Bucks Selection Review unsuccessful

[buzzybee]

However, the letter that informed us of the decision stated that on receipt of our school placement letter we would be able to take our case to appeal. Then the letter with the clerk's notes says 'I appreciate that this decision will have been disappointing to you and should you wish you may appeal, at the appropriate point to a preferred grammar school.' Neither letter makes any reference to the need to determine that the review was not fair consistent or objective before the question of non qualification will be considered. So now I am wondering whether we will have to fight the FCO issue or not.[/quote]

I am wondering this also! The letter we have received today does not give a lot away regarding the reasons for appealing. Confused.com!

[Etienne]

However, the letter that informed us of the decision stated that on receipt of our school placement letter we would be able to take our case to appeal. Then the letter with the clerk's notes says 'I appreciate that this decision will have been disappointing to you and should you wish you may appeal, at the appropriate point to a preferred grammar school.' Neither letter makes any reference to the need to determine that the review was not fair consistent or objective before the question of non qualification will be considered. So now I am wondering whether we will have to fight the FCO issue or not.

Equally there's nothing to say that 'fair, consistent & objective' won't be an issue.

An appeal that starts with the 'fair, consistent & objective' issue would still be an appeal!

It is a predictably brief assessment and I wonder how easy it will be to argue that it was not fair etc.

We are in the process of drafting some advice that we hope will be of help.

[Jpk]

Post edited. Pls see below

[Jpk]

We have now received a copy of the clerk's notes of our son's Selection Review. The notes do not make any reference to predicted SATS levels, but instead note only the end of Y5 achievement in English (4A) and the current assessment of 4A in Science. They also note his reading age at 18 months ahead of actual age is 'not very high'. It is a predictably brief assessment and I wonder how easy it will be to argue that it was not fair etc.

However, the letter that informed us of the decision stated that on receipt of our school placement letter we would be able to take our case to appeal. Then the letter with the clerk's notes says 'I appreciate that this decision will have been disappointing to you and should you wish you may appeal, at the appropriate point to a preferred grammar school.' Neither letter makes any reference to the need to determine that the review was not fair consistent or objective before the question of non qualification will be considered. So now I am wondering whether we will have to fight the FCO issue or not.

Hi carolinems. Where / how did you get the clerks notes from. I have not seen any other reference to these being available. Thanks

[Etienne]

These are probably not the clerk's notes as such, but data transferred on to a pro-forma.

We know from the headteachers' manual that "The Clerk to the Selection Review Panel will record the review decision for each child on an individual pro forma. This, together with the child’s review paperwork and decision letter will be provided to the Independent Appeal Panel should an appeal subsequently take place".

I suspect carolinens may have requested information in advance of the appeal under the Data Protection Act.

[carolinens]

We sent a simple request to the head of admissions asking for a copy of the panel clerk's notes of the meeting. What we received was a form with very basic notes and two sentences of comments. Still worth having though if you are considering an appeal.

[Etienne]

It sounds as if Admissions have decided to treat this as a request under the Data Protection Act, and that what has been sent is almost certainly a copy of the pro-forma.

If the data is so basic, and if more detailed contemporaneous information is not made available, I think it might be difficult for an admission authority to show that the review process as applied to a particular case really was 'fair, consistent & objective'.

[carolinens]

I am still a little unclear about how the three stages for an admission appeal will be conducted. It seems that even BCC have not yet decided if they might be heard at multiple rather than single hearings.

However, assuming it is one hearing: We start with the case of our unsuccessful Selection Review which we must argue was not fair consistent and objective. Only if they accept that case will the panel hear the academic evidence as to whether the child is suitable for grammar school. So will there be a pause wile they decide that? And will we be in the room while they decide?

Similarly, there is no point in moving onto the actual school allocation, if they do not accept that the child is suitable for grammar school. Will there be another pause in proceedings? I know this is all a first in Bucks, but I think other counties have run a similar system previously and would like to know how it works.

Also if there is a pre hearing, is that likely to consider the FOC case solely or that and the academic evidence?

[Etienne]

Hi carolinens

We're still waiting to hear how the appeals will be organised because, I guess, it's difficult!

We start with the case of our unsuccessful Selection Review which we must argue was not fair consistent and objective.

I think it would be more accurate to say that the admission authority will argue that it was fair, consistent and objective (FCO).
It's their case, after all. You and the panel can question it.

Only if they accept that case will the panel hear the academic evidence as to whether the child is suitable for grammar school.

Not necessarily. In theory they could hear all the arguments to do with FCO, selection, and even oversubscription - and not take a single decision until afterwards!

And will we be in the room while they decide?

Inconceivable!

Similarly, there is no point in moving onto the actual school allocation, if they do not accept that the child is suitable for grammar school. Will there be another pause in proceedings? I know this is all a first in Bucks, but I think other counties have run a similar system previously and would like to know how it works.

Other selective areas do tend to hear all the arguments to do with selection and oversubscription at one and the same hearing without a pause, and then take whatever decisions they want afterwards. However, these other areas (Kent, for example) tend not to enforce FCO, so it's not directly comparable.

Also if there is a pre hearing, is that likely to consider the FOC case solely or that and the academic evidence?

We don't know, but my guess is that FCO + selection + oversubscription would be too much for a single hearing, and that it is likely to be split up in some way.

A 'pause' in the proceedings does happen at the end of stage one of an oversubscription appeal (to decide whether the admission authority has got a case for prejudice) - but a pause in the parental case seems to me unlikely.

[carolinens]

Thanks Etienne,

When we get to the oversubscription section, if there are a number of children that are considered to have strong appeals and the panel are then deciding a limited number to be offered places, do they have to use the admission criteria to judge one case against another or is just on their view of the strength of the individual cases? Also if we get that far but don't get offered a place, will we be put on a waiting list or will we simply be deemed unsuccessful?