Bucks Appeal - 117 x2???

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LiseCook
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:40 pm

Bucks Appeal - 117 x2???

Post by LiseCook »

Evening All,

I have just come across this forum which is obviously full of very useful information regarding the appeal process. I am wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation as us. We are due to go next week. Our Daughter got 117 in both tests. She has fantastic support from the Head Teacher and is the top 25% in both English and Maths. She was 2nd on the list from the Head and has been highly recommended for Grammar School. She has level 5 in all subjects at school and a reading age of 14 (she is 10 yrs and 9 months). She speaks English and Danish fluently.

I am just wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation at appeal and, if so, what the outcome was. Any advice or recommendations as how to tackle the appeal would be highly appreciated...... :roll:

Many thanks in advance

Warmest regards

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

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Lise

Welcome to the Forum.

I know of similar cases. There was one like yours last year - 2 x 117, very strong academics, all the right support, no mitigating circumstances and it was successful.

My questions to you are:

1. What was the Head's ranking? At 2nd on the list I would hope it was a 1:1.

2. If you have received the Order of Suitability, how many were on it and how many in the top ten passed? Does the OoS look fairly accurate?

3. Do you have any previous VR scores from school tests?

4. Are there any mitigating circumstances?

Sally-Anne
LiseCook
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:40 pm

Thank you

Post by LiseCook »

Sally-Anne thank you so, so much for responding. I am beginning to feel rather nervous about the whole thing!

Our Daughter was rated as 1:1. There was only one pupil who passed from their class and there were 12 on the Head Teachers list to Council.

Our Daughter achieved 120 and 127 in the two VR test papers at school. We also have a letter of support from her tutor explaining her tests results were usually above 128.

We have no mitigating circumstances. However, I thought I would mention to the panel that several children were crying just before the tests and the children were called back out (the test had not started).

I truly appreciate your advice ;)

Many, Many thanks

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

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Lise

The 1:1 ranking is very good - how many did the Head rank in each of 1,2 and 3 out of the 12?

The school's pass rate is not great, but there's nothing you can do about that. Presumably the class is around 30 children? In which case the Head only putting 12 on the OoS would seem sensible.

The disruption before the test is certainly worth a mention, but presumably it was only one test that was affected. (However, one could argue that it would have been the one she passed, if it hadn't been for the rocky start.) Don't overdo it though - just a mention, and let the panel ask you questions.

Have you submitted the letter from the tutor already? Generally panels will ignore references to tutoring. It won't harm your case, but I suggest just saying that she was doing well in practice before the test and not mentioning the tutor again.

The practice papers are also not really relevant, as the same papers are used every year and the children could have seen them beforehand. However, I would mention the scores briefly as they are really all that you have on that front.

Take in her school books and reports, especially anything that really stands out, and concentrate on finding every scrap of solid academic evidence. Do they have sets for English and Maths? Is she on extension work in Maths? Has she won any school prizes for her academic work? Any musical talent with exam certificates to prove it?

It might be worth an appointment with the class teacher to check for any nuggets that you have missed. (Mind you, as she's a girl she probably tells you most things about school anyway. :wink: )

Sally-Anne
LiseCook
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:40 pm

Further Info

Post by LiseCook »

Ha ha ha how right you are - she does tell me everything!!

The results were and the Head Teacher ranked as follows:
120 Ranking 1, HTR 1 and Attitude 1
117 Ranking 2, 1:1 (our Daughter)
118 Ranking 3, 1:1
115 Ranking 4, 1:1
116 Ranking 5, 2:2
118 Ranking 6, 2:2
109 Ranking 7, 2:2
123 Ranking 8, 2:2 (everyone was shocked)
108 Ranking 9, 2:2
115 Ranking 10, 3:2
105 Ranking 11, 3:2
117 Ranking 12, 3:2

Everyone had expected at least 7-8 pupils to pass as it a very capable class!

The Class Teacher has also written a letter of recommendation and confirming her reading age. In addition, she has picked samples of our Daughters outstanding school work (her words, not mine).

We have several certificates from school and in addition Awards for Progress in Woodwind Playing.

Our Daughter was also selected as House Captain by her peers.

It all seems so very frightening right now and I can not tell you how much I appreciate all your help.............

Warmest Regards

Lise (The wreck!!) :D
sharone
Posts: 113
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:39 pm
Location: Bucks

Post by sharone »

Dear Lise

Just a quick note to say that we all know what you're feeling, and we wish you all the best.

We had absolutely no mitigating circumstances, and we were honest in our appeal today that we didn't have anything to explain why our son didn't achieve the required scores.

We're not terribly optomistic, but then we had a 115/114 to contend with (I presume you're in Bucks).

All I can say is that you can only try your best, and looking at the information contained in this forum is invaluable.

Best wishes
Sharon
LiseCook
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:40 pm

Thank you and best wishes!!

Post by LiseCook »

Dear Sharon,

Thank you very much for your kind words and I so hope you get the reponse, we so all want. We are in Bucks too. Do let me know how you get on and I will keep my fingers crossed for you.....

I am SO pleased I found this forum!!

Warm regards

A fairly exhausted Lise ;)
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Lise

That is all excellent - you have plenty to show the panel, and you are sticking to real proof of ability. That is what wins Appeals - nothing else.

It's a shame about the OoS, and if you can manage to slip into one of your answers to a question that the low pass rate was a great shock to the school, then it may help to offset that slightly. (Funnily enough, I know of another school that had a really dreadful year despite it being a bright year group.)

Although a score of 117 would usually mean that your chances of success at an Appeal are around 40%, you do have some advantages. Firstly, you have two consistent scores, which many appellants on 117 will not have (my son was 117/112, for example). Secondly you seem to have some very strong support and evidence. Taking that into account, I would say that your chances of success are probably a touch better than 50/50, but could be a lot higher than that if the academic evidence is as good as it sounds.

So, it's well worth the effort and worry. If you don't succeed I hope you have a good fallback plan, and do read my "Sticky" on Bucks about the 12+. Your daughter would be an ideal candidate for that.

Do ask any more questions you wish to, and good luck! Do let us know what happens.

Sally-Anne

P.S. On the 123 score, ranked 8th, I think every OoS I've ever seen has one of those. I recall a child ranked 33rd who got over 130! I do wonder how they fared at GS though. The testing process has a way of missing some very bright children and picking up the occasional one whose only academic strength seems to be VR. :roll:
LiseCook
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:40 pm

Post by LiseCook »

Thank you again Sally-Anne. You have been extremely helpful. I had hoped our chances would be higher than 50/50 but hopefully with the proof of her academic ability - who knows. I can barely believe how stressful this all is. Our Daughter has always been top of the class and I can barely believe we are even here. Guess I am not the first one feeling like this!!

I thank you dearly and I will let you know what happens. We have already discussed the 12+ and it is certainly an option. This whole process would be less stressful if we had the option of a great Upper School!!! Unfortunately this is not the case......

"Speak" soon ;)

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

Post by Sally-Anne »

Lise

I am about to send you a PM

Sally-Anne
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