Borderline score and Role of Committee of Reference
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Borderline score and Role of Committee of Reference
The automatic qualifying score for entry this year to Stratford upon Avon Grammar School for Girls was 329 and the waiting list started at 318. The Q&As enclosed with results contained a paragraph on how "borderline" children were ranked. It stated that:
"An invited group of teachers and head teachers from the local area meet to decide on the qualifying score and scores they will consider for entry. Consideration is given to the total score, numeric score, reports from the current primary school and any additional information submitted by the parent or school. The children are then ranked by the Committee and a waiting list is compiled."
I have a number of questions on this process:
1. Do you know what the minimum standardised pre-adjusted score was for a child to be considered "borderline" and hence brought within consideration by the Committee of Reference?
2. Presumably if a child was considered "borderline" the Committee of Reference could have decided to rank a child with a lower score higher than another borderline child with a higher score or would the Committee have adjusted the score before publishing the results?
3. Where a child was considered borderline does this mean that the Committee of Reference contacted the relevant school to obtain a report on the child?
4. Where the Committee of Reference takes into account "additional information submitted by the parent" is this referring to infomation submitted before the exam or did the Committee of Reference contact parents of borderline children after the exam but before finalising the results to request additional information?
5. Finally, does any one know if the Committee of Reference is regarded as a "local review process" for the purposes of the Schools Admissions Code?
To the outsider this whole process does not appear to be very transparent. For example, if a member of the Committee of Reference had a particular knowledge of a borderline child would they be excluded from participating in any discussion in relation to that child to prevent the perception that the child may have been given an unfair advantage?
Any relevant comments on the above would be appreciated. Thank you
"An invited group of teachers and head teachers from the local area meet to decide on the qualifying score and scores they will consider for entry. Consideration is given to the total score, numeric score, reports from the current primary school and any additional information submitted by the parent or school. The children are then ranked by the Committee and a waiting list is compiled."
I have a number of questions on this process:
1. Do you know what the minimum standardised pre-adjusted score was for a child to be considered "borderline" and hence brought within consideration by the Committee of Reference?
2. Presumably if a child was considered "borderline" the Committee of Reference could have decided to rank a child with a lower score higher than another borderline child with a higher score or would the Committee have adjusted the score before publishing the results?
3. Where a child was considered borderline does this mean that the Committee of Reference contacted the relevant school to obtain a report on the child?
4. Where the Committee of Reference takes into account "additional information submitted by the parent" is this referring to infomation submitted before the exam or did the Committee of Reference contact parents of borderline children after the exam but before finalising the results to request additional information?
5. Finally, does any one know if the Committee of Reference is regarded as a "local review process" for the purposes of the Schools Admissions Code?
To the outsider this whole process does not appear to be very transparent. For example, if a member of the Committee of Reference had a particular knowledge of a borderline child would they be excluded from participating in any discussion in relation to that child to prevent the perception that the child may have been given an unfair advantage?
Any relevant comments on the above would be appreciated. Thank you
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Charlotte67
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Scurr1780,
I, too, have been wondering about the process used for this year's boarderlines.
In previous years (I understand that) there was a written piece which was assessed and head teachers/class teachers were asked for rankings/comments about the children. This seemed to me to be fine and fair. However, this year... No written piece and I have heard, from a parent of a boarderline child, that the child was asked questions about what they did outside school, what outside interests and activities they participated in (!)
I cannot understand how this is relevant to academic ability! I agree that the whole process needs to be more transparent.
I may have to edit this in the morning as I have had a few glasses of wine
I, too, have been wondering about the process used for this year's boarderlines.
In previous years (I understand that) there was a written piece which was assessed and head teachers/class teachers were asked for rankings/comments about the children. This seemed to me to be fine and fair. However, this year... No written piece and I have heard, from a parent of a boarderline child, that the child was asked questions about what they did outside school, what outside interests and activities they participated in (!)
I cannot understand how this is relevant to academic ability! I agree that the whole process needs to be more transparent.
I may have to edit this in the morning as I have had a few glasses of wine
Borderline score and role of committee of reference
Also there is the Schools Adjudicator decision from years back ( sorry my IT skills are so bad I do not know how to put in a link but if you Google "schools Adjudicator" you can find decisions for each LEA and then each school).
That decision was when Stratford Grammar wanted to expand and other schools in the area were protesting it would cream off their best pupils. The decision reached was that the Grammar school could expand but would have to have a minimum standard for admission even if that left places vacant.
Although we never realised this at the time in 2004 it was why DD1 got her place even though she did not apply until june!
I do not know whether or how this decision is still utilised by admissions at Warwickshire but it could be worth asking?
Perhaps one of the staff from admissions who tell me they read this forum could post something to assure us all of their fair admissions and test procedures!!!!!!!
Oh dear I have just seen a Gloucester Old Spot fly right past my window!!
That decision was when Stratford Grammar wanted to expand and other schools in the area were protesting it would cream off their best pupils. The decision reached was that the Grammar school could expand but would have to have a minimum standard for admission even if that left places vacant.
Although we never realised this at the time in 2004 it was why DD1 got her place even though she did not apply until june!
I do not know whether or how this decision is still utilised by admissions at Warwickshire but it could be worth asking?
Perhaps one of the staff from admissions who tell me they read this forum could post something to assure us all of their fair admissions and test procedures!!!!!!!
Oh dear I have just seen a Gloucester Old Spot fly right past my window!!
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Sassie'sDad
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