My DD got a low rank for HSFG (440) and with just over a month to go to allocations day I am considering our next move...

I am not expecting an offer, even though it is our first choice (and our only grammar option) on the CAF, our others being local comps.

I therefore have a dilemma - do we go through the hassle of an appeal or not?? What are our chances? DD had a glowing Y5 report, but would she struggle if we did manage to scrap a place? Do the grammars only qualify children they feel will cope academically or is it purely to fill their numbers??

I guess I am asking if there are children out there who got in on appeal (low ranked) and have coped well at their school. Thanks

Different area but my DS got in through appeal and has not struggled to cope with the workload of a GS. Appeals are not for the faint-hearted though! Good luck.

Thanks We'll have to give it some more thought and make a decision in March.

My DD got into SHS with a top 120 place in 2015 and my DS had a low ranking for Marling for Sept 2018 entry (390s).
He didn't get an offer on March 1st last year, but got one in early May, once the Crypt had re-qualified additional children to fill their 70+ vacant places.
I put together and submitted appeal paperwork for both Marling and Crypt but didn't have to use it in the end.

I worried over last Summer and into the Autumn term whether a GS place was right for him and he could cope. However, he got great SATS results, appears to be settled well in Y7 and is doing fine with homework and test results so we're confident that he's in the right place. In my DD's year (Y10), there are several students who got straight in who now appear to perhaps not be doing quite as well as expected almost 4 years on so I don't think 11+ ranking necessarily correlates to strong performance later on for all students, although I am sure it does for many. At an open event, the Crypt Head gave me an example of a boy who entered through appeal and subsequently went on to Oxbridge.

Sadly, a couple of the other boys from the quite large group that got in from his primary school were aware that he didn't get an offer on March 1st, deduced he had a lower ranking than them and made comments which was tricky for him, but on the whole pupils shouldn't know who was ranked where or who got in on appeal.

Regarding whether you should appeal or not - it felt painful getting the paperwork together and I didn't even get to the appeal itself so others are better placed to advise. But..... if you feel strongly that your child would thrive at a GS, can provide the evidence of educational achievement thus far (good Y5 reports, predicted SATs above 112, support from school head, good CATs scores etc) and that HSFG can give her something that other schools would not, then it's worth a go. The appeal forum on here is fantastic and there are some lovely people who can help you. It's a personal choice as to whether you let your DD know you plan to appeal (our DS asked us to and we told him we would but no other details) and you have to ensure that she is happy with the back-up plan, should you not be successful.

Hope this helps and good luck for your DD!

Thanks very much RedMaple, it's great to hear you managed to get a place for your DS and that he is doing well.

It's a tough decision as HSFG (or Denmark Rd as I should now call it!) seems great and I think would be a good fit for my DD, but the distance - and early start - still concern my husband. The only thing we can do is see what happens on allocation day, and perhaps get an idea of the rankings offered a place on here, then consider if going on the wait list or appealing is an option. It will also give us a chance to see how DD reacts to the allocation. We are lucky that DD's teacher is very supportive (and ex-grammar themselves) so am sure would help us with SAT predictions etc. should we need them.

Thanks again

So glad your son is settling in well RedMaple. I am pleased for you that all the stress was worth it.

FWIW, I agree with RedMaple that the 11 plus is a pretty arbitrary bar on whether your child will fit in at a GS. My son only has 1/2 a year's experience but it seems to me that - except perhaps for the small number of absolute fliers - a strong work ethic and reasonable level of maturity is a better indicator of how well they will settle in than where a child came in the rankings.

I was worried beforehand that the commute (20+ mins each way plus walks to and from bus stops) might break him and he does look permanently shattered. He feels he is in the right place, has made lovely friends and quite enjoys travelling on the bus with the girls but his friends who went to the local school don't look so tired. Also, he does a lot of after-school sports clubs/matches and the fact I am also doing this commute to pick him up after the bus has left does impact upon my work and our other family commitments to an extent. So if you don't live near Denmark Road it would potentially be easier if your daughter decided not to be sporty!

I helped a friend with her appeal last year, which was unsuccessful but luckily her daughter got in at the last minute from the waiting list. I also got to attend the appeal itself, so cam give some insight. Yes, they are looking for very strong academic evidence and will only accept your child if they are sure she will cope in a grammar school environment. My friend's daughter had this but it wasn't enough. They are also looking for a really good reason why your child underperformed on the test. Something like illness (with doctor's certificate), family bereavement or something. My friend's daughter had a good reason too but again, it wasn't considered strong enough. The appeal was a stressful experience and I thought we presented a good case so I think you need to weigh that up when deciding whether to put both you and your daughter through it. Also my friend's daughter was very unsettled by the whole process, not knowing which school she'd go to and attending Induction Day at a school she didn't eventually end up going to. I'm not trying to put you off (and if it had been my child I too would have appealed) but it's not for the faint hearted.