today's 11+ final test

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:13 pm

My impression is that last week's test was more 'verbal' and this week's more 'mathsy' - today's included the dreaded (in our household) bracket maths questions. So I guess children with different strengths in these areas will find one or the other easier, as Patricia says.

Greta · Post by **Greta** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:26 pm

My son also found todays much harder and came out feeling really down. It wasn't helped by the fact that the invigilator got the timing wrong... he was taking it on his own as he had been allowed extra time due to physcila disability but the invigilator forgot and told him he had 10 minutes left at 40 minutes. Then when it got to the 50 minute point she said Oh I forgot you have extra time so you've still got another 10 minutes. It seems he had panicked when she first told him he only had 10 mintues left as he was only 2/3 through, so he started to race through and guess any that took more than a few seconds. He did get the full time in the end but I feel this was really unfair for him. He is adamant he has done badly today. Any thoughts?
As someone said earlier, I am glad it is over!

Post by **patricia** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:37 pm

Dear Greta

Not good invigilating, should this go to appeal, get a letter on school files now, asking for an explanation of invigilators 'incompetence' State your son was thrown by incorrect timing.

Etienne may have some more advice.

Patricia

Greta · Post by **Greta** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:53 pm

Dear Patricia
Thanks for your quick reply... Do we just put a letter into the school stating what he has told us? To be honest I feel very drained by the whole thing at the moment... we have already been through the SEN process this year with a Tribunal appeal (which the LEA finally backed down on the week before - I know that's not relevant here but the whole thing was very stressful). The thought of another appeal situation is not a happy thought. The point about extra time is actually in his statement but we were only told the night before he'd get it in any case... the whole thing has been chaos.

Post by **patricia** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 7:57 pm

Dear Greta

Create a new thread in the appeals section asking for Etiennes advice, far more qualified then me. Personally I think you should put a letter in outlining everything that has happened so far, including today's disruption.

Patricia

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:38 pm

Greta

I could not agree with Patricia's advice more. Please make a note now of everything that happened to your son. It will be essential if you go to appeal.

I feel for you, having to think about another appeal, as I went trough one last year. They are not easy experiences, and they take a lot out of you - I lost weight during the weeks prior to my son's appeal.

However, with a clear administrative problem, your appeal stands a far better chance. Get it all down on paper now!

Then forget about it for a while. Who knows, your son may have passed anyway? I do hope so.

Good luck!
Sally-Anne

Shining Levels · Post by **Shining Levels** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 7:33 am

My Lad came away feeling very down yesterday. He said it was harder than any of the practice tests he had done previously (IPS, NFER and e-papers) struggled on most of three vocab types.

Still, 'tis done now.

I will never go through this process again and will ceremoniously burn all evidence of practice (but only after the results are issued and we are sure they cannot be used as evidence in an appeals process).

Good Luck Greta by the way

HP · Post by HP » Thu Oct 12, 2006 9:33 am

Hi Greta,

Not wanting to sound patronising but well done to you for fighting your son's case through Tribunal - I know of so many parents who just give up in the face of LEA opposition. Just wanted to add re your son needing extra time - you should have been told well in advance of his sitting not the day/night before. Children without a disability know in advance how long they have to complete their test papers, so to only find out the night before could well be disability discrimination, you would have to prove that he has been treated less fairly on account of his disability, I think that the poor invigilating (pretty apalling is an understatment) could certainly strenghten you case.

I agree with Patricia and Sally-Anne, log your disatisfaction now, and given that he has a Statement, write to your LEA as well as the school,you may want to contact the disability rights comission for advice also.
www.drc-gb.org

Good Luck

HP

HP · Post by HP » Thu Oct 12, 2006 9:52 am

Moved to Appeals thread

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 10:12 am

Hi Greta,

Have just posted on your original thread - thoght I'd better move my reply to here:

Not wanting to sound patronising but well done to you for fighting your son's case through Tribunal - I know of so many parents who just give up in the face of LEA opposition. Just wanted to add re your son needing extra time - you should have been told well in advance of his sitting not the day/night before. Children without a disability know in advance how long they have to complete their test papers, so to only find out the night before could well be disability discrimination, you would have to prove that he has been treated less fairly on account of his disability, I think that the poor invigilating (pretty apalling is an understatment) could certainly strenghten you case.

I agree with Patricia and Sally-Anne, log your disatisfaction now, and given that he has a Statement, write to your LEA as well as the school,you may want to contact the disability rights comission for advice also.
www.drc-gb.org

Good Luck

HP