Unsuccessful and devastated
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wraysburymum
- Posts: 68
- Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 12:54 am
- Location: wraysbury, middlesex
Dejavu, Cookie et al
I can't believe what I'm reading... I am devastated for you all. Especially with high scores and all the support. I think we could all understand better if there was some pattern.. all the 120's get through, or all the SATs 5's get through. I have seen people on the forum be successful with a lot lower scores than ours, and be unsuccessful with the best you can get.
Do mitigating circumstances hold the key? Does school ranking apply? Is it who you get on the panel on the day?
I would definitely go for the 12+ (I didn't even know there was such a thing until I found this website). If you KNOW your child should be at grammar, then this still has to be your target. I have friends who have suffered 2 years at an awful local secondary to now have them flourish in high school. Time is a great healer and our children have 5, 7 or 10 years more education opportunities ahead of them. One year off target is not going to stop them being our future doctors, lawyers and accountants! My daughter just announced that she wants to work in Monsoon when she's older, for the discounts! See... what am I doing! Could have avoided all this stress.
My heart is with you all, big hugs all round.
Do mitigating circumstances hold the key? Does school ranking apply? Is it who you get on the panel on the day?
I would definitely go for the 12+ (I didn't even know there was such a thing until I found this website). If you KNOW your child should be at grammar, then this still has to be your target. I have friends who have suffered 2 years at an awful local secondary to now have them flourish in high school. Time is a great healer and our children have 5, 7 or 10 years more education opportunities ahead of them. One year off target is not going to stop them being our future doctors, lawyers and accountants! My daughter just announced that she wants to work in Monsoon when she's older, for the discounts! See... what am I doing! Could have avoided all this stress.
My heart is with you all, big hugs all round.
wraysburymum
still angry
Having read these other posts am even more angry. In our case they did not seem to take account of the ranking, reports, HT full support etc. Also, Bucks are supposed to judge the case on its merits and do not have a "quota".
It was awful picking my daughter up from school when she was all smiling and laughing with her friends, knowing that I would shortly have to tell her and her little world would fall apart. She was inconsolable and kept on saying "I'm a failure, I'm stupid, I can't do exams" etc. After many hugs and trying to build her confidence back up she woke up this morning even more determined to do the 12+. (I sent a letter in to her teacher, who is wonderful, explaining how upset she was, and I'm sure she will help to build her confidence back up).
Sally-Anne's Bucks sticky about the 12+ is excellent, and encouraging news that 70% usually pass! They are the same questions as the 11+, just a few more in a shorter time. My daughter, born late August, said "mum, at least I'll be eleven, when I do the 12+".
But we are fortunate living on the Beds/Bucks border in that we can get her in to a good Beds middle school, which is a feeder to a good upper school. The head there also said that if she did the 12+ it would not be a problem. This is also good news, because if she did muck up the exam again, we have a good alternative. We might find that she might be so happy at this other school that she might not want to do it anyway.
I have spoken to a mother in our village who sent her son there two years ago. He was bright, but failed the 11+. She has been so pleased with the school that she took her daughter out of our "Ofsted outstanding" bucks school and sent her to the middle school and she loves it. I also think that this middle school only has just over 300 pupils and it would be a good transition for my daughter. So, feeling a bit happer about the prospects as the alternative would have been a large, Ofsted 3 secondary.
Still angry though.
It was awful picking my daughter up from school when she was all smiling and laughing with her friends, knowing that I would shortly have to tell her and her little world would fall apart. She was inconsolable and kept on saying "I'm a failure, I'm stupid, I can't do exams" etc. After many hugs and trying to build her confidence back up she woke up this morning even more determined to do the 12+. (I sent a letter in to her teacher, who is wonderful, explaining how upset she was, and I'm sure she will help to build her confidence back up).
Sally-Anne's Bucks sticky about the 12+ is excellent, and encouraging news that 70% usually pass! They are the same questions as the 11+, just a few more in a shorter time. My daughter, born late August, said "mum, at least I'll be eleven, when I do the 12+".
But we are fortunate living on the Beds/Bucks border in that we can get her in to a good Beds middle school, which is a feeder to a good upper school. The head there also said that if she did the 12+ it would not be a problem. This is also good news, because if she did muck up the exam again, we have a good alternative. We might find that she might be so happy at this other school that she might not want to do it anyway.
I have spoken to a mother in our village who sent her son there two years ago. He was bright, but failed the 11+. She has been so pleased with the school that she took her daughter out of our "Ofsted outstanding" bucks school and sent her to the middle school and she loves it. I also think that this middle school only has just over 300 pupils and it would be a good transition for my daughter. So, feeling a bit happer about the prospects as the alternative would have been a large, Ofsted 3 secondary.
