Just thought I'd ask what others thought of their Appeals Panels?

I had a lovely, friendly female in the middle ( lay person ) and two Education Members, one of whom didn't even make any eye contact or exchange any pleasantries at all! He even continued to look down when he was introduced, which I felt was quite ignorant

How was your experience?

Like talking to a wall.

Hello Reeyah

You are becoming a stranger , so it is good to get an update.

Did you manage to put everything together? When do you hear the outcome?

All the best,
UmSusu

_________________
UmSusu

What did they ask you?

Hi MarbleRun
I thought I was talking to a wall as well lol, maybe it was as not more then one a year win at our appealed school.

Hi I had exactly the same experience recently at an appeal hearing. I was quite upset with the other two, who seemed they were really bored! and not at all interested in what I had to say. I have got another two appeals to go through and I was wondering wether I should bother at all now.

Don't let the walls put you off - I know someone who successfully appealed against non-qualification AND oversubscription last year and they agreed completely with the wall description. I expect the panel pride themselves on their inscrutability!!

(I'm hoping they were bored because they couldn't pick holes in our water-tight case !! )

I don't think you should judge anything by the demeanour of the panel. It's like an interview really - some interviewers come across as really not listening but you still get the job.

Well my experience a couple of years ago was of 2 nice members and one not very nice member, he was just soo horrible and kept on and on and on asking me the same question over and over.

However, my friend had her appeal last week and said the panel were very pleasant.

I agree totally with mystery. I found our panel last week polite and professional. The chair was extremely friendly, the other two professional and quite 'hard'. Looking back though - they probably don't want to 'give anything away'. They were extremely challenging (looking back strengthened our case as they couldn't dent it). I went in feeling positive and came out feeling like we had no chance - it was upheld.