distraction during exam

Consult our experts on 11 Plus appeals or any other type of school appeal

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
mumg
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:55 am

distraction during exam

Post by mumg »

I'm on Essex forum, my ds shockingly under performed, compared to how he had been scoring in practice papers.

His V R score was 33/80, his maths and english were lower than expected, but not dramatically so.

Have spoken with his teacher/tutor who are also shocked. School tests averaged 75%+. His scores are so bad, he is not even on a waiting list.

Unfortunately, as my son attends an independant school, they do not do sats. So I have no evidence apart from test scores at school.
He has told me that there was a man sitting next to him, who kept getting up and down, talking to and pointing at the2 boys sitting in frontpapers. the boy in front kept slapping his feet on the floor. he said that he found this very distracting, is this grounds for an appeal?

Or just a huge complaint to the school which held the exam. I think that it's outrageous to be distracted in that way.
tense
Posts: 679
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:02 pm
Location: Herts

Post by tense »

Sadly, I think this should have been reported at the time. To do so after the results are out might be considered sour grapes. I hope others can advise you what evidence you can use in the absence of SAT scores.

Good luck.
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: distraction during exam

Post by capers123 »

mumg wrote:Unfortunately, as my son attends an independant school, they do not do sats. So I have no evidence apart from test scores at school.
He has told me that there was a man sitting next to him, who kept getting up and down, talking to and pointing at the2 boys sitting in frontpapers. the boy in front kept slapping his feet on the floor. he said that he found this very distracting, is this grounds for an appeal?

Or just a huge complaint to the school which held the exam. I think that it's outrageous to be distracted in that way.
Sorry to hear of your disappointment.

You could try an appeal. The school side might say that any major distractions in the room would affect all the children there. They should also have something written in the invigilators log if there was a stranger in the room talking to these 2 boys. What was he saying?

Foot tapping might be dismissed as an irritant - it wouldn't make that much difference - a couple of points, maybe.

Did your current school give any preparation for the test? Coaching in 11+ techniques? Maybe even a mock one under test conditions (or mock common entrance tests)?

At the appeal, you may be 'competing' against other children from the same room (maybe the boy who sat next to your son), and who may have achieved a better score under the same conditions. You'll need to gather as much evidence as possible.

You, can complain to the school which held the exam, but they'd be wondering why you have left it until now rather than immediately after the exam. However, such a complaint will not alter the result - only an appeal can overturn that.
Capers
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Post by capers123 »

If your school doesn't take SATS, then I'm sure they will be testing your child in other ways to check for progress. You'll need to ask them for these results, as well as something to compare them with (such as 'your son is in the top 10% of pupils who took this test' or 'the average result for this test is'). A reference from the school might also include details of any Gifted & Talented schemes your son is involved in.

Panels are not educational experts and should not attempt to judge how able your son is.
Capers
mumg
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:55 am

Post by mumg »

thank you capers and tense.

My son mentioned it only on monday, once we had the school result, but before scores. we didnt get those until weds.

I'm assuming that the person was an there giving assistance to children with special needs? the boy next to him ,he says was also disturbed as he was muttering For gods sake!

Why my son never said anything at the time, i don't know! he is easily distracted, and his teacher has said that would have badly affected him.

the school do past papers, and nfer v.r. i suppose in exam conditions but within the classroom. timed/ no talking etc
mumg
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:55 am

Post by mumg »

i think that we may well go down the road of appeal.

Does anyone have any advice how we approach the school where he sat the exam, about the incident. This is soemthing that we would need to include within the appeal?

I believe that we appeal directly to the schools, not the lea. But which one? Or can we appeal to all? Or choose one? We listed 3 grammars, the first being the hardest to get into, requiring higher scores. He did not score even high enough for a place on a waiting list on any of them. Our view and that of teachers/tutors was that he should have scored high enough for his second/third choice schools.

Also i think that we use Non allocation, even though the school will have filled all its places?

Help please, you can tell I am at a loss what to do.
sisterofgloucestermum
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:25 pm

Post by sisterofgloucestermum »

I think you need to accept that your son didn't pass. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh but test conditions are very different to tutoring sessions. It appears that the majority of children on this forum scored less in their test papers.

Maybe he just couldn't cope with he pressure of the test???? You don't have any firm evidence of him being distracted apart from his word and it would be extremely difficult to prove otherwise I suspect.

I think that on the day some children just can't handle the pressure :( .
mumg
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:55 am

Post by mumg »

sisterfromgloucester

I am well aware of the pressures of exams, and have no choice than to accept that my son didn't pass. I also realise that tests with a Tutor/teacher are different. However if they felt that he was scoring high enough to secure a place, that's good enough for me. I would have expected a slight drop due to nerves, not the excessive one we saw.

But what I don't have to accept is him being distracted so outrageously during the exam. Unless every child had to contend with the same distraction, and answer questions under the same conditions then it's not really a true or fair reflection is it.

As for only having his word for it? Are you suggesting that the Exam Administrators will not admit it, or is your suggestion directed somewhere far below the belt at my 10 year old son's honesty. I do hope not.
sisterofgloucestermum
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:25 pm

Post by sisterofgloucestermum »

No I am not questioning your son's honesty. But I will say that when a young child feels like they have let their parents down - and I'm sure he must feel like this- then maybe he feels like he has to justify why he didn't pass???? Just a thought....
mumg
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:55 am

Post by mumg »

He doesn't feel like he has let us down. there was never any pressure on him to pass. In fact we haven't even said 'Nevermind' to him, Saying 'oh well nevermind' reinforces that not getting a place is a failure. when the results came through and we saw, that he had been allocated the best comp in Chelmsford, ranking 3rd results wise recently under Kegs and County 2 of the best grammars in the country, we congratulated him and told him how lucky he was.
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now