to hear when the appeal dates are (by private message to keep it anonymous if you prefer) along with the school you are appealing to.