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SB3 appeal thread (Bucks)

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:36 pm
by southbucks3
Hello

We have decided to have a long shot go at an appeal. Ds 114
can i submit evidence later in the year as i hope to get an optometrist report, and also the results of his year 6 cat, if they are good (if not we wont appeal), or do i only have two weeks to sort out the evidence? He is working as a solid level 5 and he was given a 2:1 the teachers have said they will give full support, but have realistic expdctations of outcome, as do I.

Thank you

Re: evidence

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:42 pm
by Sally-Anne
As you are going to an Appeal (IAP) instead of a Review, your evidence won't be required until the start of April at the earliest.

Re: evidence

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 6:21 pm
by southbucks3
Thank you, so we just collate the evidence as appropriate snd then submit it when we have a date of appeal hearing i assume. He better be a good boy for six months then had he not!

We are very aware that in all probability this will not work, but will kick oursrlves if we do not try.

Thank you again for your help.

Re: evidence in Bucks

Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 8:29 pm
by southbucks3
Please can you just confirm where/when I get the appeal papers from for the school and ourselves to fill in, do I request them from Bcc after March 3rd? Also do I request the teachers fill in their bit, fill in my bit, tag on the extra paperwork for ds extenuating circumstances and then copy everything for each school I am appealing to. Or do the teachers have to fill out extra forms and authenticate extra forms? What stops a parent filling it in and pretending to be the head teacher? (Other than ethics).

Thank you

Re: evidence in Bucks

Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 8:42 pm
by Sally-Anne
You may find last year's BCC appeals booklet helpful (but do bear in mind that some aspects of the process may change, given that Reviews were only held for the first time last year): http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/891226/ ... _guide.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
southbucks3 wrote:Please can you just confirm where/when I get the appeal papers from for the school and ourselves to fill in, do I request them from Bcc after March 3rd?
Yes. In the past, BCC sent a small supply of appeal forms to schools, but now the majority of cases are heard by SRPs, I doubt this happens any longer.
Also do I request the teachers fill in their bit, fill in my bit, tag on the extra paperwork for ds extenuating circumstances

The Head will have an e-copy of the Head Teacher's appeal summary sheet. They will complete that and give you a signed copy. You then write a covering letter and include copies of any further evidence you wish to include.
and then copy everything for each school I am appealing to
In the first instance you are appealing solely against non-qualification for any Bucks grammar school, not named schools. If you win that battle, you are then appealing against over-subscription for each individual school.

Take a look at the Appeals Q&A http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - you will find them helpful. :D
What stops a parent filling it in and pretending to be the head teacher? (Other than ethics).
As above: the school's evidence is provided on the Head's signed summary sheet and any further evidence is on headed paper.

Re: SB3 appeal thread

Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 9:09 pm
by Etienne
(Cross-post with Sally-Anne!)

There is an online form here for requesting an appeal pack:
http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/education/sch ... n-request/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
You are asked to name the school. (If the school is not in the drop-down list, we assume you have to contact it directly.)

We'd advise filling in a separate form for each school anyway. (It probably won't make a good impression if the panel hearing your appeal for the XYZ school see that you've sent them a form arguing that the ABC school is the one that you really want your son to go to! :roll:)

You could certainly copy evidence, though, where appropriate - and this includes the headteacher summary sheet.
(Any attempt to forge the headteacher summary sheet is very likely to be spotted, and won't do much to help the appeal! :lol:)

Any points to do with FCO are also going to be the same.

Re: SB3 appeal thread (Bucks)

Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 11:05 pm
by southbucks3
Thank you SA and Etienne...it's a bit of a minefield isn't it!
I have read your brilliant guidance notes, I promise, but obviously I feel that by not going for the review first I am going against the grain somewhat, so need to get it completely straight in my head.

I wonder if they will ask why we did not go for review? The answer is straight forward...Ds was and is undergoing specialist optometrist care for his eyesight and we wanted a proper diagnostic report from a new optometrist before presenting his case, as all the previous optometrist diagnosis from Jun 2012 onwards were wrong! We also wanted to be sure his visual deterioration could be improved before applying for him to enter a high pressure learning environment, We are happy to say it is now improving, although he still suffers from eye fatigue after reading more than a few pages. (Red watery eyes)

Anyway, thank you for your patience ladies, I will request the forms now, as I am fairly sure they won't have time to change them again before March 3rd.

Re: SB3 appeal thread (Bucks)

Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 12:51 am
by Etienne
southbucks3 wrote:I wonder if they will ask why we did not go for review?
Probably not - but if they do, you have a perfectly good answer! :)

Re: SB3 appeal thread (Bucks)

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 5:34 pm
by Jpk
Etienne wrote:
southbucks3 wrote:I wonder if they will ask why we did not go for review?
Probably not - but if they do, you have a perfectly good answer! :)
I agree with Etienne. You may also consider adding that the time allowed between results and the Selection Review paperwork having to be in (from recollection) something like 14 days. This is clearly not enough time to expect professional optometrists to examine, diagnose / update findings and report these findings for a Selection Review. Further, a SR provides no opportunity for the panel to make enquiries of you, whereas the appeal panel route does. Just another part of an answer to explain why the SR process is not designed for parents / children in your circumstances and could not, despite best efforts of the SR panel, be fair in your circs.

Re: SB3 appeal thread (Bucks)

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 7:39 pm
by southbucks3
Thank you up jpk, any reassuring words I am absorbing like a sponge now, although I really want to stay pessimistic so I don't get upset again.

I am going in with a deliberate negative head, purely based on his 124 cat test mean with a 118 verbal. This still puts him in the top 10% of the country, but I fear it is not enough? The eye specialist says he has been working at a deficit for three years, so it will take a while to catch up, and told me off for being impatient. His comprehension has improved 3 levels because he can work out the meanings of the words and keep up now he is reading better and has eye rest breaks, but verbal reasoning is often out of context. He only got one question wrong on the cat test maths, so I will big that up in a very positive way.

Hey ho, we shall see.