Out of county Appeal Bucks
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Thats very encouraging. Thank you again. I will reword my letter on your advice and send it off with the Head Teachers Summary this week. My feeling is to only take extra bits of school work on the day.
I hope you won't mind me looking to you again closer to the appeal hearing!
With Kind regards,
YAK 52
I hope you won't mind me looking to you again closer to the appeal hearing!
With Kind regards,
YAK 52
Hello again Sally Anne,
I have been thinking again of my appeal which is in late Jan. Although you have suggested that we have a strong case,I am beginning to worry about various questions that we might get asked.
Mainly how to answer the tutoring question. It has also been suggested to me by local parents that DD's private education to date may go against her.
Sleepless nights!!!
What do you think?
I have been thinking again of my appeal which is in late Jan. Although you have suggested that we have a strong case,I am beginning to worry about various questions that we might get asked.
Mainly how to answer the tutoring question. It has also been suggested to me by local parents that DD's private education to date may go against her.
Sleepless nights!!!
What do you think?
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Sally-Anne
- Posts: 9235
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
- Location: Buckinghamshire
Hi YAK 52
Panels do not often ask about tutoring, perhaps because they are so aware that "tutoring" comes in many different forms.
How much weight should they attach to "tutoring" when it consists of someone supervising a child sitting a test paper every week for 9 months, charging for the privilege, but doing little else? A highly effective tutor who runs a one-week crash course for big money? A parent, who is also a teacher, who intensively coaches their child for two years but pays no one else to do the job? A parent who buys a pack of four practice papers in a shop, and does them half-heartedly during the summer? A parent who makes sure that their child knows their times tables? A parent who sends their child to an English tutor, but not specifically because of the 11+?
It is a minefield for panels and parents alike. You must decide on the best course, but I suggest that you keep your reply simple, and effective enough to close the question down with that one answer. I doubt it will be followed up, even if it is asked in the first place.
Etienne and I have very often discussed the private school issue, both on and off the Forum, particularly in the early days when I haunted this site! I had the same concerns as you at that time.
I can honestly say that I believe that it does not make any difference to the outcome of appeals. I have seen plenty of prep school cases go through, even on low scores, simply because the evidence was compelling. I have seen state school cases on higher scores fail because the evidence was not sound. It makes no difference at all provided the evidence is strong enough.
Sally-Anne
Panels do not often ask about tutoring, perhaps because they are so aware that "tutoring" comes in many different forms.
How much weight should they attach to "tutoring" when it consists of someone supervising a child sitting a test paper every week for 9 months, charging for the privilege, but doing little else? A highly effective tutor who runs a one-week crash course for big money? A parent, who is also a teacher, who intensively coaches their child for two years but pays no one else to do the job? A parent who buys a pack of four practice papers in a shop, and does them half-heartedly during the summer? A parent who makes sure that their child knows their times tables? A parent who sends their child to an English tutor, but not specifically because of the 11+?
It is a minefield for panels and parents alike. You must decide on the best course, but I suggest that you keep your reply simple, and effective enough to close the question down with that one answer. I doubt it will be followed up, even if it is asked in the first place.
Etienne and I have very often discussed the private school issue, both on and off the Forum, particularly in the early days when I haunted this site! I had the same concerns as you at that time.
I can honestly say that I believe that it does not make any difference to the outcome of appeals. I have seen plenty of prep school cases go through, even on low scores, simply because the evidence was compelling. I have seen state school cases on higher scores fail because the evidence was not sound. It makes no difference at all provided the evidence is strong enough.
Sally-Anne
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Sally-Anne
- Posts: 9235
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
- Location: Buckinghamshire
Hi YAK 52
I have just sent you a PM (Private Message) concerning your earlier posts.
Unfortunately Etienne and I simply do not have time to read individual case letters other than in the most exceptional circumstances.
Please do continue to read the Appeals Q&A, read past Forum posts - especially from this time last year - and post any remaining questions to us.
Sally-Anne
I have just sent you a PM (Private Message) concerning your earlier posts.
Unfortunately Etienne and I simply do not have time to read individual case letters other than in the most exceptional circumstances.
Please do continue to read the Appeals Q&A, read past Forum posts - especially from this time last year - and post any remaining questions to us.
Sally-Anne
Hello to all,
Just thought I would check in. I am still out here watching and taking in all of your advice! Very comforting to know that I am not alone!
We have our appeal in a couple of weeks and I am still working on the final script. I know you said that we don't have that much to prove, but I am losing so much sleep over saying the one wrong thing that might screw the whole thing up! We truly believe that she should have passed! I have to kep hanging on to that!
I promise to post my experience asap after the hearing. I have noticed a shortage of feedback from others in that respect. I guess every one just hits the bottle in relief that it is over?
Just thought I would check in. I am still out here watching and taking in all of your advice! Very comforting to know that I am not alone!
We have our appeal in a couple of weeks and I am still working on the final script. I know you said that we don't have that much to prove, but I am losing so much sleep over saying the one wrong thing that might screw the whole thing up! We truly believe that she should have passed! I have to kep hanging on to that!
I promise to post my experience asap after the hearing. I have noticed a shortage of feedback from others in that respect. I guess every one just hits the bottle in relief that it is over?
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Sally-Anne
- Posts: 9235
- Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
- Location: Buckinghamshire
I have a last question before appeal in a couple of days time please.
Some background that I haven't asked you about bringing up. DD is in Herts school, and we had choice of using her school hall with two or three others taking 11+, or county arranged venue out of school hours. We thought very hard about the right decision on this, and decided that as there was no 'buzz' about at school for this important exam, as only three others taking it, that an out of school venue may 'concentrate the mind' a bit, and encourage a bit more focus.
With hindsight, we think this was a mistake, and possibly led to 'lack of focus' due to stress of alien school exam hall. She was uncharacteristically nervous on the day. and qute upset to have not finished the paper, as she had no probs with practise papers.
I realise that a lot of children were in the same boat, but am considering using this as mitigating cicumstances. Leaning on the fact that she wanted to take the test at school, and we decided otherwise! CATS at school were 124,113 and 130. We didn't know this at the time of course!
What do you think please??
Some background that I haven't asked you about bringing up. DD is in Herts school, and we had choice of using her school hall with two or three others taking 11+, or county arranged venue out of school hours. We thought very hard about the right decision on this, and decided that as there was no 'buzz' about at school for this important exam, as only three others taking it, that an out of school venue may 'concentrate the mind' a bit, and encourage a bit more focus.
With hindsight, we think this was a mistake, and possibly led to 'lack of focus' due to stress of alien school exam hall. She was uncharacteristically nervous on the day. and qute upset to have not finished the paper, as she had no probs with practise papers.
I realise that a lot of children were in the same boat, but am considering using this as mitigating cicumstances. Leaning on the fact that she wanted to take the test at school, and we decided otherwise! CATS at school were 124,113 and 130. We didn't know this at the time of course!
What do you think please??
