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Appealing for music places sw herts

Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:18 pm
by angelaht
I can't see any information on music appeals so I am hoping someone here can help me.

DD is currently on the waiting list for our first choice school, I can find no information about likely movement in terms of position. While we are fairly happy with her allocated school, we would have preferred her to go to the girls school rather than the mixed school.

We believe that she may have been disadvantaged at her audition - for reasons I currently prefer to keep confidential but I have outlined in an email to appeals box.

Can someone let me know whether the circumstances mentioned would be suitable for appeal. Also, what supporting evidence should we include e.g. would it be appropriate to include a letter/reference from her music teacher?

Has anyone else specifically appealed for a music place? What advice would you offer?

Re: Appealing for music places sw herts

Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:50 pm
by Etienne
Thanks for the email.
Can someone let me know whether the circumstances mentioned would be suitable for appeal.
I've no particular insight into appeals for a music place, but appeals are basically the same everywhere.
I would have thought the extenuating circumstances worth a mention. However, you might be asked if you raised these points at the earliest opportunity.
    • Some admission authorities may request or require notification of any extenuating circumstances before the test. I recall the governor of a foundation school writing on the forum some years ago that the appeal panel for his school tended not to look sympathetically on extenuating circumstances that had not been brought to the school’s attention at the time.
      http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b32" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
[/quote]
    • The mistake most people make with extenuating circumstances is to overplay them – much better to underplay them!

      In the unlikely event that no one asks a suitable question, and you sense that the hearing is drawing to a close, then you would need to take the initiative and say “I wasn’t sure whether to mention this, but ……….

      http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b10" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
[/quote]
Also, what supporting evidence should we include e.g. would it be appropriate to include a letter/reference from her music teacher?
As with most appeals, I think hard evidence of ability/aptitude is likely to be the key.
The more, the better!

Re: Appealing for music places sw herts

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:37 am
by angelaht
Thank you Etienne.
I've no particular insight into appeals for a music place, but appeals are basically the same everywhere.
I would have thought the extenuating circumstances worth a mention. However, you might be asked if you raised these points at the earliest opportunity.
We haven't contacted anybody regarding these points because there appears to be no information on the SWHerts Consortium website or the Herts Admissions website of how to raise them/who to contact. It suggests that you can ask for a remark of written papers after 1st March but does not mention the music test specifically. I will try and phone the admissions helpline for more information later today.

In the unlikely event that no one asks a suitable question, and you sense that the hearing is drawing to a close, then you would need to take the initiative and say “I wasn’t sure whether to mention this, but ……….”
I think hard evidence of ability/aptitude is likely to be the key.
The more, the better!
We will prepare our appeal on how we feel that the music facilities at the school are best matched to our daughter's abilities and mention the test circumstances if appropriate.

Are we likely to be asked why we did not also enter her for the academic tests?

Re: Appealing for music places sw herts

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:53 am
by Hera
I do know one person who won an appeal for a music place at the girls school. As far as I know the tack they took was to focus on ability and suitability rather than extenuating circumstances. From the score you posted you are only one mark off. Do you know where you are on the waiting list?

Re: Appealing for music places sw herts

Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:01 am
by angelaht
Hi Hera,
She is quite far down on the waiting list even though she is just 1 point off . I can't imagine so many girls above her will give up their places - I haven't been able to find any posts here which suggest there is much movement on the music list. WGGS does seem exceptionally high this year compared to the other consortium schools. :(