Appeals evidence from school

[Etienne]

would saying that my DD's good at maths be a major point in confirming that it was a blip?

There is a link between NVR and Maths ability, so I think it could be a point worth making, but I'm not really any sort of expert on NVR - why not ask the EP?

I have spoken to an Educational Psychologist who says that she could do just the NVR tests taken from the British Ability Scales Assessment as this is the area in question. Would this be ok as opposed to doing the whole assessment?

A full report would have been interesting, but I think this idea is a reasonable compromise, taking into account cost and what you are seeking to achieve.

If the EP Report (assessing NVR only) shows high percentiles and standardised scores together wiith the letter from the school stating that she is achieving level 5s in the SATs practice papers, would this be sufficient indication of Grammar school suitability?

I'm aware that your school reports make little mention of achievement (political correctness gone mad?), and that you don't really have any other options. The answer is probably "Yes," especially if the headteacher is as supportive as possible.

Additionally, on the roll for this school there seemed to be 5 more children in one particular calender year for some reason. Can I use this as an argument in my appeal with reagrds to oversubscription?

Not necessarily. I assume they were the result of successful appeals, so the school will simply say they had no choice in the matter and are coping as best they can in circumstances that are not ideal. If I were you, I would just ask a question - "What evidence is there that the school has not coped satisfactorily with these additional pupils?" - and let the panel draw their own conclusion.

[lgasks]

After the Head giving me the impression that she would be completing a form for the LEA, the school have now informed me that there does not appear to be any form that needs to be completed this year for the LEA (as has been done in previous years). This seems to mean that there is no review. The school also advised me that my DD has been getting 5b's in her practice SATs but they could not give this to me in writing. They also said that they could not help me any further in my appeal as it was not in their remit to do so. If there had been something to complete ie a form they would have made comments regarding suitability to GS on it and would have made comments regarding the mitigating circumstances on that. So, that's it, no more help from them.

At the appeal can I say that the school have said they are not able to assist me in the appeal process by way of stating 5b's and also the affect of the mitigating circumstances on the paper even though the head did verbally agree that the first paper's score would have been affected?

[capers123]

They also said that they could not help me any further in my appeal as it was not in their remit to do so.

School Admissions Appeal Code 3.36:
The panel may then need to consider any clear evidence presented by the parents to support their claim that the child is of the required academic standard e.g. school reports giving Year5/Year 6 SAT results or a letter of support from their current or previous school clearly indicating why the child is considered to be of grammar school ability"

That is the new appeals code. The school may be thinking of the old regime, where some counties told them NOT to send anything to the appeals panel or parents.

[Etienne]

Yes, you can.

I suggest you also try writing by recorded delivery to the head, requesting a written record of your daughter's practice SATs results under the Data Protection Act. The Data Protection Act (DPA) applies to personal data. Put simply, this means that the "subject" of personal data held by public authorities (i.e. your child, and by extension, you) can request that that personal data be released to them.

Be warned, though - the head can take a long time to respond, and can charge a maximum of £10. However, if she continues to be unco-operative, it's another point you can put to the appeal panel - together with the evidence that you wrote to her by recorded delivery!

[Etienne]

I assume the primary school is in the area of the LA running the 11+.

If so, it might be worth contacting the LA and asking whether they expect their primary school heads to co-operate with their 11+ procedures.

[lgasks]

They also said that they could not help me any further in my appeal as it was not in their remit to do so.

School Admissions Appeal Code 3.36:
The panel may then need to consider any clear evidence presented by the parents to support their claim that the child is of the required academic standard e.g. school reports giving Year5/Year 6 SAT results or a letter of support from their current or previous school clearly indicating why the child is considered to be of grammar school ability"

That is the new appeals code. The school may be thinking of the old regime, where some counties told them NOT to send anything to the appeals panel or parents.

