Illness today
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Illness today
Hi all,
My ds has been off for the last couple of days with a sore throat and nasty cough. I have spoken to the school about this and they are strongly advising that I keep him off today. This is a situation that I did not want to be in but I will keep him at home as when he starts coughing he finds it difficult to stop and I'm sure that it would disturb the other children as well as put him off. The school have said he can sit it next week.
Please tell me I'm doing the right thing.......he would rather go in and do it to get it over with!!
Help!
My ds has been off for the last couple of days with a sore throat and nasty cough. I have spoken to the school about this and they are strongly advising that I keep him off today. This is a situation that I did not want to be in but I will keep him at home as when he starts coughing he finds it difficult to stop and I'm sure that it would disturb the other children as well as put him off. The school have said he can sit it next week.
Please tell me I'm doing the right thing.......he would rather go in and do it to get it over with!!
Help!
Dear HW Mum
You are doing the exact right thing!
If your child goes to school he HAS to take part in the test, if he is unwell, he will not perform to the best of his ability.
Should you send him in and it comes to an appeal situation, you will be asked why you sent him in knowing he was unwell.
The school must now give you warning when the next test is to take place.
Tell yourself: 'I am doing the right thing, I am...'
Good Luck and I hope he feels better soon.
Patricia
You are doing the exact right thing!
If your child goes to school he HAS to take part in the test, if he is unwell, he will not perform to the best of his ability.
Should you send him in and it comes to an appeal situation, you will be asked why you sent him in knowing he was unwell.
The school must now give you warning when the next test is to take place.
Tell yourself: 'I am doing the right thing, I am...'
Good Luck and I hope he feels better soon.
Patricia
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Sally-Anne
- Posts: 9235
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
- Location: Buckinghamshire
Hi HW Mum
I know it is frustrating for you and him, but it is absolutely the right decision.
Appeal panels really do not like parents saying: "He really wasn't very well, but he so wanted to sit the test, so we let him do it".
You have also done the right thing for all the others who would be in the room with him.
Please make sure that you ask the school for advance notice of when he will be sitting the test, and what the precise arrangements for the test will be. I have heard some absolute horror stories about schools failing to make proper arrangements for a late test.
He should be allowed to take it at the same time of day as the other children and he be provided with exactly the same test conditions as far as is humanly possible.
Hope he feels better soon!
Sally-Anne
I know it is frustrating for you and him, but it is absolutely the right decision.
Appeal panels really do not like parents saying: "He really wasn't very well, but he so wanted to sit the test, so we let him do it".
You have also done the right thing for all the others who would be in the room with him.
Please make sure that you ask the school for advance notice of when he will be sitting the test, and what the precise arrangements for the test will be. I have heard some absolute horror stories about schools failing to make proper arrangements for a late test.
He should be allowed to take it at the same time of day as the other children and he be provided with exactly the same test conditions as far as is humanly possible.
Hope he feels better soon!
Sally-Anne
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Sally-Anne
- Posts: 9235
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
- Location: Buckinghamshire
Hi Tracy
A late test should be arranged in the same way as the real thing.
A quiet room, with a clock visible, a sign on the door saying test in progress, no interruptions, etc, etc. The usual time warnings should be given halfway through and with 5 minutes and 1 minute to go. The conditions are clearly outlined by Bucks CC in their Head's manual for the 11+.
Some schools genuinely don't have the space to be able to set aside a whole classroom for a repeat test, but that doesn't excuse some of the tales I have heard - children sitting the test in the school office, with phones ringing and people talking or drifting in and out; or of children having to take the test in the dining hall whilst lunch is being prepared in the background.
The usual solution seems to be that when only one or two children are taking the test late, an administrative office is set aside for it - the Head's own office seems to be used a fair bit, especially in very small schools. That may be the best environment available, but it can be very daunting for a child to be sitting in there with only a teacher for company!
Whatever the situation, it is vital that parents check on what the school is planning, and when, and asks that the child be made familiar with the test surroundings well before the test takes place.
Hope that helps.
Sally-Anne
A late test should be arranged in the same way as the real thing.
A quiet room, with a clock visible, a sign on the door saying test in progress, no interruptions, etc, etc. The usual time warnings should be given halfway through and with 5 minutes and 1 minute to go. The conditions are clearly outlined by Bucks CC in their Head's manual for the 11+.
Some schools genuinely don't have the space to be able to set aside a whole classroom for a repeat test, but that doesn't excuse some of the tales I have heard - children sitting the test in the school office, with phones ringing and people talking or drifting in and out; or of children having to take the test in the dining hall whilst lunch is being prepared in the background.
The usual solution seems to be that when only one or two children are taking the test late, an administrative office is set aside for it - the Head's own office seems to be used a fair bit, especially in very small schools. That may be the best environment available, but it can be very daunting for a child to be sitting in there with only a teacher for company!
Whatever the situation, it is vital that parents check on what the school is planning, and when, and asks that the child be made familiar with the test surroundings well before the test takes place.
Hope that helps.
Sally-Anne
Thanks for the prompt response Sally-Anne. I have a feeling that the Head's office is used at our school but with the phone ringing and people coming in and out.
My daughter is due to sit next year and this info means that I can ask the right questions when we have our 11+ chat at the end of year 5. Thanks again.
My daughter is due to sit next year and this info means that I can ask the right questions when we have our 11+ chat at the end of year 5. Thanks again.
Hi All
Thanks for the replies about my decision to keep my son off yesterday, I know I made the right choice, but its still a difficult thing to do. It looks like he won't be the only one sitting it next week though, there are a few of them.
I just wanted to check that sitting it late won't make a difference to how it is marked. I presume they will all be computer marked and we will still all get the results the same day...does anyone know for sure?
Thanks for the replies about my decision to keep my son off yesterday, I know I made the right choice, but its still a difficult thing to do. It looks like he won't be the only one sitting it next week though, there are a few of them.
I just wanted to check that sitting it late won't make a difference to how it is marked. I presume they will all be computer marked and we will still all get the results the same day...does anyone know for sure?
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Sally-Anne
- Posts: 9235
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
- Location: Buckinghamshire
Yes HW Mum, it will still go into the same process, with results on November 21st.
Some schools may still be doing the 2nd test next week for Year 6 - the dates of 2nd and 8th October are the earliest dates that the test can be taken.
I'm glad there will be a few of them taking it late with your son - it is less daunting than being alone, and it substantially increases the chances of the school making proper arrangements for the test!
Some schools may still be doing the 2nd test next week for Year 6 - the dates of 2nd and 8th October are the earliest dates that the test can be taken.
I'm glad there will be a few of them taking it late with your son - it is less daunting than being alone, and it substantially increases the chances of the school making proper arrangements for the test!
