School will not give invigilator log - help!

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theseneschal
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:24 pm

School will not give invigilator log - help!

Post by theseneschal »

Hi, I'm appealing to SHS. I asked yesterday for a copy of the log and I've been told that it will be available at the hearing if I choose to appeal.

I need to see it because I think (actually I know if I can prove what I was told) problems in the exam room on the day have direct bearing on my daughters poor result.

Can anyone help or offer advice please?

It doesn't seem reasonable to refuse to give it as I need to reference it to form my appeal.

If it wasn't lunchtime I'd be going for Gin right now! :-/
SSSMM
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2016 11:23 am

Re: School will not give invigilator log - help!

Post by SSSMM »

I am not sure of the legalities of that decision but your appeal must be based on strong academic evidence and not mitigating circumstances. The panel will want to see the child is academically suitability for a grammar school before anything else. I can assure you there will be plenty of time in the appeal to bring up the particular event after academic suitability is established and will be considered in the decision if it is deemed to be a factor in a unexpected exam result.
theseneschal
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:24 pm

Re: School will not give invigilator log - help!

Post by theseneschal »

Thanks for that advice SSSMM. I will have support from primary school detailing academic ability and suitability for grammar school but I think what occurred was maladministration which by seeing the log I would have "proper" proof other than anecdotal evidence.

I'm doing this appeal by power of Google so anything I'm saying is by putting 2 and 2 together from the Internet. Please, anyone feel free to point me in the right direction if I've got it wrong :-).

What I'm seeming to find is that maladministration would be the first thing that would be considered by an appeal, followed by proof of academic suitability and then mitigating circumstances.

If I can't see the report then I fail to understand how I can fairly appeal. The appeals process says that I need to submit everything to be referred to on the day with in my appeal and gives a date for closure of appeals.

It would seem to me that if the school only bring the report to the appeal, that isn't correct as it is evidence that the panel should have seen, considered and digested before the appeal time?

Any advice is always gratefully received if there are other thoughts?
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: School will not give invigilator log - help!

Post by Tinkers »

Have you looked at this?

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
theseneschal
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:24 pm

Re: School will not give invigilator log - help!

Post by theseneschal »

Yes thank you Tinkers. I'm hoovering up everything on here and elsewhere, although inhale to say this forum probably the place to be - ivery well informed.
theseneschal
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:24 pm

Re: School will not give invigilator log - help!

Post by theseneschal »

*i have to say - not - * inhale
SSSMM
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2016 11:23 am

Re: School will not give invigilator log - help!

Post by SSSMM »

I understand. You can put all this in your appeal and the panel and the school will see it about 3 weeks before the appeal and if you chose to bring it up on the day (if circumstances haven't changed) then the panel will question the school and the log will be scrutinised. Please also bear in mind that if there was a particular incident/situation in the room then it should/could also have affected the other 20 or so girls in that room and the school may cite that it had not affected them with numbers on how many passed from that room.

I do recommend you go to appeal but try not to emphasise too much on a case of maladministration as I know that particular school is very good in the way it conducts themselves with regard to its exam conditions and if it is proved not to be maladministration you could come across as having a go at the school rather than focusing on why your daughter should go there.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: School will not give invigilator log - help!

Post by Sally-Anne »

Take a look at the Appeals Q&As B2: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... ication#b2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and B56 http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b56" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As per B56, you should try asking for written confirmation of the specific incident that you believe occurred during the test.

You should then receive a copy of the invigilator's log in your Appeal papers, which is also the first time that the panel will have had sight of it.

However, as others have said, your case needs to focus on proving your child's academic ability, not on "railing against the system.
mattsurf
Posts: 230
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:44 am

Re: School will not give invigilator log - help!

Post by mattsurf »

I do agree with Sally-Anne.... however, if there is evidence of maladministration that is revealed, then that may have a bearing on the appeal. If on the other hand the notes show no maladministration, then at least the appellant knows that it not worth following that line on an appeal.

In my own case, I did not get copies of the notes until after the appeal, unfortunately the notes showed a very clear timing error. If I had this evidence ahead of the original appeal, I could have saved myself 8 months of hard work.

At our second appeal, even though we did know about the timing error, our appeal focused 90% on evidence of academic ability, as this is always going to be the primary focus of the appeal panel. In this respect Sally-Anne is absolutely correct.

My final point is around entitlement to see the event log - If the school does not release the timing log using an SAR and a complaint is made to the ICO, my experience was that the ICO will rule in favour of the parent.
theseneschal
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:24 pm

Re: School will not give invigilator log - help!

Post by theseneschal »

Thanks Sally-Anne. I've tried not to put too much detail in my posts (as per guidelines I hope) but the reason I need to see the log is for timings. I can expand more if needed.

I do realise that is not the whole appeal and I will have a heads letter detailing academic ability and grammar school suitability, but I genuinely believe the school made a mistake. It's not the system or the school. I have DD there and have nothing but praise for it.

My natural setting is supportive towards my children's schools and I feel very conflicted doing this. Way out of my comfort zone but from what I know, I think the school made a mistake and a result my daughter (and all the girls in that class) were put at a disadvantage.

As I understand it (in no way am I claiming any knowledge except days of reaseach) the law with the admission arrangements is that it should not disadvantage one child compared to another.

I think that all the girls in Gloucester who took the 11+ exam in Sept did it to the exact same format, except this class which doesn't strike me as fair. That's why I would like the log.

I don't want to lose sight of all the other information which needs to be included and prioritised in an appeal as recommended by this fab forum but I feel that it's quite a big thing that I can't leave out.
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