Advice please

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Jan

Advice please

Post by Jan »

Hello,

I am trying to put an appeal together, what would impress a panel?
Any tips would be really help me.

Jan.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Jan

Have a look at the Bucks section of the forum under a very lengthy thread on Appeals. I'm guessing it won't apply to your area, as Bucks published results on December 2nd and the appeals are now almost over. However, it will give you some useful hints.

Good luck!

Sally-Anne
Guest

Post by Guest »

Jan

Dont know if this would be of any use but....I went to appeal in the Bucks system and i had heard such horror stories that i was absolutely petrified. Everyone was saying you needed extreme circumstances to even stand a chance. We didnt have anything other that the wonderful backing of the school and the fact we truly believed that the 'pressure' got to our son on the day. We went along armed with a couple of cetificates awarded for his extra curricular activites(which they didnt see in the end), a school report and some school books. The school had gone through his books for us and stuck notes to the pages that they thought showed his true ability and IT WORKED. We spoke from the heart and just said that his books showed his true ability not the tests that he didnt quite perform as he should have. He got offered his 1st choice of Grammar this week. Hope this helps. Obviously, everyone has different experiences of the appeal system but this was mine. Very best wishes to you on your appeal. What area are you in? Keep us posted.

Susie
Jan

Appeal

Post by Jan »

Hi Sue,

We are in Wirral. Our son has dyslexia but functions at a very high level achieving level fives in maths, science and a level 4a for English he is allowed extra time for his Sat's exams but the LEA would not grant him extra time for his 11+ even though his teachers and the head of the gifted and talented teacher of another grammar school where my son goes for his science club supported his application, we don't know what else they are looking for but he also represents the county at judo and does cross country for a local running club getting up at 6am 3 times a week to train they know all this information and they still have knocked him back, we have one more chance to appeal, but we feel as soon as they see dyslexia they think problems! but as our head teacher said any child who participates in the activities he does and to the level he does , does not have a motivation problem, Unfortunatly he is going to come up against prejudice in his life but I thought that educated people would look a bit deeper, maybe I'm wrong.

Jan.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Jan

The man you need is Mike Edwards, the Wirral expert on the forum,who spends a lot of time in Spain without an internet connection, so he isn't always on here. Maybe send him a private message to make contact, or post under the Wirral section?

I am sure that your LEA has a policy on dyslexia and special needs, and if they are discriminating against him on those grounds, it should be possible to argue that case. Perhaps you might be able to shift the "burden of proof" on to them - that they are definitely not discriminating? Do you know why your first appeal (I think I that you have done one already?) failed? In Bucks we can ask for the case notes to understand what went wrong.

Hope Mike proves of more use than me!

Susie

Wish I'd let you do our appeal - your method sounds so much simpler than ours was! Out of curiosity, what was his score, suitability ranking and Head teacher's ranking? Hope you don't mind me asking - ignore me if you do!

Sally-Anne
Jan

Appeal please

Post by Jan »

Hi,

His score was 234, pass mark was 236 we are not told anything else only that the head gave his support to his application.

We asked for our son to have extra time in the 11+ they said no he would have to sit the exam and appeal afterwards which I think is very unfair as I said to our LEA you would not put 2 children in a room 1 with a disability and 1 with out and say right you both have 2 minutes to tie your shoe laces, you would not do it on the grounds of discrimination and this is exactly what you are doing they where not interested, so much for equal rights in education!!!

Jan
HP

Post by HP »

Jan,

So sorry to learn your news. Very surprising that your son was not given the extra time he needs to demonstrate his ability.

Feel so angry on your behalf :x about the LEA attitude. Did they put this in writing about appealing afterwards (bet they didn't).

Unfortunately the world does need to wake up to the fact that you can be really bright and also have special needs.

Hope this link helps:

http://www.nfer.ak.uk/research-areas/as ... -ranks.cfm

Our selective consortium in Herts awards extra time (up to 25%), some interesting posts under the Bucks section about this also. Have a dig around on your LEA website too about disability discrimination/special needs etc and see if you can find anything.

Very likely you would need to supply professional reports as evidence, Educational Psychologist for Dyslexia and Occupational Therapist report for handwriting. If you have these already use them for your appeal.

Hope this helps.

HP
Jan

Appeal please

Post by Jan »

Hi,

They did put it in writing! I just feel totally exhausted with it all and feel that we have to prove everything, even thogh his sats results speak for them selves.
Thanks for your words of encouragement.

Jan
HP

Post by HP »

Jan, keep your spirits up.

I have 3 with SEN you'll get there.

Take the weekend out and start again Monday.

HP
patricia
Posts: 2803
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Post by patricia »

Dear Jan

Look at....

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/schools/documents/ad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... idance.pdf

Part 7c

This is a Bucks document, but is a nationwide legal framework. Did your school explain the implications, they cannot hide behind ignorance.

Patricia
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