Bucks Selection Appeals - a round up

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Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Bucks Selection Appeals - a round up

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Everyone

We have just about reached the end of the selection appeals season 2009 for Bucks, and I wanted to commiserate once again with all those who have not been successful at appeal.

Of course, I congratulate everyone who has been successful, but the ongoing "job" for all of us here on the Forum is to support those who are still caught in the system and unsure about what to do next.

Many of you will still be feeling very raw and hurt after receiving notice of an unsuccessful appeal. I recall that feeling so clearly myself from my unsuccessful appeal for DS1, a whole 4 years ago when I knew nothing about this process, and I sympathise with you.

I am impressed beyond words with the approach that Mummog has taken to dealing with her unsuccessful appeal:
mummog wrote:DH and I had already planned how to deal with the disappointment by turning the negative into lots of positives. We plan to complement her secondary school education with lots of extra activities, eg singing lessons, weekends camping to areas of geographical interest, taking part in activities planned by the local Wildlife Trust, etc. I will sell it all to her on the basis that she would not have time to do all these things if she were at GS - too much homework. With all the things we have planned, she may even end up being happy that she didn't get through!

I have often seen parents on the Forum who are still muttering about their failed appeal months or even years later - and indeed, I was one of those myself. :oops:

There are very few Ombudsman appeals in Bucks, and virtually none of them are successful, because the system is so well-administered compared to many other LAs. Etienne and I could relate some horror stories about certain other LAs.

The panels do their best to judge the cases they hear and, even if you disagree with their verdict, it is unlikely that they have not taken your evidence into account. They are very well trained, they are all volunteers rather than paid staff, and they guard their independence from Bucks CC/the LA fiercely.

The important thing now is to look forward, rather than backwards. I did that by becoming involved in the Forum, because I had another child going through the system; Mummog has posted another, more admirable strategy. Whatever your feelings now, please find a way to look forward, rather than back.

Some people react to an unsuccessful appeal by saying that they are even more determined to go for the 12+. Others rule it out completely at this stage. Please don't make a snap decision!

My 12+ Sticky on Bucks makes it clear that you can apply for the 12+ in autumn 2009, and still pull your child out of testing just a few days before the test, which is likely to be no earlier than February half term again. That gives you half a school year to decide if your child should take the 12+, or stay at their current Year 7 school.

Please take time to lick your wounds, see what the allocations process delivers by way of an Upper School, and post on the Bucks section if you would like support on the 12+.

Good luck to all of you and your DC, and thank you for the very kind words that you have posted to me and to Etienne along the way. :D

Sally-Anne
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Bucks Selection Appeals - a round up

Post by capers123 »

Sally-Anne wrote:The important thing now is to look forward, rather than backwards. I did that by becoming involved in the Forum, because I had another child going through the system; Mummog has posted another, more admirable strategy. Whatever your feelings now, please find a way to look forward, rather than back.
There is a third possibility. You all know how appeals work now. Most LEA's find it difficult to get volunteers to sit as Appeals Panelists, so why not offer to become one yourself? You could suggest that you'd prefer to do primary school admissions at first (although even more of these appeals fail due to legal restrictions in KS1) before graduating to Secondary / Selective appeals. It is rewarding in a strange kind of way, and whilst you'll be sad that there were some appeals you just couldn't allow, you'll be pleased about the ones you could. When I was recruited, people who had insider experience of the system were particularly sought after. Go on - give it a try!
Capers
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

I completely support that - thank you for mentioning it Capers.

I briefly considered applying to become a panel member myself a couple of years ago, but ethically I would have had to completely leave the Forum. I felt I was probably doing more good here than as a panel member. (Not to mention the fact that I am a complete softy, and I would allow every appeal! :lol: )

However, if you don't work, or work part-time, why not consider the idea? As most appellants in Bucks will have noticed this year, most panel members tend to be at least 50, and many of them are considerably beyond that age. Some younger people coming into the system can't do any harm, and might be a breath of fresh air.

The job is unpaid, although expenses are reimbursed, and full training is given.

All you need to do is contact Bucks Appeals - you will receive a warm welcome, I am sure, because they are always short of people willing to do the job.

Sally-Anne
kitty
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:20 am

appeals / allocation of places

Post by kitty »

hi sally anne

how does the allocation of places work if a child out of catchment has passed and is competing against a child in catchment that passed on appeal - ignoring all other entry cirteria -?

thanks
dejavu
Posts: 194
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:01 pm
Location: bucks

appeal allocation

Post by dejavu »

If a child in catchment passes the appeal, then he/she is treated as having passed first time, and takes priority over children out of catchment. Also how high the score was is totally irrelevant.
many thanks
dejavu
funkymum
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 12:12 pm
Location: winslow

Post by funkymum »

Hello it would be interesting to know what percentage of privately educated children got through appeal versus state educated. This refers to a myth I'd heard about and mentioned before in another link. Over 12 appeals in our school and only 2 got through!!!!! Most were only 2 or 3 points below pass mark. It's all quite bewildering. Any thoughts? funkymun
panickingmum
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 6:12 pm
Location: Bucks

Something I heard!

Post by panickingmum »

Hi Funkymum,

Dont know about State vs Independent. I know someone who got through on 120 from an independent but...

I heard this year that the percentage passing the 11+ was slightly higher 31%ish as opposed to 29%ish in previous years. There is a school of thought which says they are letting more pass and therefore the percentage of appeals that can succeed must be lower. If this is true they therefore have to be tougher during the process. I certainly think our panel would have only let our DD through if we could have convinced them she had won a Nobel prize!

PM
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

funkymum wrote:Over 12 appeals in our school and only 2 got through!!!!! Most were only 2 or 3 points below pass mark. It's all quite bewildering. Any thoughts?
Yes - the cases weren't strong enough! I have known appeals from private schools succeed on very low scores, and state school appeals fail on 120 - and vice-versa.

I have known of schools - both private and state - where every appeal succeeded one year, and every appeal failed the next.

Every case is judged on it's own merits.

Panicking Mum - have a read of the Bucks "Myths & Legends" Sticky.

Sally-Anne
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

I agree entirely with Sally-Anne.

And the fact that the percentage passing the 11+ was slightly higher this year is not something that a BCC appeals panel would give a moment's thought to.

Interestingly, there are some rumours around that the appeals success rate is higher this year. How true that is we shall no doubt find out in due course!
Etienne
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