Dilemma

[Hellybeds]

Please help, I have reached a crossroads in my decision making with regards my forthcoming appeal.

The appeal date is set for a week Tuesday and I am having serious doubts whether to proceed.

I know that my DD is suitable for a Grammar School, but having had an unsuccessful review, I know that the chance of proving that it was unfair is slim.

Had I been more in the know, I would have requested an appeal without a review, and that way I would have had a chance to explain my case etc.

Am I being stupid, or should I just leave the appeal and hopefully have success at the 12 +?

[hermanmunster]

Hellybeds, if you don't go and try you will never know if you could have done it and will always wonder what would have happened

[Etienne]

I agree with Herman's advice.

Strictly speaking, it's just as much up to the admission authority to prove that the review was fair, consistent and objective, as it is up to you to show otherwise. They have to justify to the panel what has happened.

The best approach is simply to ask the admission authority questions:

• Was the review done by specialists in the subjects being looked at, with recent teaching experience of year 7 at grammar school?
  Did the same people consider every submission, and, if not, how was consistency ensured?
  Was the review panel operating a quota?
  Was there any restriction on the evidence that the review panel could consider?
  What was the average length of time they spent on each case?

[moosh]

I agree. Although it is an incredibly stressful experience, if you think your DC is suitable for GS then you should go ahead and try. Etienne advices that that the odds of succeeding are against you but most parents will choose to go ahead otherwise they will always wonder what the outcome might have been. I think she is right.

[Hellybeds]

Many thanks for your replies, it is food for thought.

I think the stress is getting to me and after months of determination and with not much support from the school, other than the bare minimum, I have hit a brick wall so to speak as far as confidence goes.

I don't want to stand there and make a complete idiot of myself.

I just want to say that this forum is fantastic and wish I had discovered it before I made the ill informed decision to go to review, something that I wish my DD primary school could have advised me on. That in itself makes the whole system unfair and inconsistant.

[Etienne]

Try not to worry. No one will ever think an appellant is an idiot (unless it's someone telling lies who gets found out! ).

Parents are not expected to be 'expert' at appeals. Quite the contrary. If you don't know what to do, or make a mistake, or can't answer a question, or break down, rest assured that it happens all the time!

Panels won't give it a second thought, and most will be sympathetic. They realise that the majority of parents have never been to appeal before, and that even the most confident of people can find the experience stressful.

[T12ACY]

I agree with everyone. What is going to happen if you don't try? You will never know and it will eat away at you.... If you give it a go, your very best shot at it, then you have tried and may even succeed (something you won't do if you have not gone through all of this!)

I wish you the very best of luck

[Hellybeds]

Many thanks to all of you for your support and advice.

I have decided that you are all right, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

[hermanmunster]

Just remember Hellybeds, you have several hundred virtual people toddling along to the appeal... we will all have our fingers crossed.