Selection Review Advice - Exceptional Circumstances??

[claire1108]

Hi

Just wondering if there is anyone that has experience of a selection review similar to our circumstances that would mind sharing their experience or if any of you could offer some advice.

My son scored 114 in the test. His HT gave him a 2.3 prior to the test and he was taken ill during the test.

We have full HT support (she approached me about a review) and she believes we have exceptional circumstances with regards to the 3 given above. It was based on year 5 but is not typical of his attitude to work/school. His baby sister was diagnosed with a medical condition in November 2014 at just 7 months old. This required numerous hospital visits, scans, an operation and an over night stay in hospital and her situation has only just started to improve now. His HT has stated that since returning to year 6 she has seen a great improvement in him which coincides with the improvement in his sisters condition.

With regards to being ill during the test, there was no sign of any illness in the morning, I would have kept him home if so. He started the test but part way through began to feel sick. He raised is hand to inform the teachers, he had a chat with them and agreed to carry on. This was logged and reported in the correct way. My son believes it took some time for the teachers to notice his raised hand to the point he had to switch arms. He felt sick for the remainder of the day and did not eat dinner that night but he had no time off school.

With regards to his grades in year 5 I believe he was 4A/5C/5C but i need to double check this (maybe a 5B instead of a 5C) and I was also advised he max'd out the reading and spelling tests with ages of 12+ and 15+.

I guess i'm wondering if this is exceptional enough to be successful at a selection review.

[Etienne]

Welcome to Appeals!

We hope you've already seen the links in Sally-Anne's post?
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 12&t=44245" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

• • Hope you won't need our help, but we will be available if you should need assistance with reviews/appeals.
    Please do some reading first of all, before asking questions on the forum.
    Start here.
    
    See also this thread.

I guess i'm wondering if this is exceptional enough to be successful at a selection review.

It looks as if you do indeed have exceptional circumstances - but success will depend above all else on the academic evidence.

The review panel will probably be interested to see:

• • • How many children with a 2:1, 2:2, 2:3 qualified in the 11+ at your school
    • What your son's SATs progression has been like since Y2. Did he start with level 3s?
    • What sort of wording the headteacher uses in section 6 of the summary sheet. The headteachers manual says: "Be aware that your choice of language on the form is important as it will indicate the degree of support you are expressing."
    The focus ought to be on academic ability.
    The strength of the headteacher's support should be very clear. See: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b41" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[claire1108]

Thanks for your reply.

I am going to dig our his school reports for the last 3 years tonight so I can double check his progression. I am confident it has been consistent and increased as expected since year 2. He also has great feedback in areas such as science and philosophy but i'm not sure we have any evidence to support this as there is no testing these areas.

I won't get the headteachers sheet until next monday but I am confident she will use the best choice of wording to show her level of support. She is actually one of the primary heads that sits on the review panel (although not for pupils she is connected with obviously). She has always maintained that my son should go to a GS and that he definitely has the academic ability. I keep telling myself she wouldn't have approached me if she didn't believe in him and that we had a strong case.

I feel like I have let my son down in some way, he has always stated that he wants to go to the local GS and now it looks like he might not because of his sisters problems and the effect it has had on him. Its so hard as his friends that he is in sets with at school have all passed. Why is being a parent so stressful and heartbreaking!! (Don't worry, I'm not looking for an answer to this bit just venting )

[trudie]

Oh dear, I really feel for you.

Obviously the sound advice here from the Mods is always to be followed and prioritised. Furthermore, if your Head approached you that is a good sign, and they should be using the appropriate language in supporting your child.

But I would just add - based on experience - that it is down to you to submit a very plain and precisely-worded account (no over-emoting or feeling) of the mental and physical stress and illness your child was under during the test. Take out every adjective and make it work on a kind of functional expression.

You will be surprised how much of a case you can make in about 80 words.

I wish you luck.

