Are grammar schools allergic to helping parents at appeal?
Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators
Are grammar schools allergic to helping parents at appeal?
Dear all,
We have just had our appeal for an 'elite' girls' grammar in the London area. From day one I found it was made difficult to go about an appeal process. Though water under the bridge, I wondered how much of this goes on. And I hope that mentioning it here will help future parents be prepared in the information gathering process. For us, examples include;
1. The non offer letter did not refer to an appeal process at all. I understand this contradicts the Code in para 2.5 (2012 on edition).
2. The school would not reply to sensitive appeal related emails with the original email attached, but start a fresh email in response, this would leave the parent having to convince a panel of the connection if any valuable information arose out if this. The school would however be happy to attach original emails when dealing with not sensitive emails.
3. In a case of a very time sensitive email, it was answer three full days late, which went against all previous replies of no more than 1.5hrs. The information requested was not difficult but did include questions on net capacity and staff numbers (which would have helped in our case, but was not presentable at hearingf due to lateness). My email to the school stated clearly our appeal date and I am in no doubt the admissions people would have checked and chose to reply after the submission deadline.
TIP : ask relevant question well in advance.
TIP 2: if you have to speak to them in person, back it up with an email confirming the conversation.
For any moderators, I have placed an email in the appealsbox email address.
Rgds.
We have just had our appeal for an 'elite' girls' grammar in the London area. From day one I found it was made difficult to go about an appeal process. Though water under the bridge, I wondered how much of this goes on. And I hope that mentioning it here will help future parents be prepared in the information gathering process. For us, examples include;
1. The non offer letter did not refer to an appeal process at all. I understand this contradicts the Code in para 2.5 (2012 on edition).
2. The school would not reply to sensitive appeal related emails with the original email attached, but start a fresh email in response, this would leave the parent having to convince a panel of the connection if any valuable information arose out if this. The school would however be happy to attach original emails when dealing with not sensitive emails.
3. In a case of a very time sensitive email, it was answer three full days late, which went against all previous replies of no more than 1.5hrs. The information requested was not difficult but did include questions on net capacity and staff numbers (which would have helped in our case, but was not presentable at hearingf due to lateness). My email to the school stated clearly our appeal date and I am in no doubt the admissions people would have checked and chose to reply after the submission deadline.
TIP : ask relevant question well in advance.
TIP 2: if you have to speak to them in person, back it up with an email confirming the conversation.
For any moderators, I have placed an email in the appealsbox email address.
Rgds.
Re: Are grammar schools allergic to helping parents at appea
Not for a London GS but I contacted the schools that I was appealing for to ask for all sorts of information. They were all helpful to some extent giving information on the schools which I used to show why the schools would be a good match for dd. I even emailed one school to get confirmation of levels that year 7 students achieve and used the email to back up levels that I submitted at the appeal. So my experience was different from yours.
Re: Are grammar schools allergic to helping parents at appea
On the whole we haven't come across schools being deliberately obstructive (which is not to say that it doesn't happen sometimes).
I assume that in practice you've not been disadvantaged (as you've had an appeal), but you could still consider complaining to the EFA.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/ombudsman#d6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Unless they have a very good explanation, the admission authority is likely to be reprimanded.
I agree that, if parents are not being informed of their right to appeal when a place is refused, then para. 2.5 appears to have been breached.llam wrote:1. The non offer letter did not refer to an appeal process at all. I understand this contradicts the Code in para 2.5 (2012 on edition).
I assume that in practice you've not been disadvantaged (as you've had an appeal), but you could still consider complaining to the EFA.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/ombudsman#d6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Unless they have a very good explanation, the admission authority is likely to be reprimanded.
I think someone would need to raise a specific instance of where they may have been disadvantaged.2. The school would not reply to sensitive appeal related emails with the original email attached, but start a fresh email in response, this would leave the parent having to convince a panel of the connection if any valuable information arose out if this. The school would however be happy to attach original emails when dealing with not sensitive emails.
If information was received late, I would have thought3. In a case of a very time sensitive email, it was answer three full days late, which went against all previous replies of no more than 1.5hrs. The information requested was not difficult but did include questions on net capacity and staff numbers (which would have helped in our case, but was not presentable at hearingf due to lateness). My email to the school stated clearly our appeal date and I am in no doubt the admissions people would have checked and chose to reply after the submission deadline.
- (a) the clerk's notes should show whether the panel properly considered what to do, e.g. whether an adjournment would be necessary, and
(b) that you should have been told of their decision. (However, if they said nothing, it would be a reasonable assumption that the new information was considered, and the clerk's notes ought to show what view they took of the evidence.)
- (a) the clerk's notes should show whether the panel properly considered what to do, e.g. whether an adjournment would be necessary, and
- 2.10 ......... An appeal panel must decide whether any material not submitted by the specified deadline is to be considered, taking into account its significance and the effect of a possible need to adjourn the hearing.
Etienne
