120 appeal from private school girl

[rozalia]

My daughter got 120 & 118 although she has previously had 140+. In her practice papers her scores have gone from 67% to 100%. She has got a great report from school but recommended with reservations and 2 on confidence etc. School have also said that it would be a waste of potential if she didn't get through. Her order of suitability is 8 although I'm not sure out of how many. She also is predicted Level 5 SATS & is in top 25% for Maths & English.

We also speak Polish at home & she attends Polish school regularly. She also had vision therapy for her eyes in the middle of last year and I am waiting for a report/letter from the Optician.

My questions are: is she likely to get through on a Bucks appeal and does her being at a Private school lessen her chances?

Our hearing is on the 17th-does the date (i.e. earlier rather than later) make a difference?

Thanks

[Etienne]

Dear rozalia

Thank you for giving so much information.

Nothing is for certain, but from what you have said it sounds as if you should have a very good chance of success.

We also speak Polish at home & she attends Polish school regularly.

Worth a mention, but it won't carry a great deal of weight if she was born in this country and has always been educated here.

She also had vision therapy for her eyes in the middle of last year and I am waiting for a report/letter from the Optician.

It's important to have the letter. How much weight it will carry depends on how serious the problem was.

does her being at a Private school lessen her chances?

No.

does the date (i.e. earlier rather than later) make a difference?

No.

Good luck

[Sally-Anne]

Hi Rozalia

The scores are good, so I agree with Etienne - I think you have a good chance of success.

Hopefully the optician's letter will demonstrate that your daughter's eye problem may have affected the speed at which she was able to process the 11+ papers.

It is now too late to submit the optician's letter by post, so you should take 6 copies and the original to the hearing with you. (This is completely acceptable for late evidence, by the way.) The original and one copy go to the clerk, you keep a copy and the remainder go to the 3 panel members and the LEA rep.

I wish you luck - do let us know how you get on.

Sally-Anne

[rozalia]

Thank you for your prompt responses and for making me feel a bit more hopeful!

I have also put into the appeal letter that her father died in an accident 8 years ago & that she has 2 half-brothers under 3. Sounds like desperation!

Having looked at the alternatives, I really do believe she will do well at Grammar school.

FYI-I submitted the appeal paperwork slightly in a panic so hand wrote the form-hope this was ok?

Regards
Sophie aka rozalia

[Guest55]

Hi there,

Concentrate on the academic - the scores in the practice papers will not be taken into consideration as the same papers are used every year.

GOOD LUCK

[Etienne]

Dear rozalia

Vey sorry to hear about the tragic accident 8 years ago, but to be honest, it won't really strengthen your case. After all, you can't be arguing how well your daughter has been doing at school, and at the same time claim she was affected on two particular days in October.

With two good 11+ scores, you don't need to worry too much about extenuating circumstances.

As Guest55 says, focus on the academic evidence.

[Sally-Anne]

I have also put into the appeal letter that her father died in an accident 8 years ago & that she has 2 half-brothers under 3. Sounds like desperation!

Perhaps, so I wouldn't mention it again at the Appeal, but if the panel ask questions about it they will probably be filler questions. You could say something to the effect of "it shows that she achieves good academic results despite some difficulties in her background".

FYI-I submitted the appeal paperwork slightly in a panic so hand wrote the form-hope this was ok?

Absolutely fine - some people don't have typewriters or computers!

[rozalia]

Had a brain wave about evidence and have got a letter from an optician which states that my DD's eye problems and subsequent vision therapy "could have had a bearing on her 11+ results".

How will the panel view this togehter with all of the other academic evidence? What are our chances?

I am so nervous and we still have to sit down tonight to work out the plan for the appeal tomorrow.

[caz34red]

Hi Sophie,

Good Luck tomorrow, mine was yesterday so will let you know how I got on. I posted yesterday Appeal Today have a read, I basically kept it simple, I read out first Academic Evidence, then the circumstances and I think the Panel appreciated the structure and simplicity as they did not have to probe to much............ they were also very pleasant.

Caroline

[Sally-Anne]

Hi Sophie

On scores of 120 & 118 your chances are certainly better than 50/50. If the panel feel that the 120 score is the most representative of your daughter's ability then it could be 70% or more.

However, there is never any telling with Appeals - very low scores can succeed and high scores be rejected. It is all very frustrating.

Do take a look at Caroline's (caz34red) thread "Appeal Today" - their appeal was structured very well.

I wish you luck.

Sally-Anne