Appeals?? :(

[glosguy]

When is it right to appeal? what circumstances would an appeal be worthy?

[allovernow]

Capers will advise here but you cannot launch an appeal until after allocation day (March 1st). The LEA will advise and I believe you will also receive letters from schools.

I would say you need good grounds for the appeal - "my DC had an off day but is usually very good" probably won't cut it. Typically sound medical evidence or other events that would have had a significant impact (e.g. bereavement etc) are clearly going to have a profound effect on the outcome and an appeal panel will listen to that.

The advice would be to gather material early while memories are still fresh. Get written medical evidence (GP etc) if that's appropriate, as well as sound out your school as to whether they would support the appeal (some don't).

Capers ... ?

[EmeraldE]

Appeals are heard after National Allocation Day occurs in March. Usually quite late in May and June with results about 2 weeks later. Capers is the one to ask as s/he has sat on appeals boards in previous years. You could also check out the Appeals section on the forum. There is a very useful Q&A for general appeals which you might find useful.

Hopefully you won't need it!

[glosguy]

Thanks for the advice. We were 6 points short of the pass mark. Was just curious if that was worth an appeal but if its down to reasons like medical grounds etc then I guess we will just put it behind us.

[Tolstoy]

Glosguy if you felt that the mark was not a true reflection of your DC's ability then I would try an appeal.

This is difficult to assess but a good starting point is CATs scores and key stage one and current SATs levels.

After that you would need to look for a reason why DC didn't perform on the day which doesn't necessarily mean a medical reason.

Finally the school needs to be able to fit your DC in. This is very pertinent as come March some Grammars may be under subscribed so as long as you prove the academic the other often more difficult side to an appeal is fairly straightforward. Capers as mentioned and the appeals section would be able to give you any support you might need.

[glosguy]

Thanks. Great advice.

[glosguy]

we cant understand. Our dd found the test fairly straightforward and came out quite happy. She had been tutored for a few months up to the test and was getting good scores in the practice papers.

For Ribston she got 102 on each paper totalling 204

We are at a loss as to what to do I guess.

[pixiequeen]

glosguy, I think this happens to quite a lot of children. My DD also performed badly on the first paper but fortunately managed better with the second one which pulled her score up. She thought the first paper was easy, and had time left over to check it thoroughly. In my estimation she got between 20 and 25 questions wrong.. something she had never done in practice papers. I too would love to know what happened - were some of the questions actually traps, which she fell in to easily because she was nervous? Did she answer 'closest meaning' questions as 'opposite meanings?' Did she miss out a section, or put the answers in the wrong boxes?

From conversations with other people, it wasn't just my DD who did this.

Tolstoy is right - if you feel your DD should have passed, and that her school work shows she is of grammar standard (working at level 5 by the time of the appeals in March, I think) there is nothing (other than your sanity obviously!) to be lost by appealing. You don't even have to tell your DD you are doing it if it makes it easier. Last year Ribston allowed quite a few non-qualification appeals as they were under subscribed. I think Allovernow may be refering more to Pates, who rarely allow appeals but I suspect Ribston is different all together.

Hope it all works out for you.

Pixiequeen

[Tolstoy]

Glosguy I know where you are coming from. We felt the same way last year with DS2. He had been scoring in the 90s in the tests before the exam. He out scored his older brother in every practice test he sat and yet when it came to the exam his score was about 20 marks lower. He also has the higher CATs scores and scored better in his SATs.Thankfully for us though his score was enough to get him into the school we wanted him to go to.

The system works on a one day performance which can not be perfect. Ribston have had spare spaces for the last two years so with good academic evidence an appeal may be the best option.

[glosguy]

Thanks

Our dd's cats, sats, reports, work levels etc are of a high level and we think she made some silly mistakes on the day of the test.

Debating the appeal but think its to much stress for us to go through.