Appeal panel just asked me filler questions!!

[Musty35]

Had my appeal last week for non qualification and oversubscription. Think we had decent case due to extenuating circumstances and excellent academic record backed up by teachers. Covered reasons why best school for DD. DD's ranking very close to last in but no movement on list.

However when it came to questions from the panel, all they asked was how DD would get to school, whether any of her friends are going to allocated school and whether we had seen allocated school. All of which were not relevant to my presentation. Does this mean the panel were not interested in what we had to say or our case? Came out feeling very flat.

Feel like we no chance as a result.

Has anyone been successful at appeal and had similar filler questions asked? looking through the stickies it seems that successful appellants had relevant questions.

Thanks

[Tinkers]

I think BaileyLane had a similar issue recently. (If you search for one of their posts you should find it.

[Musty35]

Thank you, I will do. Also meant to add that after results will post the appeal experience in Stickies as no one has done it for ages and it was so helpful to me

[Tinkers]

Here you go.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 35&t=46988" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BaileyLane]

Hello! Yes, I had a similar experience last week but have not heard yet whether or not we were successful. My gut tells me not, unfortunately.

I was quite disappointed by the lack of (what I would consider) 'insightful' questions. The ones asked didn't seem to have any relevance to our appeal circumstances at all, and I am still puzzled over why they would ask what they did - e.g. did my son have a best friend?

Bizarre!

[FluffyCat]

Perhaps you put a clear and concise case and the panel felt that you had covered it perfectly?

Did the panel ask questions of the school?

[capers123]

Perhaps you put a clear and concise case and the panel felt that you had covered it perfectly?

I've done that on occassion - we do, very thoroughly, read the papers before we get to the appeal, and if one has already answered everything we need to know on paper, it's difficult to try and come up with more questions other than fillers. After all, the panel can't say "thanks, we've got all we need, now go away" (at least, not without really winding up the parents)!

[Musty35]

Thanks for all your responses. At least i know i'm not alone. The panel did not ask the school any questions but we were the 8th appeal that day.

Capers123 i understand that sometimes there are not points that need clarifying but i cant see why they wouldnt ask us anything at all relating to our DD and the GS or about her as a person. Asking us twice whether we'd seen the allocated school was just odd. It made me feel like it was a total waste of time, a huge amount of effort put in for nothing.

Do you think i should write to our local authority once results are in (which i'm pretty certain are not in our favour) requesting that they forward feedback to appeal panel asking them to be a little more thoughtful when asking parents questions as maybe will spare some others feeling the same way after their appeal.