Essex VR test: Writing on the question paper
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Hopefuldad
- Posts: 209
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:46 pm
Re: vr test yesterday
Doods
If the rules suggest you can mark the question paper then we have a right to complain especially if other schools allowed it.
It's a shame that an exam of this importance has these variables
Best of luck
HD
If the rules suggest you can mark the question paper then we have a right to complain especially if other schools allowed it.
It's a shame that an exam of this importance has these variables
Best of luck
HD
Re: vr test yesterday
My advice to everyone is complain, complain, complain.
Flag up anything which could possibly have unsettled or adversely affected your DCs. Last year our DS had a sobbing boy in front of him for over 10 minutes at the beginning of his first paper which completely threw him. There was another boy weeping in another part of the gym at KEGs and the horror stories from the girls' school are even worse. At appeal the PO from KEGS admitted to the sobbing boy in front of our son and told us of the other boy but said no-one had complained at the time. THis made it look as if it was a lame excuse just because DS didn't get in. In fact the appeal panel at CRGS took this incredibly seriously and because of the way it had been dealt with at KEGS appeal we were much better prepared to handle it and won.
Nowhere in the CSSE guide does it tell you what to do if you feel something wasn't right for your DC on the day. We had other things going on as well and didn't let them know because there was nothing anywhere that made us think we should. The fact we struggled on definitely went against us at the KEGS appeal.
So if there was anything at all: your DC was ill the following day and might have been sickening for something; there was another child in the exam who disturbed them; they were given exam instuctions which were not in keeping with guidelines; you had domestic issues in the lead up which might have unsettled them; they were ill in the lead-up bet well on the day; your cat was sick; their sleep was disturbed; anything; anything; anything, then write now and say you are concerned. This way if your DC does miss out by a few marks and you need to appeal you can demonstrate that you raised it before the results were known just bear in mind they like evidence of everything as well.
Very very good luck to you all, it is a long and tortuous wait.
Flag up anything which could possibly have unsettled or adversely affected your DCs. Last year our DS had a sobbing boy in front of him for over 10 minutes at the beginning of his first paper which completely threw him. There was another boy weeping in another part of the gym at KEGs and the horror stories from the girls' school are even worse. At appeal the PO from KEGS admitted to the sobbing boy in front of our son and told us of the other boy but said no-one had complained at the time. THis made it look as if it was a lame excuse just because DS didn't get in. In fact the appeal panel at CRGS took this incredibly seriously and because of the way it had been dealt with at KEGS appeal we were much better prepared to handle it and won.
Nowhere in the CSSE guide does it tell you what to do if you feel something wasn't right for your DC on the day. We had other things going on as well and didn't let them know because there was nothing anywhere that made us think we should. The fact we struggled on definitely went against us at the KEGS appeal.
So if there was anything at all: your DC was ill the following day and might have been sickening for something; there was another child in the exam who disturbed them; they were given exam instuctions which were not in keeping with guidelines; you had domestic issues in the lead up which might have unsettled them; they were ill in the lead-up bet well on the day; your cat was sick; their sleep was disturbed; anything; anything; anything, then write now and say you are concerned. This way if your DC does miss out by a few marks and you need to appeal you can demonstrate that you raised it before the results were known just bear in mind they like evidence of everything as well.
Very very good luck to you all, it is a long and tortuous wait.
Re: writing on question sheet for VR
See reply I have made to another thread on vr test yesterday.
Re: vr test yesterday
Just to confirm the above -
a few years back now but DC was ill when cane outof exam & by the next day was quite poorly.
CSSE advised us to get a note from the GP when we took her in so that we would have it ready if we needed to appeal come the results.
I'm not sure it would have been sufficient grounds for appeal but the advice stands - get everything in writing now & collect whatever evidence you can just in case. Dont wait until the results come out.
In the case where you are complaining about the way the exam was conducted - if any action can be taken to rectify the situation iti is more likley to be done now than in March (eg they might be able to compare the scores of those in the affected sessions with the general scores to see if there is an overall impact that can be accounted for in adjusting the raw scores. I cant see how they can do this once offers have been made in March)
a few years back now but DC was ill when cane outof exam & by the next day was quite poorly.
CSSE advised us to get a note from the GP when we took her in so that we would have it ready if we needed to appeal come the results.
I'm not sure it would have been sufficient grounds for appeal but the advice stands - get everything in writing now & collect whatever evidence you can just in case. Dont wait until the results come out.
