Appeal for Slough consortium
Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators
Appeal for Slough consortium
hELLO, 
First time posting. I wonder if anyone has any advice or similar experience to me. This last year and a half has been a roller coaster ride!
After sitting 11+ exams dd was diagnosed with high functioning Aspergers & Dyspraxia. Went to Slough Appeal, dd got 108 and school representative at appeal wanted a Statement of SEN because she didn't have the funds to take a sp. needs kid. Lost appeal. I'm gonna write to the Ombudsman.
Dd got 112 in Langley paper. I'm going to appeal as there's no chance of getting in with 112.
Have an E.P report saying dd in top 10-15% of population in terms of I.Q.
Also, going to appeal for Tiffin, but maybe dd's marks too low for place, she scored 12 away from the pass mark, but I know she would have got through the exams if she had had extra time because she was scoring 85% and above on NFER papers but with extra time at home.
Or should I not bother, is it worth all the trouble as successful appeals are somewhat a rare occurrence.
Thank you for this opportunity.
First time posting. I wonder if anyone has any advice or similar experience to me. This last year and a half has been a roller coaster ride!
After sitting 11+ exams dd was diagnosed with high functioning Aspergers & Dyspraxia. Went to Slough Appeal, dd got 108 and school representative at appeal wanted a Statement of SEN because she didn't have the funds to take a sp. needs kid. Lost appeal. I'm gonna write to the Ombudsman.
Dd got 112 in Langley paper. I'm going to appeal as there's no chance of getting in with 112.
Have an E.P report saying dd in top 10-15% of population in terms of I.Q.
Also, going to appeal for Tiffin, but maybe dd's marks too low for place, she scored 12 away from the pass mark, but I know she would have got through the exams if she had had extra time because she was scoring 85% and above on NFER papers but with extra time at home.
Or should I not bother, is it worth all the trouble as successful appeals are somewhat a rare occurrence.
Thank you for this opportunity.
HI Toothy,
Welcome to the forum.
So sorry that your appeal was not successful. Were you told why the decision, not to uphold your appeal, was made.
With all Slough grammar schools you must have excellent evidence of ability to even start your appeal. Once you have this then you need mitigating circumstances.... the more marks you are away from the set standard the more compelling your mitigating circumstances need to be.
Obviously the fact that your daughter was diagnosed with high functioning Aspergers and Dyspraxia after the exam does suggest that being in a strange environment and with people she didn't know would make a difference.
I am not sure that they provide extra time. My ds took the Slough exams some time ago and although classed as SEN did not have extra time.
The scores for the consortium are made up of 2 sections VR & NVR. Was there a large difference in the scores or were they similar.
Does the Ep report show high ability in the areas where her scores were lower.
If the Aspergers and Dyspraxia diagnosis were very significant then I would expect a school to request a statement so as to have the funds to provide the best education for that child.
I would not expect this to be a reason for not upholding the appeal. Maybe we can get a few more views on this!
If you feel you have the academic evidence of her ability, she should have scored more highly and she would do well in a Grammar school then I would go to appeal.
What about St Bernards? did you put it on your CAF. Could you approach them and see whether they have a place or to go on the waiting list?
Welcome to the forum.
So sorry that your appeal was not successful. Were you told why the decision, not to uphold your appeal, was made.
With all Slough grammar schools you must have excellent evidence of ability to even start your appeal. Once you have this then you need mitigating circumstances.... the more marks you are away from the set standard the more compelling your mitigating circumstances need to be.
Obviously the fact that your daughter was diagnosed with high functioning Aspergers and Dyspraxia after the exam does suggest that being in a strange environment and with people she didn't know would make a difference.
I am not sure that they provide extra time. My ds took the Slough exams some time ago and although classed as SEN did not have extra time.
The scores for the consortium are made up of 2 sections VR & NVR. Was there a large difference in the scores or were they similar.
Does the Ep report show high ability in the areas where her scores were lower.
If the Aspergers and Dyspraxia diagnosis were very significant then I would expect a school to request a statement so as to have the funds to provide the best education for that child.
I would not expect this to be a reason for not upholding the appeal. Maybe we can get a few more views on this!
If you feel you have the academic evidence of her ability, she should have scored more highly and she would do well in a Grammar school then I would go to appeal.
What about St Bernards? did you put it on your CAF. Could you approach them and see whether they have a place or to go on the waiting list?
