Selection review - Bucks

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Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Selection review - Bucks

Post by Amber »

You could go for the bereavement option instead - I swear I read one about a hamster once, and it wasn't even the child's own beloved pet but one from next door or something.

Some of the stories I have heard just beg you to try a spoof of 'step-granny, whom he has only met once but is still very close to, had a message from her dead dog beyond the grave telling her that the world was about to end, and he was understandably traumatised...'.

Sorry, not meaning to make light of it but one does wonder how the panel decides who is genuine and who isn't. Personally I would be more inclined to support someone who wasn't trying to make excuses, but then that is me - I don't like dishonesty and neither do I like injustice.

Hope you both sort this out, Rags and DollyDM (great name btw).
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Selection review - Bucks

Post by Etienne »

I swear I read one about a hamster once
I'm afraid the hamster/pet rabbit story used to be (and probably still is) an anecdote among panel members ........
one does wonder how the panel decides who is genuine and who isn't.
Usually that's easy:
"So the hamster died 10 months before the test? Could you explain why this had such an impact on one day in September, but school work doesn't appear to have been affected throughout the preceding 10 months? The 'working at' levels at the end of Y5 seem rather good, don't they?"

A review panel wouldn't have the opportunity to pose any questions, of course - they would just tick the box that says "extenuating circumstances don't fully explain shortfall in marks."

Extenuating circumstances are discussed at some length in the Q&As.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b10" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Etienne
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Selection review - Bucks

Post by Amber »

Etienne wrote:Usually that's easy:
"So the hamster died 10 months before the test? Could you explain why this had such an impact on one day in September, but school work doesn't appear to have been affected throughout the preceding 10 months? The 'working at' levels at the end of Y5 seem rather good, don't they?"
It was post-traumatic stress disorder (delayed onset) - PTSDDO. Have you not heard of that?

Sorry, will get out now. :oops:
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Selection review - Bucks

Post by Etienne »

It was post-traumatic stress disorder (delayed onset) - PTSDDO. Have you not heard of that?
That will do nicely! :lol:

All we need now is a letter from the GP to confirm the diagnosis ....... and preferably not one that says "Mrs. X tells me that little X is suffering from PTSDDO". :wink:
Etienne
Peridot
Posts: 2195
Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 5:02 pm

Re: Selection review - Bucks

Post by Peridot »

You know whatever happens and however good/bad I feel there is always something on this forum to make me smile... Hope that's the same for many of the rest of you, however you are feeling about results/appeals/GCSEs/A levels or whatever.

Etienne and Amber have done it for me today - thank you!
heartmum
Posts: 1154
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:35 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Selection review - Bucks

Post by heartmum »

Feeling for you Dollydripmat/Rags - it's such a horrible system to go through. We do have a medical condition (only diagnosed January) and will have a letter to support that, but as RobC said (and being through the old appeal system before) it is no guarantee of anything! It still is just about showing clear evidence that your child is academically bright, at a level suitable for grammar and they will cope! Sometimes though, even with all the evidence behind you it still doesn't go the way it should ... :roll:
Heartmum x x x
Rags
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 6:43 pm

Re: Selection review - Bucks

Post by Rags »

Thanks for the support guys (funny how much you don't need support - until you do.)

Southbucks - evidence - yeah. All we have is the school's data, and the close miss on the 11+. That's it. If that's not enough, we're sunk.

And I wasn't in anyway trying to suggest that there aren't valid medical reasons why some people do badly on the day (I managed to blow a set of exams due to shingles, so I know it can happen) - only that they can occasionally appear awfully convenient - and that we won't be trying that route!

heartmum - you are absolutely right - a grammar school place is no guarantee of anything - one of our older son's friends in a comprehensive recently got just one A in his GCSEs - but that was his lowest mark .... yes, the rest were all A*. So it's not the end of the world in any instance. But from our DC's temperament and sociability, putting her into the local upper school would be a disaster for her. If a grammar school place isn't forthcoming we will have to consider our options, because she is NOT going there!

Hope your DD fully recovered Rob.

Now then .. we did have a cat die last year ... maybe some traction there ... (ok, maybe not)
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Selection review - Bucks

Post by southbucks3 »

Now then .. we did have a cat die last year ... maybe some traction there ... (ok, maybe not)
You ran your cat over with a traction engine just in case you needed an 11+ miss excuse....wow that is harsh! :lol:
heartmum
Posts: 1154
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:35 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Selection review - Bucks

Post by heartmum »

Rags wrote:...from our DC's temperament and sociability, putting her into the local upper school would be a disaster for her. If a grammar school place isn't forthcoming we will have to consider our options, because she is NOT going there!
Your DC sounds like mine .. with two older DCs at grammar I know what is expected of them, how/level they work at and I know it is the right learning environment and that DC would excel. In fact, out of my three, DC3 is probably the one who is the perfect mould for a grammar environment, most academic out of the three (the other two are flying at grammar school) but from a test result it seems otherwise ... so frustrating that it takes a mistake in a test to determine the school. :roll: :(

... can't use the pet excuse, we don't have any, of course DC could have had an imaginary pet that sadly died the night before :wink: :lol:
Heartmum x x x
confusedmum.com
Posts: 57
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 12:13 pm

Re: Selection review - Bucks

Post by confusedmum.com »

SB3 - I've seen your posts today and you are in a naughty mood. Next you will be recommending an imaginary pet unicorn, gets run over with a traction engine the night before the 11+ - that would certainly be cause for extraordinary circumstances and grounds for appeal.

Just want to apologiese - I dont want to trivalise this thread. I know, from experience, how very stressful it is to appeal and how much of your life it takes over. Sometimes it is good to have a little laugh. Wishing the best to all those who are in the review / appeal situation this year. This is a fantastic web site, full of very good advise and tons of support.
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