As I have said previously, I do have a letter from the Head stating that my DD achieved level 5's in the practice papers. They say they cannot be more specific and state in writing that she is getting 5b's. I don't think that the school is aware of the new appeals code. They stated that admission to the grammar school was based on how well children did on the selection tests (nothing else mattered) and that the primary school had nothing to do with GS admissions; this is something wholly decided by the LEA. I also expressed to the primary school that I couldn't understand why I couldn't be given a letter of support and also why the Head could not comment on whether my DD was of GS suitability.

[lgasks]

Yes, you can.

I suggest you also try writing by recorded delivery to the head, requesting a written record of your daughter's practice SATs results under the Data Protection Act. The Data Protection Act (DPA) applies to personal data. Put simply, this means that the "subject" of personal data held by public authorities (i.e. your child, and by extension, you) can request that that personal data be released to them.

Be warned, though - the head can take a long time to respond, and can charge a maximum of £10. However, if she continues to be unco-operative, it's another point you can put to the appeal panel - together with the evidence that you wrote to her by recorded delivery!

Etienne, are you saying that I can ask her to be more specific in terms of what level 5 grades she is getting as I do have in writing from her that she is gaining level 5's?

[lgasks]

I assume the primary school is in the area of the LA running the 11+..

Yes

If so, it might be worth contacting the LA and asking whether they expect their primary school heads to co-operate with their 11+ procedures
+..

I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. When I spoke to the LA last they said that there would be no HT involvement. Are you saying that I should ask the LA whether the HT should provide me with the information regarding level 5 grades and also GS suitability? Also, should I ask the LA whether HTs are allowed to give letters of support or indeed whether a HT can or cannot assist in the appeal process? Is the appeal process not a separate matter to the 11+ procedure?

[Etienne]

The school also advised me that my DD has been getting 5b's in her practice SATs

If she's been scoring 5b in practice tests, I fail to see why the head can't put this in writing.

Are you saying that I should ask the LA whether the HT should provide me with the information regarding level 5 grades and also GS suitability? Also, should I ask the LA whether HTs are allowed to give letters of support or indeed whether a HT can or cannot assist in the appeal process?

This is what I meant to say!

I realise a headteacher in a non-selective LA might refuse to co-operate with 11+ procedures/appeals in a neighbouring selective authority, but I would have thought this less likely to happen within the same selective LA. If it is indeed official LA policy that heads do not get involved in supporting appeals, it makes it rather difficult to put together evidence for an appeal, and you need to be able to explain this to the appeal panel.

The other possibility is the one Capers mentions - does she really understand what she is meant to do? After all, she's not exactly up-to-date with the "headteacher's form"!

"The panel may then need to consider any clear evidence presented by the parents to support their claim that the child is of the required academic standard e.g. school reports giving Year5/Year 6 SAT results or a letter of support from their current or previous school clearly indicating why the child is considered to be of grammar school ability."

[lgasks]

School Admissions Appeal Code 3.36:
The panel may then need to consider any clear evidence presented by the parents to support their claim that the child is of the required academic standard e.g. school reports giving Year5/Year 6 SAT results or a letter of support from their current or previous school clearly indicating why the child is considered to be of grammar school ability"

That is the new appeals code. The school may be thinking of the old regime, where some counties told them NOT to send anything to the appeals panel or parents.

It does sound like the school are not aware of the new code. Whose responsibility is it to update the school on the new code? The school did tell me that they had to contact the LA to ask whether there were any forms that had to be completed and the LA replied that there were none this year. So what do I do with regards to them not knowing about the new code? BTW I think the school are probably quite fed up of me now for contacting them so much with regards to this and each time I call them I find myself grovelling (unfortunately).

Also, another question I had for the panel experts was this: It sounds to me like you have to have either evidence of high academic ability or a letter of support from the head clearly indicating GS suitability. In other words we do not need to have both. So I take it from this that high academic ability implies GS suitability. However, would a letter of support carry more weight and if so, then why can't they give me a letter?

I will write a letter on the lines of '... with reference to our conversation where you stated that my DD was getting 5b's I would like this in writing in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act....' Should I say anything with regards to their support in the appeal or not?

Also, can I ask the LA whether they have specifically told school not to get involved in the appeals process?