Friends DD

[IronMikeTyson]

Friends DD thinks she missed a section out in an English paper. They called the school.School said appeal in March. What are your thoughts on if their chances of a successful appeal?

[Pumpkin Pie]

My DS missed a section too. I'm afraid I never even questioned about raising the issue as I saw it as negligence on his part. Only himself to blame! Really don't know what the chances are of a successful appeal, but you can only try!

[Etienne]

Hi, magi22

For an appeal, the entire focus will have to move on to other issues:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a36" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It all depends what sort of case your friend can assemble with regard to these other, specific issues.
Thinking that a section was omitted would form no more than a sentence in your friend's case.

It might help if it can be proved that an entire section really was missed out. A possibility is to submit a request under the DPA (Data Protection Act) such as "With regard to the test taken on ........ could you please tell me how many entire sections went unanswered in my DC's paper?"
See:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b47" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Change "I am writing to you to ask formally for a copy of ...... "
to
"I am writing to you to ask formally for the following information:
With regard to the test taken on ........ could you please tell me how many entire sections went unanswered in my DC's paper?"

I can't say whether the school will endeavour to resist such a request, but they will have to think carefully about their legal obligations!

However, even if it can be established that a section was omitted, the focus of the appeal will still need to be on the issues I have highlighted.

It would also be worth considering a request about the overall success rate for appeals in recent years - if the failure rate is consistently low, your friend will at least have some sort of a clue as to how difficult this is going to be!
This sort of request would be made not under the DPA but under FOI (Freedom of Information):
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a39" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To sum up, your friend should:
1. look at the advice in our Q&As
2. consider submitting to the admission authority two separate requests for information: one under the DPA, and one under FOI.

Hope this may be of some help to you as well, Pumpkin Pie.

[IronMikeTyson]

Thank you. Very useful .