Head admits mistake, makes appeal and plea, still refused!!!

[Charlotte67]

JIMBO,

I say go for it (if you have the energy). You can always say you've changed your mind if/when the time comes.

Good luck!

[JIMBO]

I noticed that "perplexed" seems to wonder why I would want my son to sit the 11 plus anyway.
The only reason was this. We may have needed to move this year to an area where, unfortunately for them, their local comp is doing well below what it should be doing. Without travelling many many miles the 11 plus would have given him a choice. Simple really - it was not because I am passionate about selective schools believe me!!

[perplexed]

Now I really am extremely perplexed!! Which bit of my reply made you think that I wondered why you went down the 11+ route? If you read through the thread again you will see a lot of helpful suggestions from various people in the thread, including me.

There are at least two people (including me) who are suggesting you should have a go at an appeal. I know from your other replies that you have decided against this, but as you only wrote in a few days ago asking for help, I think this is why people are advising you to at least think again.

You obviously sincerely believe that your son was of 11+ ability and it was the headmistress's TWO errors that lead to him failing. To me, it was the way that she dealt with the resit that compounded her first silly error of handing out the wrong paper. Depending on how she explained it, it could have made the resit harder for any child, whether or not they had Asperger's Syndrome.

Good luck.

[Appeal Mum]

She is devasted, so much so that she will never allow the 11 plus to be taken at her school again.

Fifthly, the most unfair thing seems to be the head saying that no-one else can do the 11+ ---- is this really within her powers? She sounds a little odd?????

Perplexed,

I think you will find it is up to the headteacher if she allows the 11+ to be sat in her school. She cannot stop children from sitting it at test centres, but she can stop it taking place within her school.

AM

[perplexed]

Useful to know that is possible in Lincolnshire. I do hope it is not possible in Kent where all state primaries are expected to host 11+ exams. Even though it is within her powers in Lincolnshire, I still think it is a bit of knee jerk reaction rather than apologising to JIMBO and getting her act together for other children who may wish to sit it at her school in future years. It can't be that hard to administrate can it? It seems a shame that it is her two errors (wrong paper, then not giving the parent a chance to prepare son for resit) which have spoilt JIMBOs son's chances, and the whole thing has put the parents off appealing, when loads of parents over the country appeal over lesser things than this.

[a worried mum in crisis]

hi jimbo
sorry to hear your news
i reckon you have still got a good enough case to give the LEA a run for thier money lol you need the backing of your headteacher which you have so i say GO FOR IT you have nothing to lose apart from your sanity that is

[Katie]

Hi Jimbo

Just checking on your thread I was surprised to see that you'd made your decision. We went through a great deal of soul searching before appealing for our child. I was told by the school's admission's officer that my appeal would definitely not be upheld before I even launched the appeal.
We weighed up all the pros and cons - as you seem to be doing and finally appealed. The out some of the appeal was not our reason for entering the process - sounds odd - but we knew there was no chance. The school we appealed for has never upheld any child's appeal for whatever reason in almost a decade, essentially they have it sewn up.
We chose to appeal because we wnated to make sure we had done our best for our child. If you have time - wait a little longer before making your final decision. Best of luck whatever you decide.