11 Plus Exams Forum

What with all of the childrens books disappearing since the schools found out i was wondering if anybody knew where the headteacher appeals for his children. Do all of the heads meet externally or is it at a school? Also the biggie question is when?
I was contacted today at work asking where my sons current science project was and could i take it into school asap!!!

If you look under your local LEA website, there should be a section which lists all the dates for the whole PESE test procedure. In West Kent, I think a lot of the appeal work goes on through the half term. The dates are something like 4-18 February. As far as I know, your headteacher would meet with the appeal panel for a particular school. In Kent, the website info is released to the secondary schools on the 24 February, informing them of the final allocations. So all is underway as I speak!

Just wanted to ask you a question re: your son's science project. Forgive me, as I am totally off course! Does you son attend a private or state school. If state, are science projects a regular thing? I'm curious as I'm looking at improving science within our school (as a governor) as sats results are dropping. Have noticed that our school rarely gives science as homework as just wondered what the other schools were up to! I'd welcome input from other parents on this too!

My eldest daughter (now at MGGS) attended a state primary school and hardly ever received Science homework (or any other homework for that matter). My youngest daughter attends Sutton Valence Prep (just taken the 11+) and gets homework every day apart from Wednesday on Maths, English and Science. Her Science is way above her sister's who is two years ahead. I do believe the homework and quality of work has helped enormously.

My son goes to an independent school that claims to follow the National Curriculum and they have science homework once a week from Y4. I don't know though if this comes from the Nat Cur or if it is because normally about a quarter of the class apply to go onto an independent school that has a science test.

my son attends a state school, which i feel is sort of average really, the homework throughout his 4 years has altered greatly from year to year and with the teachers he has had!!!!, in year 4 he hardly had any homework as the teachers' beliefs were that "they do enough at school- so i don't believe in homework", which i totally disagreed with (to say the least) , therfore we totally wiped that year clear, and started again from year five- to which he had an excellent teacher who saw the potential in all of the children thankfully, and so their home work increased!! which was good as in year 6 there has been loads!!, with regards the science i believe ofsted asked that the science education content be cranked up a notch, so a couple of projects he has had has been over several weeks looking at cress growing in various settings, and the most recent being bread and bacteria and which environments is best to slow and encourage growth!!!- requiring graphs etc!!

I think homework is important in junior school. It is probably the only way a parent knows what standard the child is achieving, with exception to parents evenings.

Also it gives the child practise at accomplishing homework. When children get to grammar school there is a great amount of homework that needs to be done. For many it will be a shock to have so much homework and to gain the disciple to complete it all in the allocated time.

Many thanks for all the info! We have had steadily increasing homework over the junior school. Y5 was v good with v consistent work, although not much science. However, since the beginning of this year, Y6 have had no homework! First, I thought they were having a rest from the 11+, but only 6 out of 24 took the test. Hope it doesn't mean our teacher is busy with appeals! He is the one who does this! They all had their books taken before the tests, so no way of knowing.

Hi
Has anyone had experience (or knows someone who has) of appealing after the HT appeal has failed?

Just wondered how strong the appeal needs to be if the HT was turned down?!

Thank you

There is considerable variation in appeal process and rates of success amongst foundation and voluntary aided schools/and from east to west Kent. For community (county controlled) grammar schools and some foundation schools, there is a generally consistent standard although the make up of the panel will affect decisions.