Question for Moderators regarding appeal in Essex

Consult our experts on 11 Plus appeals or any other type of school appeal

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
blauwzvart
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:31 pm

Question for Moderators regarding appeal in Essex

Post by blauwzvart »

Please could someone have a look at our circumstances and offer any advice on what to do? I will send the details of the schools involved via the secure link as this will give a clearer picture.
Our Son attends a primary in north Essex and has a current sats grading of 5A maths, 5A reading, 5B science and 5C english ( his spelling suffers ). He has been asked to take level 6 sats in May and has been on a G & T register for several years. We approached his school for help and guidance when we started on the 11+, but they wouldn't offer any and didn't appear to consider that one of their pupils could go to a GS. As a very low income family a tutor was out of the question, so we tutored ourselves. Unfortunately he had a horrid test day, compounded by the fact that we had been told that the Essex test was totally multiple choice and had prepared him for that. He consequently went into a panic on seeing the test and didn't finish two of the papers. He is currently ranked at 364 on the list for CRGS and has been given a place at his fourth choice, the local OFSTED grade 3 academy. Our third choice better performing comprehensive which is 6 miles away was apparently outside our catchment area. We have approached his teacher who, whilst being sympathetic said that they thought that this would happen and that any appeal was not going to succeed. When we asked if they would write to support us, we were basically put off and not given a straight answer, instead being told that "he would do well at the academy"
Reading through the other messages, everyone seems to have the support of their children's primary schools, especially when thinking about appeals. We feel that we have been deprived of this.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Question for Moderators regarding appeal in Essex

Post by Etienne »

Hello, and welcome.

Are you wondering about an appeal for your 3rd preference as well as nos. 1/2?
Etienne
blauwzvart
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:31 pm

Re: Question for Moderators regarding appeal in Essex

Post by blauwzvart »

Thanks for replying.
When we visited our third choice school prior to making our submission we were told by the head that as we lived outside the catchment area and as the school was allways oversubscribed, we would be unsuccessful with our application. We went ahead because of the slim chance and the lack of another similarlarly performing school that we could get to. We had only thought about the one appeal, to CRGS, as it was the one that had made an impression on our son. He also liked KEGS , which was our 2nd choice, but hard to get to and obviously out of the running now. Our son is very shy and timid and has already suffered bullying, so we did listen when he reacted so positively to both schools.
How much of a chance would there be for any appeal without the help of the primary school? To be fair they haven't categorically refused to support us, but they have also evaded the question when asked. We have read through the Q & A section and we do realise that the chance of altering anything now is almost zero even with help.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Question for Moderators regarding appeal in Essex

Post by Etienne »

It's probably easier to appeal for a non-selective school without the support of your primary school (because it isn't usually needed). You don't have to be in catchment, but you do need reasons for wanting a place at the school:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... -school#c2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Inevitably, the more popular the school, the more you're competing with other parents for a place.

With regard to the selective schools, it's not impossible to appeal without support from the current school, although it probably makes it more difficult.
See B20(a):
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b20" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Appeals for any super-selective tend to be hard to win anyway. You may have seen this thread:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... hp?t=19293" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I suggest your next step is to talk to the current headteacher to try and pin the school down with regard to how much support they will give. The following link shows the ideal 'normal' range of evidence (school support included):
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b11" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Etienne
Post Reply