Bexley tests appeal

[nuelly]

My son has missed the bexley cut off by 3 marks and his head teacher has suggested an appeal to me which he says the school will support as they are suprised at his results having predicted that he will pass the exams like his older brother who is currently schooling at bexley grammer school.
I am concerned about the chances of success. What will make the panel consider that his case is exceptional and what are the chances with Bexley .
How long does this process take? Will I wait or still fill in the schools with the grammer schools Bexley schools being my prefetrred choice?

[Tracy]

Nuelly, your child has done really well and be proud of him.
Unfortunately, with the appeals system in Bexley, you really might as well be 30 marks off.
Unless you can prove that your child is working at level 5b in both eng and maths now, then you you will really have a hard task convincing the panel.
As for exceptional circumstances, only the most dreadful circumstances stand a chance.
Sorry to be blunt but it's the reality in this borough.

[nuelly]

Thanks . I am meeting with his head teacher today. He got his Kent test results yesterday and has passed the tests but I will still prefer Bexley for an easier life for me with both of them at the same school. I now have the option of Dartford as well so thankful for that. Will his passing the Kent test add any advantage to his appeal.

[Etienne]

Passing a test in another LA may or may not help. If the format and standard is very similar, there might possibly be an argument "Here is some additional evidence of ability."

When you go to appeal in Bexley, however, you will be appealing for a particular school. If the panel is dealing with lots of appeals, and you've been offered a Kent GS, there is a risk they might think (albeit at a subconscious level) "This parent already has quite a good alternative ......."

[Bexley Mum 2]

Nuelly - Tracy is right I'm afraid. There are lots of cases where children have underperformed for very good reasons such as illness, some sort of family upset, disturbance in the exam etc and they don't win appeals. It sounds as if your son was just having an off day I'm afraid. There will be lots of children who missed the pass mark by 1 or 2 marks whose parents may feel the same and, as Tracy says, appeals are rarely ever successful in Bexley. Personally, I would only think it worth attempting if you had a very good reason for your son's underperformance rather than just an off day.

Did he score highly enough in the Kent test to get a place at Dartford? I think the cut off last year may have been around 400 for out of borough candidates. Worth checking before you make any decisions.

[nuelly]

Meet with head teacher today who has advised thathis performance has been predictive of level 5 standard since year 3 and he will be appealing based on the test results being below his other test results.

The appeal might not be successful but i am tempted to still have Bexley as my first school choice in case it does and Dartford grammer as second. Does this reduce my chances of getting a Dartford place if Bexley appeal fails?