Help - Appeal Submission Advice

[bucksdad8623]

Hi Purplerabbit,

Sorry, I shouldn’t seek advice on a subject you don’t feel comfortable with.
I have found a reference to the length of time for the oral presentation. I will try and cut down my statement to 10 minutes or less.

Thanks

[Etienne]

At the end of the meeting the panel agreed that there would be prejudice to the school of further admissions, and the admission arrangements had been properly implemented.
Does this mean the panel agreed that communication from admissions had been clear?

I agree that it's confusing, but I don't believe they would have been taking decisions on FCO at this point, when they haven't even heard what you want to say about your individual review at stage two.

I think that it is fine to bring up general points at Stage 1 but you could then turn them into specific points for your stage 2.

I would agree with purplerabbit.

If you would have preferred to go straight to an appeal (if only everything had been properly explained to you at the point when you had to decide what to do), then tell the panel that you feel misled into a review, and ask whether this can possibly be fair. Point out that you would have put more faith in an independent panel, and a system which allows you to make representations in person, even if going straight to an appeal meant the school would be full by the time of the hearing.

As far as FCO is concerned, at stage two you ought to be asking specific questions relating to your situation and the clerk's record of your review.

I’ve prepared a draft statement which is more than 3500 words long

I turned pale when I read this!
Thankfully you have since found http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Five to ten minutes is what I recommend - but this excludes questions you wish to raise about FCO. (FCO is really the admission authority's case, not yours, so I wouldn't count questioning the admission authority as part of your own case.)

Think about how you're going to sum up at the end.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b49" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bucksdad8623]

Sorry Etienne, I didn’t mean to scare you.
I am trying a new tactic of boring the panel into submission.
Seriously I agree it is too long, it took me 18 minutes to read of which 7 minutes was related to FCO.
The reason it took 7 minutes was I structured it such that I made a point which lead to a question.
Do you know of a better approach?

[Etienne]

As I've written elsewhere recently,

• • "One question could be a one-liner, whereas another could be the equivalent of a whole paragraph!"

I accept that FCO is complicated, but you're meant to be asking questions at this point, so I think the sooner you can get to the question, the better.

The following is only an example.

Let's take my paragraph:

• • "If you would have preferred to go straight to an appeal (if only everything had been properly explained to you at the point when you had to decide what to do), then tell the panel that you feel misled into a review, and ask whether this can possibly be fair. Point out that you would have put more faith in an independent panel, and a system which allows you to make representations in person, even if going straight to an appeal meant the school would be full by the time of the hearing".

This needs to be turned into a question as soon as possible:

• • "I know we discussed this in general at stage one, but in my particular case I feel I was misled into a review - can that possibly be fair?"

You might get an immediate concession -

• • "No, it wasn't."

More likely would be an exchange of follow-up questions and answers. For example, the discussion might possibly go as follows:

• • "Why do you say that?"
    
    "Because if only everything had been properly explained at the point when I had to decide what to do, I would have opted for an unfettered hearing in front of an independent panel. Why is there no obvious explanation on here?" [Hold up yellow form]
    
    "What's that?"
    
    "It's the document we get sent immediately after the 11+ results. Isn't the whole system designed to direct parents towards a review without clearly explaining the consequences at the critical time?"
    
    "We've already dealt with this at stage one."
    
    "With respect, I'm not asking the panel to take a general decision. I'm asking the Presenting Officer whether, in my particular case, it can possibly be fair that I was not properly informed at the crucial time?"
    
    "You do realise that for anyone going straight to an appeal, there would be no places left?"
    
    "Yes, but that would have been my informed choice. With respect, you've very kindly given me the opportunity to question the Presenting Officer about FCO, and yet I'm the one being questioned. My question to Mr. PO is very simple - is what happened to me fair?"

The point I'm making is that a series of short questions is infinitely better than a single question with an introduction equal in length to a paragraph!

Note too that you may be put on the defensive. By all means answer any points put to you, but very politely keep coming back to the key question you want answered!

[bucksdad8623]

Thanks Etienne,
I'll follow your advice and ask a number of short questions.
I will follow the approach of trying to plan for all the possible responses from the PO, and therefore be more prepared.

[bucksdad8623]

Hi Everyone,
I’ve just received the admission authority’s case for our second school appeal.
Reading through the school’s case they’ve included a net capacity calculation, it was a little hard going but I got through it!!

Given the school’s an academy, does anyone know why they included this information as I thought they didn’t need to complete it?

The net capacity calculation uses a ‘utilisation factor’ to calculate the maximum capacity.

Can anyone comment on how the school choose this number and what the average utilisation factor is for Bucks?
Thanks

[Etienne]

Given the school’s an academy, does anyone know why they included this information as I thought they didn’t need to complete it?

They don't have to provide it - but there's nothing to stop them doing so if they think it might help their case with regard to accommodation.
Or perhaps they're including it just in the interests of 'transparency'.

Can anyone comment on how the school choose this number and what the average utilisation factor is for Bucks?

I'm not sure the school chooses a number - wouldn't they just make as much use as possible of the space available?

90% seems to be a standard number. I suspect in practice most secondary schools would probably have 90-95% utilisation.

[bucksdad8623]

Thanks Etienne,
The school has chosen at figure of 0.71 which obviously reduces the maximum capacity compared to using a figure of 0.9.
Interestingly their maximum capacity is greater than the total of pupils due at the school from September. I thought this difference was to account for having to accommodate children with special needs, but then I read this has already being accounted for in the PAN.
My feeling is there is scope for arguing that extra pupils could be accommodated up to the maximum capacity, I’ve probably misunderstood things but any comments would be welcome.
Thanks

[Etienne]

My feeling is there is scope for arguing that extra pupils could be accommodated up to the maximum capacity, I’ve probably misunderstood things but any comments would be welcome.

A questioning approach is best. Start by asking the Presenting Officer to explain the 0.71.

(You deserve a medal for reading the whole net capacity assessment! )

[bucksdad8623]

Hi Everyone,
Please can anyone advise me on whether to mention at appeal the fact that my DS now does Kumon maths and English.
He started after we got the 11+ results and for him it’s made a huge difference.
I’m not sure which way the panel will view it. They may think he’s getting support in key areas and therefore doesn’t need to go to a grammar school.
Alternatively they may think the Kumon is improving him academically and he will therefore be able to cope in a grammar school.
Please can anyone suggest how, or whether I should mention this?
Thanks