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Triplemum appeal (Bucks)

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:27 am
by charliec
My daughter scored 117 on both tests in the results issued today. She is very upset and confused as to why she didn't score higher as all her test papers were in the 70 something's out of 80.
I am starting my own thread as suggested by Sally Anne and also want to take this opportunity to thank you and the other moderators for such an amazing advice service.
You are such helpful, honest and obviously caring people.
I have read the changes to the process for this year but still unsure what is the best thing to do. Shall we start by seeing the headmaster this week and seeing what he has to say?
What info should I ask him for from her files? Ie SAT and CAT scores? The grading scores at the end of last year?
Thanks in advance :D

Re: Triplemum appeal

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 2:35 am
by Etienne
For academic evidence, see:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b11" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do discuss suitability for grammar school and academic evidence with the head.
I'm not sure, though, that headteachers will be well-placed to advise about reviews v. appeals. I suspect that they will all be feeling their way.

All our advice is now summarised here:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 35&t=29733" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Triplemum appeal (Bucks)

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:16 pm
by charliec
Thanks for this Etienne.
I have got her CAT scores from May 2012, so May of year 5, and she got SAS 114 in verbal which was 82 NPR, SAS 127 in Quantitative which was 96 NPR and non verbal was 117 and 87 NPR.
Year 5 report July 2012 she has 5A for Reading, 5A for Writing and 4A for Maths and 5C for Science. She had a reading age of 15yrs 3 months and a spelling age of 12 yrs. She had A for effort on every subject. Year 4 report she was Level 4A for Reading, Writing and 3A for maths. Again she had a high reading age of 12yrs 3 mths and spelling age of 12yrs and A for effort in every subject.
I can see from looking at her grading she appears to drop on Maths however when you see her CAT score which is in the top 4% of the country so it really is not a true reflection on the reports of her mathematical ability.
We were living with my parents in the summer as well, and my father, her grandad was rushed into hospital after being unwell for a few days and was very ill, and it was an upsetting time for all of us and he was still not well when they returned to school in September. I know this will have had an effect on my daughter as the two of them are very close and spend a lot of time solving problems, puzzles and discussing books they have read etc,
How is it best to present this information and do you think we should appeal based on this information? I do not want to go to appeal if people think we are being unrealisitc.
All help greatly appreciated. If you would prefer me not to post all info on here then happy to message you if that is better.

Re: Triplemum appeal (Bucks)

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 4:00 pm
by Etienne
it was an upsetting time for all of us and he was still not well when they returned to school in September.
I do sympathise, but to be honest, unless there's evidence from the school that your daughter seemed distressed in September, and it can be proved from tests or exercise books that the standard of her work suddenly declined, I can't see either a review panel (which appears to want exceptional reasons), or an appeal panel, giving huge weight to the argument.

Forget the As for effort! High achievement is what matters.
You've already noted that some of your evidence is going to be contradictory.
Nevertheless, your best hope is to think less about the extenuating circumstances, and to focus on compiling the strongest possible academic evidence.
2 x 117 is a respectable start.
I'd like to hear in due course:
  • the KS2 predictions (preferably 5a/5b level)
    + what level of recommendation your headteacher has given, and whether most other children at the school with the same level of recommendation qualified in the 11+.

Re: Triplemum appeal (Bucks)

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 4:20 pm
by charliec
Thanks for that Etienne, you really are helping me and so many others so much. I ws unsure as to whether 117 was a good starting point but feel better from your comment.
For Keys Stage 2 at the moment when we went to parents evening a couple of weeks ago they said she is already a 5B for Reading, 5C for Writing and 5C for Maths, so I guess by the end of the year those will have all gone up considerably so I will find out what the predictions are.
I have emailed the headteacher to ask for a meeting ASAP and so will post back here when I find out what he marked her as, ie 1,1 or 1,2 or 2,2. If it is 2,2 I think it will go against us, do you?
I am also very grateful of you making the point about other childrens recommendations and resulting scores, I will ask him that too.
We have taken the decision not to tell her the score she got and that we are considering appeal. I do not want to double disappoint if appeal is not successful.
Keep up the good work :)

Re: Triplemum appeal (Bucks)

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 4:42 pm
by Etienne
If it is 2,2 I think it will go against us, do you?
Not necessarily. I would be inclined to ignore the attitude grade - after all, this is all meant to be about high ability.

Bear in mind too that, depending on how well the heads have done their recommendations, a '2' in one school might be an overestimate (in which case its true value might be that of a '3'), or an underestimate (in which case its true value might be that of a '1'). Things are not always what they seem to be!
I am also very grateful of you making the point about other childrens recommendations and resulting scores, I will ask him that too.
Some heads may be distinctly reluctant to impart this information - but you could make the point that, if you go to appeal, you will find out anyway because it will be in the appeal paperwork!

Thanks for your very kind comments. :)

Re: Triplemum appeal (Bucks)

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 1:28 pm
by charliec
Morning. Another night to sleep on things and ponder..... dangerous! :lol:
Just wondered if there is any mileage in referring to my daughters scores in the familiarisation tests taken at the beginning of september as provided by Bucks CC?
She got 73 on paper A, 67 on paper 1, 74 on paper 2.
Is this a demonstration/academic evidence?
Thanks again Etienne.

Re: Triplemum appeal (Bucks)

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 1:42 pm
by Sally-Anne
I'm not sure if Etienne is around at the moment, so I will answer that one for you.

The same familiarisation papers are used every year, and therefore some children will have seen them beforehand. As a result they really don't count as evidence, even if your own child hadn't seen them.

Paper A is easier than Papers 1 & 2, which are at the standard of the real test, so with an average qualifying mark being somewhere in the region of 69/70 (depending on date of birth, of course) you only have one clear qualifying mark there. There is a risk that the panel would conclude that 67 on Paper 1 is in line with her final VRTS of 117!

So, the answer is no, don't mention them.

Re: Triplemum appeal (Bucks)

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 11:45 pm
by charliec
Thank you, that is valuable advice and I will avoid using that info.
Hope to see the head tmrw and will update afterwards. My daughter is very strong in Science as well as English and Maths so hope all of this will help.
Night, and thanks for all your advice to us parents at this tricky time! Did u manage to get away from the computer at some point this weekend??

Re: Triplemum appeal (Bucks)

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:28 pm
by charliec
Saw the head yesterday, he said he prepared our daughters paperwork over the weekend as he was going to call us and suggest we appeal. He has strongly recommended her etc, however saying that he gave her a 2,2. He did tell us he graded 9 pupils as 1,1 and 8 of them passed and one got 120, so his rating is obviously very good.
Husband and I are now gathering academic evidence and avoiding paragraphs of text about irrelevant info thanks to your advice here and the Heads advice.
He will give us his form on Tuesday and we will then add our form and send off.
Etienne, is there any chance I could send you our part of the form for you to give it a once over and advise on please? Want to ensure our form is one that is easy to read and judge for the review team.
Totally understand if you can't as it seems you are being hounded by all of us parents!
Thanks again
Charlie