11 Plus Exams Forum

We have appealed for a place at a foundation grammar whose appeals are handled by the local authority - Kent. They wrote to us last week with an appeal date (less than fortnight) and stated they would be in touch with further details including case papers for the appeal. Today we received an envelope containing just our submission and a form asking who would be attending etc. I thought "case papers" meant the school's case for not offering a place - oversubscription etc. Am i missing something here??

Hello there, I'm in the same situation! (Kent) We had a letter last week as well (12th) from the clerk to the panel, giving us date, time and venue and asking who would be attending, but today I've had a letter from the grammar school confirming the interview, a copy of our intention to appeal notes but we also got case notes ie Statement of Reasons for the Governors' Decision along with two pages of over subscription issues, maybe the notes will follow on as our's did?

thanks worried mum - i'll give it another week or so and chase. Two whole pages!!!! Good luck with your appeal.

Thanks, I think I'm going to need it! Good luck with your's too.

Can you check the number of pupils in each year group - if they have been over their PAN number in several year groups you can argue that they can cope - you could check whether they have 'grown' the sixth form' - if they have this implies they habve CHOSEN to acccept more pupils ...

Good luck.

hello Guest 55 - yes i've checked. they were quite insistent that they never went over their PAN - but they are officially over by 4 or 5 in every year group. And they have had an outstanding recent OFSTED report!! I have included this in my submission.

Do look at the Sixth form thing - this was something panels have been criticising a popular local [to me] school for - they have been forced to set a limit on external candidates into y12!

It's certainly worth inquiring at the hearing whether all the extra bodies are the result of successful appeals.

If this is so, the authority's representative will probably point out that the school had no choice but to cope as best it could, and would have done even better if the admission number had not been exceeded. All the same, if you can then point to outstanding results in oversubscribed year groups, it suggests to the panel that the school has coped very well!

Everyone involved in the appeal should have at least a fortnight's notice of the hearing date.

Everyone involved should receive all the papers approx. one week before the hearing. If you haven't received everything 5 days before the hearing, complain as a matter of urgency!

Just wanted to point out we also received two pages of over subscription issues.
I can't understand it as I (and everyone else for that matter) know it's under subscribed, I even called the LEA today without giving my name and was told the same thing. Just leads me to believe it’s a standard statement as all previous years it’s been over subscribed.

Why this should be the issue I will never know because irregardless of if they have places available or not it’s up to the panel to decide not them.

Or at least that’s what I’m lead to believe?
Correct me if I'm wrong please.

AM

Guest 55 - just rechecked my figures - although years 7-11 are over the PAN, it would appear that their sixth form is currently running at approx 25 below this figure - does this seem a bit strange?