Bucks selection review at 111

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Iggy307
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 6:26 pm

Bucks selection review at 111

Post by Iggy307 »

My July born DD failed to qualify for Bucks with a score of 111.

VR 54.5 Maths 32.74 NV 23.79

I have spoken to her headteacher who is prepared to support her at review and has given her a rating of 2:1.

End of Yr 5 Sats levels Reading 5C Writing 4B Maths 5C

Current reading age 14 yr 6 months Spelling age 11 yrs 10 months.

I took her to see an EP yesterday and have just received the report. Will these figures support our case
WISC-IV

Verbal comp 112 79th percentile High Average
Perceptual reasoning 123 94th percentile superior
Working memory 104 61st percentile average
Processing speed 100 50th percentile average
General ability index 121 92nd percentile superior.

It is also worth mentioning there were a number of incidents during the test which proved distracting with one child having to leave to receive first aid treatment and some loud sobbing! County were advised of these disturbances after the test.

Any advice gratefully received.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks selection review at 111

Post by Etienne »

Welcome!
I have spoken to her headteacher who is prepared to support her at review and has given her a rating of 2:1.
Ought to be all right, but it depends what the head's recommendations look like as a whole. If the school was generally over-optimistic, the 2's start to look like 3's, but if the school was too strict, the 2's can look more like 1's!
End of Yr 5 Sats levels Reading 5C Writing 4B Maths 5C
Acceptable.
Current reading age 14 yr 6 months Spelling age 11 yrs 10 months.
Spelling age probably doesn't matter. Reading age very good.
I took her to see an EP yesterday and have just received the report. Will these figures support our case
WISC-IV

Verbal comp 112 79th percentile High Average
Perceptual reasoning 123 94th percentile superior
Working memory 104 61st percentile average
Processing speed 100 50th percentile average
General ability index 121 92nd percentile superior.
Verbal comprehension is lower than I would like to see.
Ideally one would like to see percentiles in the 90s for VCI and PR.

Interesting that the educational psychologist gives the GAI rather than FSIQ (full scale IQ).
GAI provides a score that is less sensitive to the influence of working memory and processing speed. It presents the overall result more favourably in your case, so I would take advantage of that and print the final line in bold type!
It is also worth mentioning there were a number of incidents during the test which proved distracting with one child having to leave to receive first aid treatment and some loud sobbing! County were advised of these disturbances after the test.
It's worth a very brief mention, but disturbances such as these during the test are not uncommon, and may not be given much weight.

You could mention as an extenuating circumstance that your daughter has been disadvantaged by working memory and processing speed.
Has the educational psychologist made any suggestions how they could be improved?
If so, you could then put a positive 'spin' on the situation - "Now that the problem has been diagnosed, the educational psychologist has been able to recommend strategies that will help in achieving even higher results in future ........."
Etienne
Iggy307
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks selection review at 111

Post by Iggy307 »

Thanks for the prompt reply.

No recommendations in the report about ways to improve working memory or processing. It does mention that in future she should be given extra time in tests or exams and highlights how the discrepencies between the indexes means she would not necessary perform to her best under timed conditions. Obviously the new style test and its hideous time pressures didnt really play to her strengths.

The disturbances in the test were somewhat unusual, I dont really wish to detail all the circumstances openly but the conditions in which the children took the test were far from ideal and left my daughter quite distressed.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks selection review at 111

Post by Etienne »

The disturbances in the test were somewhat unusual, I dont really wish to detail all the circumstances openly but the conditions in which the children took the test were far from ideal and left my daughter quite distressed.
With external events such as (a) the prolonged illness of a close relative, or (b) disturbances in the test, I think what matters is any evidence of the impact on the individual child.

For (a) this could be written confirmation from the school of signs of distress, or of a deterioration in the standard of routine school work.
For (b) an appeal panel might ask "Was your child's distress noted during the test?" "Did you inform the relevant authority of the effect on your child as soon as possible after the test?"
It does mention that in future she should be given extra time in tests or exams and highlights how the discrepencies between the indexes means she would not necessary perform to her best under timed conditions.
Good!
Etienne
Iggy307
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks selection review at 111

Post by Iggy307 »

Headteacher has agreed to mention on the selection review form what happened during test and how it may have contributed to DD shortfall in score. I have also copied the section from her school learning log where she had written what had happened and how stressful she found it - should I include this in my documentation?

Is it also worth mentioning that she struggled to complete the answer sheets accurately, on one section she filled in one answer on the wrong line. She realised when she got down to the bottom and had more questions left than boxes to fill. She did manage to correct herself as best she could but found herself quite flustered. Perhaps now I have the processing and working memory scores her making this type of error should not be a surprise.

Regarding the EP recommendations about extra time etc what is the best way to present this information? Should I reproduce the sections on my reasons for review form or simply mention the points briefly and refer to the report?
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks selection review at 111

Post by Etienne »

Iggy307 wrote:Headteacher has agreed to mention on the selection review form what happened during test and how it may have contributed to DD shortfall in score.
Good.
I have also copied the section from her school learning log where she had written what had happened and how stressful she found it - should I include this in my documentation?
As a believer in evidence, I would have preferred to see a photocopy of the original.
Is it also worth mentioning that she struggled to complete the answer sheets accurately, on one section she filled in one answer on the wrong line.

She realised when she got down to the bottom and had more questions left than boxes to fill. She did manage to correct herself as best she could but found herself quite flustered. Perhaps now I have the processing and working memory scores her making this type of error should not be a surprise.
Add this on at the end of the bit about processing speed and working memory, so that the two appear linked.
Regarding the EP recommendations about extra time etc what is the best way to present this information? Should I reproduce the sections on my reasons for review form or simply mention the points briefly and refer to the report?
The latter.
Etienne
Iggy307
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks selection review at 111

Post by Iggy307 »

Many thanks for the advice.

I did photocopy the section about how stressful she found the test conditions directly from her learning log. It is dated and marked by the teacher on Sept 13th. Its fortunate I had already had parents evening and spotted it in her book!

Headteacher aiming to send her completed selection review form early part of next week, so Im hoping to get all my information and evidence together prior to that.

Hopefully I wont be bugging you too much more, I am most grateful for all your help and suggestions.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks selection review at 111

Post by Etienne »

Iggy307 wrote:I did photocopy the section about how stressful she found the test conditions directly from her learning log. It is dated and marked by the teacher on Sept 13th. Its fortunate I had already had parents evening and spotted it in her book!
Good!
Hopefully I wont be bugging you too much more, I am most grateful for all your help and suggestions.
You're welcome ... :)
Etienne
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