In the case where you are complaining about the way the exam was conducted - if any action can be taken to rectify the situation iti is more likley to be done now than in March (eg they might be able to compare the scores of those in the affected sessions with the general scores to see if there is an overall impact that can be accounted for in adjusting the raw scores. I cant see how they can do this once offers have been made in March)
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Sally-Anne
- Posts: 9235
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- Location: Buckinghamshire
Re: Essex VR test: Writing on the question paper
Following a request from a Forum member I have merged the two threads that were running concurrently on this topic, and also renamed it.
Sally-Anne
Sally-Anne
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colchestermum
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:13 pm
Re: Essex VR test: Writing on the question paper
Hi
My DS took the test at CRGS first sitting and he also told me that he was told he was not allowed to write on question paper - he was given a scrap of paper - (which he kept dropping apparantly) and he said it did make it a bit more difficult for him but that he thinks it will not affect his score (whether this is true or just bravado I am not sure)
But does this really make any difference?? If everyone was told the same then surely they are all in the same boat?
Is it worth me writing to csse?
My DS took the test at CRGS first sitting and he also told me that he was told he was not allowed to write on question paper - he was given a scrap of paper - (which he kept dropping apparantly) and he said it did make it a bit more difficult for him but that he thinks it will not affect his score (whether this is true or just bravado I am not sure)
But does this really make any difference?? If everyone was told the same then surely they are all in the same boat?
Is it worth me writing to csse?
Re: Essex VR test: Writing on the question paper
Not everyone was told the same. None of my pupils received these instructions. They wrote on the question paper like normal. This means that there cannot have been an even playing field. As previous posters have mentioned I would document and inform the school/CSSE.
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two of three
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 10:19 pm
Re: Essex VR test: Writing on the question paper
Looking back through the posts we have children from all schools except southend being given the potentially wrong instructions, so it was not an isolated problem. However if all the quoted children heard / understood correctly then it was not all sittings / rooms.
Given that some children would have ignored the instruction not to write on the paper (as shown by previous posts) and some children choose not to anyway I think it extremely unlikely that the csse will be able to spot any pattern in who has been disadvantaged.
Other than allowing any child who feels they were disadvantaged to resit (and would we want to put our children through this) I can't see any solution to the problem. Yes we can all complain but what can they actually do to put it right.
Given that some children would have ignored the instruction not to write on the paper (as shown by previous posts) and some children choose not to anyway I think it extremely unlikely that the csse will be able to spot any pattern in who has been disadvantaged.
Other than allowing any child who feels they were disadvantaged to resit (and would we want to put our children through this) I can't see any solution to the problem. Yes we can all complain but what can they actually do to put it right.
Re: Essex VR test: Writing on the question paper
One would hope that they would identify that there has been inconsistent instruction and at least rectify it for the future.
Re: Essex VR test: Writing on the question paper
I agree - if no-one flags this up the the CSSE or thinks someone else will just get on with it;
a) Nothing will be done for children in the future to rectify things.
b) For those children who may have been affected and miss a school place say by one or two positions; their parents may want to appeal ( I know of a girl - not mine-who consistently scored above 95% in VR and on the day had to guess the whole last section due to this). If there are enough complaints then maybe there will be enough reasonable doubt to carry some weight...??
c)Even if my own son gets in, I would like to think my complaint may assist another family.
d)If at the end of the day all complaints are ignored...there is the principle here...it is meant to be a level playing field and it simply hasn't been...surely even if it is futile, for ALL the children who were affected by this - not just our own, we have a responsibilty to at least try to address things. It only takes a few minutes to write an email/ make a phone call.. certainly less time than the VR paper actually took!
a) Nothing will be done for children in the future to rectify things.
b) For those children who may have been affected and miss a school place say by one or two positions; their parents may want to appeal ( I know of a girl - not mine-who consistently scored above 95% in VR and on the day had to guess the whole last section due to this). If there are enough complaints then maybe there will be enough reasonable doubt to carry some weight...??
c)Even if my own son gets in, I would like to think my complaint may assist another family.
d)If at the end of the day all complaints are ignored...there is the principle here...it is meant to be a level playing field and it simply hasn't been...surely even if it is futile, for ALL the children who were affected by this - not just our own, we have a responsibilty to at least try to address things. It only takes a few minutes to write an email/ make a phone call.. certainly less time than the VR paper actually took!
