Anticipating poss appeal-advice needed re evidence

[tigger2]

Hi all !

Have to say that I feel a bit of a misery anticipating a possible need to appeal but I have looked through various threads and although I appreciate every appeal is unique can the appeal experts confirm what type of evidence would give the best chance of appeal in our case? My dc has recently had an educational psychologists assessment and it confirms weaknesses/strengths in learning . It also confirms that our dc is very able and would do very well at a gs . Ongoing learning/social difficulties and some classroom issues/severe anxieties over the last academic year have possibilty affected performance in the kent test. A distraction during part of the test didn't help either.So we have no idea how things are going to go -could even be a non qual . School reports /assessments have always been very positive but dc found last year very hard for a number of reasons. I have written c/o the appeals box to give more background but wanted to know if confirmation from kcc that there was a disturbance in test together with ep report (that includes a recommendation that dc to attend gs) and school reports are enough to help any potential appeal. I only ask now in case I have to gather medical evidence and it takes a while to get an appointment and subsequent report. Many thanks in advance for all your help

[Etienne]

Dear tigger2

I think you've considered the most obvious sources of evidence - but ultimately, of course, it's the quality of the evidence that matters.

wanted to know if confirmation from kcc that there was a disturbance in test together with ep report (that includes a recommendation that dc to attend gs) and school reports are enough to help any potential appeal

Test disturbance - it's always difficult to establish the extent to which an individual child may have been affected, but evidence of the incident itself might be helpful, especially where the result is borderline.

EP report - could be useful, especially if the recommendation re academic ability is backed up with some really high percentiles (in the 90s, for example).

school reports - it depends what exactly they have to say about achievement (some school reports seem to say very little!).

If there were specific difficulties in year 5, then an appeal panel might be very interested to compare evidence from an earlier period (e.g. KS1 results & any standardised tests in years 3-4), and also evidence of progress in year 6, if the difficulties are no longer there.

[tigger2]

Very many thanks Etienne! I really appreciate your advice. All reports/scores etc prior to last year were very good and showed extremely good,consistent progress. The ep report has very high percentiles in the 90's with the exception of the area of difficulty so perhaps that will be of help too. My concern over the test disturbance is that I was informed it all happened throughout the test and the report is at odds with that but I shall try not to worry and wait for results to come out and then take a view on it all ! Once again thank you x

[Etienne]

Very many thanks Etienne! I really appreciate your advice. All reports/scores etc prior to last year were very good and showed extremely good,consistent progress. The ep report has very high percentiles in the 90's with the exception of the area of difficulty so perhaps that will be of help too.

That sounds very encouraging!

My concern over the test disturbance is that I was informed it all happened throughout the test and the report is at odds with that

It's certainly worth a brief mention at appeal, but best not to overplay something where the facts may be in dispute.

Taking into account all the points mentioned in the Appeals Box, I would have thought there are the makings of a good case. Continued progress in year 6, and an 11+ score not too far off what is needed, will add to it!

Do come back if we can be of any further help.

[tigger2]

Hello ! Would be very grateful for a mods advice here...I'm very sad to say that my ds did not qualify but we have decided that we will appeal not least because we have promised him that we will. So I will go in and see his ht at 8am today and collect his scores and make an appointment to see her before half term this Thursday....in anticipation of this meeting can anyone suggest anything to say that may be of help? This will make me sound dense I know but ht can be very intimidating and I want to ask sensible questions,concentrate on getting ht support and not get upset and say something 'wrong'. I need to see ht so early in the proceedings as the only non gs our ds liked says that any letters of support from school will assist our application.
Thank you so much
Tigger
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[Sally-Anne]

Hi tigger2

I was sorry to read about your son not qualifying in Kent.

I would let the Head do most of the talking and just ask questions. Does the HT see your son as GS material? What does s/he see as being your son's strengths academically? How does s/he believe that the specific weakness in the EP report might have affected him in the tests? If your appeal is not successful, does s/he feel that the alternative school you have in mind would be a good option, and why?

You need to get the Head thinking about the degree of support they are willing to give to your appeal and find out how positive they are willing to be in written evidence.

Also, ask if they are happy for you to approach class teachers and others within the school for supporting evidence.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Sally-Anne

[Etienne]

Hi, tigger

I think it's best to start by saying you'd appreciate the head's advice. Does the head think an appeal is a good idea, and, if so, just how strongly would he/she feel able to support it?

Gently inquire what sort of information the school might be able to put forward as evidence of high ability (to see if they're overlooking something you feel is important). Ask what levels your son is predicted to get at KS2, and try to establish whether a borderline level 5, a sound level 5, or a very good level 5 is a reasonable expectation. I realise the distraction in the test is a delicate matter, but you'd probably be on safer ground asking whether the head feels able to confirm the extenuating circumstances relating to year 5.

Ultimately, the head is going to write what he/she wants to write, so the only thing you can do at the meeting is listen, and try to gauge just how much support you're likely to get.

PS: I see Sally-Anne has beaten me to it!

[Sally-Anne]

PS: I see Sally-Anne has beaten me to it!

A rare "early-bird" moment for me!

[T12ACY]

I would like to add to this, and say that the mods advice (as ever) is solid guidance.

From experience, before I even found this site, I went along on the day to get DS's 'actual' scores without even knowing if he had passed or failed. I had an inkling it wasn't good news before but it didn't make the conversation any easier

I asked the DHT, who knows our family very well, did he really believe DS would have passed (was told yes, particularly the maths paper) and before I had the opportunity to ask was told the HT would be happy to support any appeal (something I hadn't even thought about or knew how to approach). I have to say this is key, the HT was refusing to support some of the parents who asked for help because the school did not believe the DC was suitable for GS education. You may get to school and find DS was just a point or 2 under on a single paper, or that all 3 were under by 1. This can win or lose an appeal in itself I felt.

So I left the school and just tried to forget the whole thing for a couple of months. An appeal takes over your life and you have until March which is still quite a long time away. My advice is, take time to get used to the result and consider the alternatives. You must find the best school for your DS which you may end up finding isn't a GS but is what was right all along, but I guess from reading your posts that an appeal will still take place

GS isn't the be all and end all, but if your DS wants you to try there is nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Good luck x

Edited to say: As suggested by Etienne and Sally-Anne, gently with the HT. You don't want to get their back up by demanding to know why DS didn't pass. At this stage, for sure, just to ask if they will support your appeal and the levels DS is expected to achieve. I wouldn't start gathering current ability evidence until nearer the time as there will likely be improvements before March / April time when you need it

[tigger2]

Thanks to all of you for contributing...so early as well which meant that I was able to go in with a sensible head on. I didn't get time to ask for an appointment as I saw the ht on the spot and was told that ds had missed by 1 mark. I didn't have time to ask a question re support as I was told that they were 100% supportive without being asked and that ds will do very well at a gs ..we just have to get him there! Will just have to try and work out which schools to put on the scaf now....
Once again thanks for such helpful (and early !) thoughts.
Tigger
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