Grammar re-sit if sick?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Surrey (Sutton, Kingston and Wandsworth)

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Laurrie
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:28 pm

Grammar re-sit if sick?

Post by Laurrie »

This is a difficult one.

How easy would it be to re-sit a Grammar school entrance test??
To cut a long story short, a boy who sat the the test came out saying he hadn't finished the paper, and it was really hard. ( my DS and I were party to this)
The boys mother took him to the doctor, and he was off school the whole week.
The mother over the folowing weeks told others her son had finished the paper, and she was hopeful he would do well (the child is very average and not in the top sets)
Results day only 2 children from the school passed the grammar school test, one really academic child, and this boy who's score was quite outstanding???
The mother has 2 other boys at the grammar school, one a genius the other doing ok. Could the mother have persuaded the school to allow her son to re-sit? it seems very odd that an average child passes an exam for a highly selective school, when he has never come top of a test before.
Could the GP have writtern a note to say he was sick and should be allowed to re-sit?
What do you think? I would really appreciate any views, it just seems strange, and smacks of cheating if it is true.

I hope you don't mind me saying all of this, I just need to hear someone else's opinions

Thanks so much
:?
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Hi

Kids who are ill once the exam has started are generally not allowed to retake - that is why people are strongly told not to take the kid to the exam if they are unwell because illness on the day holds little sway with appeal panels.

As a GP i get asked for notes to say people are unwell - and that is all they say - I cannot imagine that anyone would write asking for the child to take the test again.

Perhaps it was a genuine result and the child is particularly suited to the type of exam. There can often be surprises in the whp passes and who fails
Chelmsford mum
Posts: 2113
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm

Post by Chelmsford mum »

This whole 11+ business is a crude assessment tool.As a result I have known children, in this area, pass who were at the mid to bottom level of a class.I have also known children at the very top fail to gain grammar places.
If this child re sat, it would have been under exam conditions and as fair as a previous test.It would have been a different paper.
The varying accounts could actually just be explained by the boy not finishing 1 or 2 questions and the mum regarding this as pretty much "finishing".
Long periods of tutoring can raise a child's chances of passing.If that were not so , people wouldn't do it.One thing is for sure , it won't be the only surprise result.As I said it is a crude assessment tool.
He is an 11 year old boy.It is lovely for him that he is going to join his brothers.
Laurrie
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:28 pm

Post by Laurrie »

You are right it is good he will be going to school with his
brothers.
I didn't mean to sound so accusing, just wanted to know
what the rules were regarding sickness and re-taking etc
thanks for your responses, really interesting.
Chelmsford mum
Posts: 2113
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 7:16 pm

Post by Chelmsford mum »

Laurrie wrote:You are right it is good he will be going to school with his
brothers.
I didn't mean to sound so accusing, just wanted to know
what the rules were regarding sickness and re-taking etc
thanks for your responses, really interesting.
Here in Essex if you can absolutely prove that he was taken ill during the exam which would be very difficult, he would sit another test under exam conditions with all the other late sitters and a different paper.So no advantage and you are advised very heavily not to sit your child for an exam if below par.Very difficult to prove a sudden illness.
SunlampVexesEel
Posts: 1245
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:31 pm

Post by SunlampVexesEel »

The LEA tries to make this clear. If you are unwell... don't take the test.

Clearly for those genuinely taken ill during the test, including those that did feel a bit ill before but decided to soldier through, this is going to be difficult.

The horrible thing about these tests is you only get one attempt.

I think they will have an up hill struggle proving illness during the test and getting a beneficial outcome... but that's what the appeal process is for.

Only my 2p worth.

Regards
SVE
Animis opibusque parati
Thisismadness
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:56 pm

Post by Thisismadness »

Why don't you just ask the mother if he resat it because he was ill?
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