12+ Independent Appeal Panel

[hayleyfarrelly]

My son has just sat his 12+ at two grammar schools. He passed one with 128 and is on a waiting list and our preferred grammar school had two tests of which he passed one and marginally failed the other. His average score of the two exams is above the pass mark.

We have gone to selection review giving actual academic evidence (headmaster's report, working at SAT Level 5 in English, Maths and Science, reading age of 16.8 when he is only 11.8, CAT scores in the 92nd and 97th national percentile rank), we are in catchment for this school and we have another son already there so sibling rule comes into play. On top of that we have extenuating circumstances backed up by third party agencies. WE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.

We are going to an Independant Appeal Panel now. How can two schools in the same county and under the same County Council say such different things;

One Grammar School: 'Your son has passed the Late Transfer Test and is academically suitable for Grammar School Placement.'
Selection Review Panel: 'After careful review we feel that your son is not academically suited to Grammar School.'

BTW - as part of the evidence given to the selection review we gave them a copy of the other grammar school's test results showing that my son and passed.

HELP - I truly feel that this is so unfair. Any help or guidance with this would be most appreciated.

[Sally-Anne]

How can two schools in the same county and under the same County Council say such different things;

One Grammar School: 'Your son has passed the Late Transfer Test and is academically suitable for Grammar School Placement.'
Selection Review Panel: 'After careful review we feel that your son is not academically suited to Grammar School.'

The schools are not the responsibility of the County Council, even if one is "employing" Bucks CC to arrange their 12+ test. The schools are Academies and are entitled to decide on their own Admission criteria and the form of testing for late transfer.

I am afraid that all you can do is go to an IAP hearing for the second school and hope that they take a different view to the Selection Review Panel.

[Etienne]

I agree - I'm afraid that comparing the outcomes at two different schools won't get you anywhere, however strongly you feel about it!

First you will probably have to overcome the fact that there's already been a review, and you can only do this by arguing that the process was not 'fair, consistent & objective' - not by disagreeing with the panel's judgement.
This is the sort of case you could be up against:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 12&t=31963" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and this thread will help (although it was written for the 11+ reviews):
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 12&t=31030" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you win the argument over whether the process was 'fair, consistent & objective', then an appeal panel can take a fresh look at your case for selection.

[andy from embsay]

Here in N Yorks children in Ripon and Skipton sit the same test but because the passmarks are set on the top 28% of children they're often very different (nobody knows why, but there has been 10-15 marks difference in the pass mark). So some parents will be told their child is "not suitable for a grammar school education" in Skipton but with the same mark in Ripon they would apparently be be suitable.

Frustrating, but them's the rules.