Bucks "Order of Suitability"

[Guest]

Hi, Wonder if anyone can help with regards to order of Suitability - we went to appeal in Bucks last time round - ive dug out the paperwork and my son did not have an order of suitability on his appeal form although he was ranked as a 1:2 and in the top 25% of a yearband that has 150 pupils. Wea are classed as Berks (on the Borders) Would this have made a diference or does this mean that they thought my son was not going to pass even though afterwards they supported the appeal wonderfully?

Thanks
Guest66

[Guest55]

There was not an order of suitability last year or the year before.

I understand that Appeal panels requested that it be reintroduced to help them.

As I said earlier it was an issue in our appeal as the data did not appear to be understood by the panel - yes Etienne, I do trust it was exceptional case - even the Ombudsman gave up trying to get answers!

[Fortunately justice was done in the end as our child sailed through the 12+ and is happily settled in our first choice school performing near the top of the year group!]

[Guest]

Thank you so much Guest55 for your prompt reply.

Guest66

[Etienne]

There was an order of suitability last year (autumn 2005). There was a discussion about it on this forum last January:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... uitability

It must have been autumn 2004 that it was suspended.

Bubbly might be interested in a previous discussion about CAT scores:

Our Bucks Primary school has stopped giving these CATs tests since they said they did not provide a very good guide as to whether a child would pass the Bucks 11+ (my youngest daughter scored 128 in year 3, 126 in year 5, but 116 in 11 Plus!).

I think the school got tired of parents complaining to them: "But she got X in the CAT test. Why didn't she pass the 11 plus?" etc.

So... treat with caution and don't feel that taking these tests would necessarily help with 11 plus (or anything else!).


Jed

[Guest]

Hi Etienne,With regards to the order of suitability last year - was it complusory for the Head to rank the children ( my sons school i believe had approx 100 children sitting it) and if so does that mean my son was not expected to pass as he was not ranked - this would surprise me as he achieved 2 5's in practice SATS at the end of year 5, had a VRT score of 128 (is that good?) at the end of year 5 also. He has also been in top sets for all of his time there (6 sets per year) I know its irrelevant but i am just trying to understand how these things work for future reference.

Thanks

Guest66

[Etienne]

Dear Guest66

A VRTS of 128 sounds good (depending on what test was being used).

Either your son was not ranked with a 1-3 recommendation, which seems odd in the light of what you say about him, or it's just possible that the head did not complete an order of suitability.

I always assumed that the O. of S. was obligatory for Bucks LEA schools, but reading through this year's instructions to heads, it appears that the ombudsman got involved last year when some parents complained that the O. of S. had not been done at their school. Consequently, it has now been made compulsory for Bucks LEA and partner schools.

Regards

[Guest]

Hi Etienne, Thanks for your prompt reply. Have just thought of something that may be relevant. We are on the Bucks/Berks border. My sons Primary school is in Berkshire - maybe they dont have to do an O of S?.

thanks

Guest66

[Catherine]

Hi Guest66,

As far as I know, there is no order of suitability in Berks. This is something specific to Bucks.

[Etienne]

Dear Guest66

If your son's school was in Berks, and he was sitting the Bucks 11+, the order of suitability would certainly have been optional. If it's a "partner school" (some of the out-county schools with large entries are), one might well have expected the O. of S. to have been done - but it wasn't actually obligatory until this year.

Regards

[Guest]

Cathrine and Etienne, Thanks for your help and things are now a lot clearer for next time!!

Guest66