Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110 (Bucks)

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lisa.1988
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:39 pm

Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110 (Bucks)

Post by lisa.1988 »

We received our daughters 11+ results on friday and are now wondering whether to appeal. She has always been above average and is expected to get level 5s in her SATS. Her reading age and spelling age have always been 2 years above her actual age (she was born at the end of August). She was slightly unwell in the week leading up to the first test but not seriously enough to keep her off school (cough and cold). She went to the doctors the day before the second test and was given antibiotics for an infection. I mentioned this to the head and he commented that if she was well enough for school then she was well enough for the test and I therefore sent her in. After the first test she complained that the boy opposite her muttered all the way through and the second one she said she needed the toilet halfway through but didn't want to go and waste time! I am hoping to get the heads support for an appeal but wonder if I am wasting my time as her scores are quite low and we have no other extenuating circumstances- except illness which seems quite weak as we sent her to school. Advice please!
lisa.1988
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:39 pm

Re: Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110

Post by lisa.1988 »

Sorry forgot to mention we are in Bucks.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110

Post by Etienne »

Welcome, Lisa!

You need to start here:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... =35&t=8255" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When you've finished all the reading, we'll be happy to try and help with any questions.
Etienne
lisa.1988
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:39 pm

Re: Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110 (Bucks)

Post by lisa.1988 »

I have read all the information - several times! I guess I am just frustrated that I cannot do anything until Monday. Am I right in thinking that the only real route open to us is the academic one? My daugher tells me she got a 5b in her recent practice Maths paper. I am also confused about the heads ranking as I have seen reference to 2;2 or 1:1 rankings. Does the head have to rank her 1;1 for us to be in with any reasonable chance?
Thanks
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110 (Bucks)

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Lisa
lisa.1988 wrote:Am I right in thinking that the only real route open to us is the academic one?
Academic evidence is obviously key, but I think the fact that you discussed her cough/cold with the Head is also important. If the Head could confirm that on the summary sheet it would be helpful. The antibiotics and infection are worth a very brief mention, simply because this type of low-level illness is very hard to judge. She was clearly fit enough to cope with a normal school day and I think a panel will realise that it was a very tough call for you. Has she suffered from urine infections before? If it is something that recurs I think a panel would understand even more - you cannot keep a child off school frequently for such matters.

Regarding the disruption in the test, I am afraid that this is very common and I would leave it out. It is weak as a mitigating circumstance because every test room will have sniffers, sneezers and mutterers in it.
My daugher tells me she go a 5b in her recent practice Maths paper.
That is encouraging because she may well progress to a 5a by the end of the year. You do of course need to establish her level in English as well.
I am also confused about the heads ranking as I have seen reference to 2;2 or 1:1 rankings. Does the head have to rank her 1;1 for us to be in with any reasonable chance?
Not at all! Obviously it would help to have 1:1, but 2:1 or even 2:2 would not be a serious impediment to success. It will also depend on how accurate the Head's recommendations are overall. Try asking the Head for that information when you see him because you will receive it in your appeal pack anyway.

Sally-Anne
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110 (Bucks)

Post by Etienne »

Dear Lisa

S-A has beaten me to it, but this is what I've been writing -

We can't form our own view about your chances without a lot of academic information. I thought you might not have seen the Q&As because your opening post was mostly about extenuating circumstances.
lisa.1988 wrote:Am I right in thinking that the only real route open to us is the academic one?
Absolutely! From the Q&As:
Is the overall academic evidence sufficiently compelling to indicate the child ought to have achieved a pass mark under normal circumstances? (The more indicators of very high ability, the better, as one bit of evidence is unlikely to be sufficient.)
"Billy’s appeal": http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... aneous#e25" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"If you had read our initial speech you would see why, we were over emphasising his mitigating circumstances and not concentrating on putting enough by academic evidence. Once we had read your Q & A’s we soon changed that, a fact we are truly grateful for."
She has always been above average
The issue is going to be how far above average! :)
I am also confused about the heads ranking as I have seen reference to 2;2 or 1:1 rankings. Does the head have to rank her 1;1 for us to be in with any reasonable chance?
No! From the Q&As:
"My son has a ‘3’ recommendation for academic potential. In your experience do you think it is going to be a major issue?" - Well, it’s an issue. Certainly panels like to see a ‘1’ or a ‘2’ – or a good explanation why not.
I mentioned this to the head and he commented that if she was well enough for school then she was well enough for the test
This was the correct advice.
After the first test she complained that the boy opposite her muttered all the way through and the second one she said she needed the toilet halfway through but didn't want to go and waste time!
I sympathise, but difficult to prove these things, and how much she was affected by them.
I am hoping to get the heads support for an appeal but wonder if I am wasting my time as her scores are quite low
Based on last year's statistics (which are in the Q&As) the chances of success with 116 are on average around 22%. It all depends on what sort of academic case you can put togther, however!
and we have no other extenuating circumstances- except illness which seems quite weak as we sent her to school.
Our clear advice in the Q&As is to keep the focus as far as possible on the academic side of things.
If your extenuating circumstances are not too strong (in the sense that there isn’t any evidence at all to show that your child was affected), the best you can do is to appear reluctant to ‘offer excuses’, to let the panel drag the information out of you bit by bit, if the opportunity arises, rather than to build it up as a major issue. Understate the point, don’t overstate it, or you risk diluting your case as a whole.
Etienne
lisa.1988
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:39 pm

Re: Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110 (Bucks)

Post by lisa.1988 »

Thank you both so much. I am now clear on the way forward. I read all the Q & A s but it did help to have them summarised as my head was swimming with all the info. I will let you know how I get on with the head.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110 (Bucks)

Post by Etienne »

my head was swimming with all the info.
There's an awful lot to take in! :)

Good luck!
Etienne
lisa.1988
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:39 pm

Re: Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110 (Bucks)

Post by lisa.1988 »

The good news is that the head ranked her 1: 1 & is going to strongly support our appeal. He is also going to confirm that he thinks she will thrive at a grammar school. All her results also show this and she is predicted high level fives in sats. Fingers crossed now!
lisa.1988
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:39 pm

Re: Should I appeal - scores 116 and 110 (Bucks)

Post by lisa.1988 »

We got the result today and the appeal was unsuccessful :( . I am not sure what they were looking for as we had so much positive evidence and illness as an extenuating circumstance. I will now have to look into the 12+. I haven't been able to see anything on here but if she were successfull at the 12+ how likely is it that there would be a space available for year 8 at our local grammer WHS?
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