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watford grammar school, can we appeal

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 10:14 am
by Mgnmum
My dd is currently 9th on wl for an academic place at WGSG. She wants us to try and get her in by any means possible :) As the dd of 2 doctors she has already expressed a wish to follow a scientific career and the evidence is that science subjects are far better taught in a single sex environment.
Also the west herts consortium allowed a number of children to sit the test at a later date ( 2 months later) without changing the test in anyway at all, despite the maths paper in particular being the talk of the playground afterwards. It is also noted that 9 children in watford depsite making late applications managed to get their 1st choice schools.
Do I need to apply under the freedom of information act to find out if any child who sat the test late was awarded an academic place and also if any of the late applicants got an academic place? do you think this is grounds enough for a appeal?

thank you

Re: watford grammar school, can we appeal

Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 11:54 am
by Etienne
Mgnmum wrote:As the dd of 2 doctors she has already expressed a wish to follow a scientific career and the evidence is that science subjects are far better taught in a single gender environment.
'Expressing a wish' would carry more weight if there's hard evidence of an aptitude for and genuine interest in science. Would the current school confirm this, for example?

Any extra-curricular evidence such as science club?

See dejavu's case:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 5&start=20" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(scroll down to "Two successful 12+ appeals for SHF and AHS")
    • SHF has specialist science status. DD excels in maths and has a passion for science. She has always wanted to be a vet, and to realise these ambitions she would need to attain the very highest grades in sciences and maths. Appendices included letter from her Science Club teacher, marked SATS papers showing high levels for science and maths which DD had brought home from school (as current school would not provide up-to-date info about DD’s grades to support the appeal) – all the more remarkable as SATS are not age standardised and DD was late August born Gifted and talented for maths, article from local press when interviewed about her high achievements in dog showing (long time interest in animals) in which it said in print the “she has ambitions to be a vet”.
Also the west herts consortium allowed a number of children to sit the test at a later date ( 2 months later) without changing the test in anyway at all, despite the maths paper in particular being the talk of the playground afterwards. It is also noted that 9 children in watford depsite making late applications managed to get their 1st choice schools.
Not sure this helps unless they were in breach of their published admission rules.
Do I need to apply under the freedom of information act to find out if any child who sat the test late was awarded an academic place and also if any of the late applicants got an academic place?
Yes - although it's just possible they could refuse if the numbers are so small that children might potentially be identified.
do you think this is grounds enough for a appeal?
Leaving aside the last point, you do have grounds. But if what you really mean is grounds for a successful appeal, that would be an impossible question, not knowing what evidence you have, and exactly how strong a case you will be presenting.

Have you looked into the success rate for appeals to WGSG?
You can ask:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a39" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


If I take a hard-headed approach, I don't mean to be discouraging! :)
I do think you should try - just be realistic about the fact that the odds are against most appeals succeeding.
Having said that, appeals are unpredictable:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... school#c20" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Good luck!