Eleven Plus Exams Forum Rules (Updated)

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Eleven Plus Exams Forum Rules (Updated)

Post by forumadmin »

Welcome to the ElevenPlusExams forum.

Introduction

To keep the Forum informative and enjoyable we have both Rules and Guidance on good Forum Etiquette.

When members register, they click on a button agreeing to our terms and conditions, including
    • You agree that 11+ Exams Forum have the right to remove, edit, move or close any topic at any time should we see fit.


Our aim is to have a well-run forum, free from spam, and a safe and civilised place for discussion.

Please remember at all times that membership of this Forum is a privilege, not a right.

Forum Rules

The list below (which is not intended to be exhaustive) gives an indication of the sort of behaviour which would be considered a breach of forum rules.

        • (Explanatory notes and limited exceptions are given in italics.)


The following would not be considered acceptable:

1. Name calling, insults, attacks on identifiable individuals, and "flaming" (provocative or hostile posting).

2. Posts that may cause offence or are simply inappropriate, that may incite religious or racial hatred, or contain potentially libellous comments

3. Swearing, profanity and the use of asterisks in place of swear words

4. Trolling (the deliberate act of making controversial comments with the intent of provoking unsuspecting readers to engage in a fight or argument. Please heed the wise advice: "Do not feed the troll!")

5(a). Registering with more than one user name (without the prior agreement of moderators)
and/or using a temporary/disposable email address

5(b). Dormant membership (members who, in the opinion of moderators, have been inactive on the forum for an extended period of time may be deemed to have left, and may have their membership suspended without further notice)

6(a). Links or references (direct or indirect) to blogs and commercial websites

    • Note 6 (i): All external links are at the discretion of moderators, but there is unlikely to be an objection to links to official websites, such as the DfE, and to newspaper articles on educational topics (provided copyright is respected)

      Note 6 (ii): Unless the purpose of the link is already clear, there must be at least a line or two of comment or explanation, so that members can decide whether or not this is a link they wish to click on.


6(b). The promotion of - or requests to join - social media groups

6(c). Unsolicited invitations to forum members to participate in research

7. Any post, or private message, deemed to be promoting a product or service or campaign, whether related to the 11+ or not, whether explicit or implicit

    • Note 7 (i): Mentions of household names (such as Tesco, Amazon, etc) are usually permitted on the Forum.

      Note 7 (ii): Posts on harmless topics that are "below the radar", such as a request for recommendations for breadmakers, are generally allowed.

      Note 7 (iii): The forum does not exist for the sale of second-hand goods. We commend the suggestion that members might wish to donate items such as second-hand 11+ material to help another family, and any such posts would be welcome. (As one member wrote: "There is nothing better than the act of charity especially when it comes to books".)

      Note 7 (iv) To maintain the highest quality of information on the Forum, the promotion of 11+ preparation materials that are not available on this site are not permitted.

      Note 7 (v) As an exception, announcements relating to practice 11+ tests ("mocks") are usually permitted if organised by a school or PTA or charity - but must not become repetitive.
      We also allow occasional mention of this site's mock tests because ElevenPlusExams uses them to provide extra support for disadvantaged children, and also makes significant contributions to charity.

      Note 7 (vi): Mention of a coach service on the grounds that extra children are needed for its viability would breach our rule against advertising a service, but there is no objection to a discussion about the best way to travel to a particular school. (It would be much better, though, if parents fully investigated this before opting for a far away school!)

      Note 7 (vii): If there is a delay before your post appears, please be patient, and do not re-submit the post. Any delay is likely to be because of routine checks to ensure compliance with the rules, and to keep the forum as free from spam as possible.

      Note 7 (viii): If members are in any doubt about what is acceptable, they should contact Moderators before posting.


8. Requests for tutor recommendations (because it invites advertising from unscrupulous tutors, and we cannot guarantee how genuine or reliable any responses will be).
Note: Any unsolicited recommendations reported as having been sent by private message will be treated as spam, and action will be taken against the member concerned.

9. Signatures which advertise
Note: Permission for anything other than the member's name is at the absolute discretion of moderators, only school-based charities/appeals are likely to be eligible for consideration, the wording must be concise and submitted for moderators' approval in advance, and the length of time the proposed signature is to be in use must be made clear to moderators in any request.
Members must state in their signature that it has been approved by moderators.


10. Proxy posts
This is where one member uses another member to post on his or her behalf, and the reason is not transparently declared either on the forum or to moderators.

11. Images and pictures posted in forums other than Rehab (unless moderators have given consent), or which are deemed likely to cause offence, or which carry the copyright symbol.


If there is any doubt about what is acceptable, members should seek permission by sending a PM to "moderators" (without the quotation marks) or an email to moderators@elevenplusexams.co.uk

Please note:
    • Breaches of forum rules will be viewed seriously. Action may have to be taken against members who break the rules and spoil the forum for others. Moderators' decisions in all matters, including the interpretation and application of forum rules, are final.


At the top of almost every forum page there is a large banner stating:
    • FORUM RULES: Please see the revised forum rules here.
      Participation in the forum implies full and unconditional acceptance of all the rules and guidance.
      Do not post unless you are in agreement with the rules and guidance.


Forum Etiquette

12. Be polite. Even though you are looking at a computer screen and cannot see other members, they are real people who have feelings.

13. “Think first, post second.” A post may not always read the same to others as it does to you. Review your post before submitting it and consider how it will be received by others. If your post is misinterpreted and causes offence, explain and apologise.

14. Staying on topic is a courtesy to the Original Poster. Threads that go off topic may be split, edited, or locked. Posters who persistently go off topic will receive a warning from a moderator.

15. Emoticons (smileys) are useful to add the correct tone to a post, but don't use them as cover for an unpleasant post.
Too many emoticons become irritating. Please don’t over-use them.

16. Over-large signatures make the Forum difficult to read, so please keep your signature brief. Offensive signatures will be removed.

17. The use of capital letters on internet forums is considered to be shouting. Please use sentence case in both thread titles and posts.

18. Please post in proper words, not text-speak, and avoid the use of abbreviations that may be unfamiliar to other posters.

19. Private messages are useful for personal chat and confidential information, but before sending a PM, consider whether your question would be best placed on the open forum so that the replies can benefit others.

20. The edit button is a useful facility for making corrections and minor amendments for a period of up to a week after posting, but should not be used in such a way as to distort a thread, or spoil it for other members. It can be helpful if reasons for the edit are given.

Moderators' decisions in all matters, including the interpretation and application of forum rules, are final.

Please see also the FAQs, some of which form part of the 'Rules & Guidance'.

Thank you.

Forum Administrator
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