poss dyspraxia/ ? useful to ask for additonal time or hinder

[salsa]

Thank you. I guess it goes to show that as every child is an individual we mustn't make assumptions as to how an appeals panel would rule.

Personally, I believe that if a health professional has recommended extra time, that the time should be requested and granted. If the time is not requested by the school or parents, aren't they going against the health professional's recommendation? Aren't they, thus saying that they know better?

I'm not a member of an appeals panel, but logically if a child has not passsed not having requested extra time, I think I would say that the parents/school were responsible for not following the health professional's advice.
Am I missing something?
Salsa

[kenyancowgirl]

Bearing in mind that some parents can afford to "pay" health professionals for recommendations, which opens the system up for abuse, would you really think the fairest system would be that LAs should accept health professional extra time recommendations at face value? I wouldn't....

[salsa]

Bearing in mind that some parents can afford to "pay" health professionals for recommendations, which opens the system up for abuse, would you really think the fairest system would be that LAs should accept health professional extra time recommendations at face value? I wouldn't....

I think that's slightly different to what I'm saying. A lot of these professionals come via the school. In fact, I believe they are very expensive and not many parents can afford them. That's the case at our state school anyway. There is a massive queue for the Educational Psychologist, as the school only gets 4 hours of their time. However, I believe Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language therapists, etc can also make recommendations for extra time.
My point is that if the school/parents do not request the recommended extra time, would they not be saying they know better? If the child passes the test, then there wouldn't be too much trouble, unless high scores were needed. However, if the child doesn't pass/achieve high score, how would a parent appeal?

[Etienne]

A lot of these professionals come via the school. In fact, I believe they are very expensive and not many parents can afford them. That's the case at our state school anyway. There is a massive queue for the Educational Psychologist, as the school only gets 4 hours of their time. However, I believe Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language therapists, etc can also make recommendations for extra time.

Almost all such reports I used to see at appeals were obtained privately, so if parents had chosen not to submit them, no one would have been any the wiser!

Even if a report had not been obtained privately, I doubt whether it could be used at an appeal without the parents' consent.

My point is that if the school/parents do not request the recommended extra time, would they not be saying they know better?

If that information is made available to the panel, the appellants would have to explain, and the panel would take a view.

However, if the child doesn't pass/achieve high score, how would a parent appeal?

I think most non-qualification appeals are probably won or lost on the basis of the alternative academic evidence. Appeal Panels for schools where entry is exceptionally competitive might expect to be presented with both academic evidence and extenuating circumstances - but the current Appeals Code makes no mention of extenuating circumstances, referring only to "the required academic standards" as the criterion.

As I've written elsewhere, "You might win an appeal with strong academic evidence but no extenuating circumstances. You cannot win an appeal with extenuating circumstances but insufficient academic evidence."

[salsa]

Hi Etienne,

Yes, it's good to remember your quote.

Thanks,

Salsa