Still angry though.
many thanks
dejavu
dejavu
Support for Dejavu
Hi dejavu,
Your experience is certainly dejavu for us; we have been in the same position so really understand how you and your family feel. We got the clerk's notes, took the ombusman route and if you PM me I am happy to share our experiences with you. Thinking of you at this really diffiuclt time.
Larches
Your experience is certainly dejavu for us; we have been in the same position so really understand how you and your family feel. We got the clerk's notes, took the ombusman route and if you PM me I am happy to share our experiences with you. Thinking of you at this really diffiuclt time.
Larches
In Bucks the decision letter is, I believe, extracted from the clerk's notes by the Appeals Office. It is written "on behalf of the panel" but not by the panel. I'm not in the business of defending the decision letter - just gently suggesting the clerk's notes may be more informative.
For the clerk's notes, see:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... done#52843
See Q&As, E25. (It's just an illustration of what can happen, not a reference to anyone's case in particular.)....... if there was some pattern.. all the 120's get through, or all the SATs 5's get through. I have seen people on the forum be successful with a lot lower scores than ours, and be unsuccessful with the best you can get.
I don't know whether copies of the 11+ papers are possible. You will need to speak to Admissions.Please could you let us know how we get copies of papers, or sight of them and copies of the case notes?
For the clerk's notes, see:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... done#52843
Etienne
I am really concerned that I have made a massive mistake. When we completed our CAF we put Herschel first, Burnham Grammar next and then our nearest comp (Beechwood) as 3rd choice. I was obviously confident that he would pass one or both of the 11+. Now although he passed Herschel, he is unlikely to be offered a place, and our appeal for Bucks has been unsuccessful. I really do not want him to go to Beechwood and wish I could turn back time so that I could have put another US on the preferences. Is there any way for me to do that now? Or is it too late?
Hi Everyone,
Just as I thought I was feeling a little better - I have just been informed that a child in my Daughters Class with 116x2, 2:2 recommendation and 5th on the list got through the appeal. I know the child, and good for them, but to me - more than ever - this is beginning to look like a lottery!!!
I know the case, I know there are no particular circumstances and I now have to try and explain to my Daughter how this happens. She was beside herself when I picked her up from school and is questioning how the system works.
I am in no position to explain to her how this all works - I think I am as confused as she is - and I think my sadness has turned into anger and confusion right now...... forgive me, but how can I explain!!!
A very confused
Lise x
Just as I thought I was feeling a little better - I have just been informed that a child in my Daughters Class with 116x2, 2:2 recommendation and 5th on the list got through the appeal. I know the child, and good for them, but to me - more than ever - this is beginning to look like a lottery!!!
I know the case, I know there are no particular circumstances and I now have to try and explain to my Daughter how this happens. She was beside herself when I picked her up from school and is questioning how the system works.
I am in no position to explain to her how this all works - I think I am as confused as she is - and I think my sadness has turned into anger and confusion right now...... forgive me, but how can I explain!!!
A very confused
Lise x
Perhaps mitigating circumstances
Dear Lise
I know, child ranked two places lower than us got through. The only thing I can think of is that they may have had convincing (true or made-up)mitigating circumstances, or they had a more generous appeal panel. They obsviously weren't stuck with the one that BAH and me had and we even had it on the same day!
I know, child ranked two places lower than us got through. The only thing I can think of is that they may have had convincing (true or made-up)mitigating circumstances, or they had a more generous appeal panel. They obsviously weren't stuck with the one that BAH and me had and we even had it on the same day!
many thanks
dejavu
dejavu
Although it might seem like clutching at straws, I would recommend requesting the clerk's notes. In our 'rejection' letter last year, I noticed they did not mention the most compelling piece of evidence offered at our appeal so I asked for them on this basis. Instead of getting the notes, we were offered a reappeal! And this time we were successful! Now, I know our grounds/situation were somewhat unusual so please, please do not build your hopes up. However, you have nothing to lose by asking for the notes (other than a small fee, which was refunded to us), particularly if the reason given for your non success seems unfocused. Good luck and best wishes to you all.
Cookie, have just spotted your post. A friend of mine made almost exactly the same mistake as you last year. They phoned up Altwood School, Maidenhead, plus a couple of other schools they liked the look of, and were invited to look around and put on a waiting list. After a while (and it was a while - two or three months), they were offered Altwood and the rest is history ... daughter very happy there.