Is it worth appealing?

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twiggs
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Maidstone

Is it worth appealing?

Post by twiggs »

Hi my son failed his 11+ with a score of 124 and 121 on nvr vr but maths is a score of 102 - oh dear( we live in maidstone) I have been in the school and the head teacher is suggesting i appeal and has given me his full support. There are mitigating circumstances to long to detail and he is predicted level 5's for maths english and science.
My question: is it worth it, this would be for either of the maidstone boys grammer schools. Has anyone ever entered these schools with such a low pass mark on maths, or are we just wasting our time.
Is it quite normal for a ht to suggest appealing when its quite highly likely we will be rejected. Failing that does anyone know what days the entrance tests are for year 8 of these schools?
familyinthevalley
Posts: 245
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 7:43 pm

Post by familyinthevalley »

Putting together an appeal takes alot of work, and alot of time on the part of your school. If your HT didn't feel it was worthwhile, he wouldn't offer! Good luck!
twiggs
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by twiggs »

thank you for your quick reply. We did not realise it takes school alot of work and time, our ht never told us that. He suggested we appeal before i could digest the scores. Roll on march then i suppose thank you once again
tonbridgemum
Posts: 421
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:46 pm

Post by tonbridgemum »

If you have mitigating circumstances then yes, its worth it. Certainly having the HT support is a huge benefit and will be a help.
Its time comsuming but lots of helpful advice here! Good luck. :)
twiggs
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by twiggs »

thank you for kind words again. Have just found out my sister spoke to a lady at oakwood today and the pa to head said they have never had anyone get into there school with such a low maths marks, Quote oooh thats very very low - just makes you doubt all the time :cry:
SSM
Posts: 646
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:09 pm

Post by SSM »

If the HT is willing to support you, and you have mitigating circumstances then I would definitely suggest you contact KCC and arrange to view his exam papers. This might shed some light on what went wrong.

If you can do this before your have to submit the CAF then great. If not, and if I was you, I would still put a GS down as my first choice.

You will not be given the GS but can then appeal or not depending on what you deem from his paper.

Good luck with your decision.
twiggs
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by twiggs »

thank ssm am trawling this site as we speak for information as to what to do. Will phone admissions tomorrow to have a look at his papers. His writing is abit like a spider crawled over a page and the only thing we can think of is his lines went outside the boxes. Would they do a recount and include ones that have gone outside the boxes if thats were he went wrong do you know? many thanks
Tracy
Posts: 1123
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:28 am
Location: Bexley

Post by Tracy »

Not trying to be funny here, but we could possibly have an issue too with the way the paper was marked.
Does the machine incorrectly mark papers or is it assumed by us humans that eveything is in order as machines don't make mistakes only our children do?
dadofkent
Posts: 515
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 2:05 pm

Post by dadofkent »

If the HT says appeal I would give it a chance. But the odds are very much stacked against you, particularly as the other scores are not great. You dont need to involve your DS, it's only you that needs to go thru' the trauma. I would write off MGS. Sorry to be blunt, but there will be a lot more "deserving cases" appealing, particularly those who have just fallen below 390, and failed on distance criteria.
SSM
Posts: 646
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:09 pm

Post by SSM »

I think it is pretty well accepted that machines do make mistakes. That's why, if I remember correctly, they state that you should use a HB pencil and mark the boxes in a certain way.

Tracy, I was so sorry to hear your news about the Kent test and the length of time you had to wait for your result. It must have been so stressfull for your.

Hopefully some light might be shed on the matter when you view your DD's paper.

Good luck to you all.
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