I'm very uneasy about this approach by the school's representative. Presumably it occurred during stage 2 (specifically, "Questions to the Parent")? - It begs the question whether the school should be putting forward arguments for prejudice at stage 2 in support of its own case. Certainly worth seeing what the ombudsman thinks about this.If the Aspergers and Dyspraxia diagnosis were very significant then I would expect a school to request a statement so as to have the funds to provide the best education for that child.
I would not expect this to be a reason for not upholding the appeal. Maybe we can get a few more views on this!
Etienne
Dear Chad and Etienne,
Thanks so much for your replies.
Dd got 108 overall for Slough GS, Vr 111, NVR 106 and Maths 107. Can you tell me what makes a good case for ability. Head Teachers letter, good SATS and other academic / non academic achievements?
Dd, I would say definitely needed more time in the exams because she is very distractable and looses her concentration. She never finished a NVR paper within the time, and she knew NVR backwards.
Will write to the ombudsman regarding the discrimmination, as dd's social problems were highlighted and the lack of funding. No mention of exam concessions or her true ability at the appeal.
I doubt very much that my daughter will be statemented as she is very high functioning, hence the late and suprise diagnosis.
Without a statement no one really wants to deal with you, and you don't seem to have too many rights or status.
Thank you
Thanks so much for your replies.
Dd got 108 overall for Slough GS, Vr 111, NVR 106 and Maths 107. Can you tell me what makes a good case for ability. Head Teachers letter, good SATS and other academic / non academic achievements?
Dd, I would say definitely needed more time in the exams because she is very distractable and looses her concentration. She never finished a NVR paper within the time, and she knew NVR backwards.
Will write to the ombudsman regarding the discrimmination, as dd's social problems were highlighted and the lack of funding. No mention of exam concessions or her true ability at the appeal.
I doubt very much that my daughter will be statemented as she is very high functioning, hence the late and suprise diagnosis.
Without a statement no one really wants to deal with you, and you don't seem to have too many rights or status.
Thank you
Have a read of the Q&A section..
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus ... #section-A
especially 'B - Non qualification'
It gives a summary of the type of evidence used in an appeal.
The Q & A's also mentions the EP report and how it relates to the 11+
Any questions ... please ask.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus ... #section-A
especially 'B - Non qualification'
It gives a summary of the type of evidence used in an appeal.
The Q & A's also mentions the EP report and how it relates to the 11+
Any questions ... please ask.
Toothy
My son was diagnosed with AS at 6 he is now on School Action. The school have been fantastic generally but when it came to the 11+ there was no information given. Also information from the LA is virtually non existant. All the information i have found has been through support groups and from this website. Nothing has been given to me i have had to route it out on my own. I truly believe that having a child somewhere between "normal" and statemented leave your child falling through an enormous gap and it makes me very sad.
I wonder if you could go back to the EP, he may be able to draw out the significant bits from his report, ours was very helpful when we explained why we were having the assessment done (GS appeal).
I feel for you its an extremely frustrating time.
Fluffy
I'm sorry i can't offer much help but i totally agree with you with regard to the above statement.Without a statement no one really wants to deal with you, and you don't seem to have too many rights or status.
My son was diagnosed with AS at 6 he is now on School Action. The school have been fantastic generally but when it came to the 11+ there was no information given. Also information from the LA is virtually non existant. All the information i have found has been through support groups and from this website. Nothing has been given to me i have had to route it out on my own. I truly believe that having a child somewhere between "normal" and statemented leave your child falling through an enormous gap and it makes me very sad.
I wonder if you could go back to the EP, he may be able to draw out the significant bits from his report, ours was very helpful when we explained why we were having the assessment done (GS appeal).
I feel for you its an extremely frustrating time.
Fluffy
Dear Chad & Fluffy66
Thanks for the reply.
& thank you Fluffy66 for your kind mail.
I found the link very useful. I will contact the E.P. again and ask him to write a letter highlighting dd's positive points, otherwise the report can be a little bit confusing if you don't understand the jargon.
Sadly, I see the local comp luming. I am very worried about how dd's going to cope
Thanks for the reply.
& thank you Fluffy66 for your kind mail.I found the link very useful. I will contact the E.P. again and ask him to write a letter highlighting dd's positive points, otherwise the report can be a little bit confusing if you don't understand the jargon.
Sadly, I see the local comp luming. I am very worried about how dd's going to cope