[Dollydripmat]

I'm a little confused if the HT has only graded him a 2:3 (if I've read your post correctly) and strongly feels he should go to a GS. To my knowledge a 3 means with reservations?? Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong or anyone else with better knowledge . Dollyxxx

[Etienne]

2:3

The first figure is the really important one because it relates to academic potential.
2 = “Very able so recommended without any reservation”

The second figure is for attitude to work.
3 = "Output varies"
In this case, there may be a link with the extenuating circumstances.

[Dollydripmat]

Apologies Etienne, I thought a 2:3 was quite different . Dollyxxx

[claire1108]

Sorry wrote a reply the other night just as my internet crashed.

Have found school reports for years 2,3 & 5. At the end of year 2 he was at level 2's in writing and reading and a level 3 for maths and at the end of year 5 he was 5c in maths and reading and a 4a in writing. Am I right in thinking this is something in his favour to show his academic ability as he has progressed faster/further than expected? I'm struggling to know what to include to show his ability. We were only told verbally their reading and spelling ages last year, although his head has said she will include them in her report if they are positive again this year, I can't imagine they won't be as last year he got the maximum ages possible in each test.

I have seen on other posts people stating predictions for the end of year 6, is this on the part completed by the head?

With regards to the exceptional circumstances for the variable output in year 5 is it enough for the head and myself to explain or should I also include proof? I have letters from the hospital confirming diagnosis, outcome of the operation etc but not letters confirming each of the outpatient appointments.

Do the review panel get given the information relating to the heads evaluation of children eg How many children with a 2:1, 2:2, 2:3 qualified in the 11+ at our school, to verify the accuracy of their evaluation or is this something I should request from the school and include if positive?

Sorry for all the questions, I feel totally overwhelmed by the process. Hopefully I will feel a bit more in control once I have the headteachers part on monday.

[Etienne]

At the end of year 2 he was at level 2's in writing and reading and a level 3 for maths and at the end of year 5 he was 5c in maths and reading and a 4a in writing. Am I right in thinking this is something in his favour to show his academic ability as he has progressed faster/further than expected?

Only your review panel can really answer that - but we get the impression that they normally like to see level 3s in Y2 followed by steady progression.

In your son's case there will presumably be a dip in Y5 because of the extenuating circumstances?

Your headteacher will enter all the levels for years 2-5 on the summary sheet.

I have seen on other posts people stating predictions for the end of year 6, is this on the part completed by the head?

Yes.

With regards to the exceptional circumstances for the variable output in year 5 is it enough for the head and myself to explain or should I also include proof? I have letters from the hospital confirming diagnosis, outcome of the operation etc but not letters confirming each of the outpatient appointments.

It might be worth including the diagnosis letter. And, if anything significant was happening in September (leading up to the 11+), include evidence of that too.
The main thing, though, is that the headteacher should confirm that she knew about the situation at the time, and saw the effect on your son.

Do the review panel get given the information relating to the heads evaluation of children eg How many children with a 2:1, 2:2, 2:3 qualified in the 11+ at our school, to verify the accuracy of their evaluation ..... ?

Yes, they have that information,.

[Amber]

]Only your review panel can really answer that - but we get the impression that they normally like to see level 3s in Y2 followed by steady progression.

I know I may have asked this on here before, and I am sorry to burst in on a thread like this...but why on earth would a review panel or anyone else consider this relevant to an 11+ entry? It is essentially selection at 6+. Many children wouldn't attain this, and doing so may or may not mean they are going to be high-flyers at 11 (the question of whether any age is good to select is one I will leave out here). A child I know very well indeed certainly didn't get those levels in Y2 and now has a clean run of top GCSE and A level grades...isn't there a case for challenging that kind of 'linear progress' thinking, especially when it seems that children are having to prove themselves fit for a selective education when they are still so tiny? Some mature later, some crash and burn, older ones in a year will have far more chance of being level 3 at age 6/7 than summer ones - how can this be made to matter to people who are by the sound of it deciding which school a child will go to?

Kind of rhetorical and sorry to burst in - I will burst out again now - the reason for posting is in case any panel members read these fora and maybe could ask themselves if this is fair. If indeed any of it is...