Is Anxiety/Stress an extenuating circumstance?

[relaxedMum77]

Sorry me again! Is it normal in a hearing for a panel member to ask what school sibling attends?

It depends on the reason.
The panel member, for example, might be trying to ascertain whether there could be logistical problems, getting children to school.
If so, this would be very reasonable.

He asked if my other child had sat the 11 plus and were they anxious. I said yes he sat it but no, not anxious. Then asked if he passed...i said yes... then they asked what school he attends.... I answered...but wondered if this was relevant? ...especially as my other child attends a different Grammar: would the panel now think "we are obviously their 2nd choice...."?

[ToadMum]

Sorry me again! Is it normal in a hearing for a panel member to ask what school sibling attends?

It depends on the reason.
The panel member, for example, might be trying to ascertain whether there could be logistical problems, getting children to school.
If so, this would be very reasonable.

He asked if my other child had sat the 11 plus and were they anxious. I said yes he sat it but no, not anxious. Then asked if he passed...i said yes... then they asked what school he attends.... I answered...but wondered if this was relevant? ...especially as my other child attends a different Grammar: would the panel now think "we are obviously their 2nd choice...."?

The panel will be well aware that people appeal for more than one school where the one they were allocated is further down their CAF than second place. It is the appellant's legal right and it's only reasonable to assume that s/he put the schools on the CAF in the order they actually wanted them. (Which is why it annoys me when people say something along the lines of, How dare the LA allocate of this unsuitable school!, when they actually told the LA that this was the school that they wanted if their application to, say, one or two others cannot be fulfilled).

And please, it is an Independent Appeal Panel. They may work out that the school for which they are currently considering your appeal is possibly not your first choice, but what they will not be thinking is, 'We are the appellant's 2nd choice'. The panel is their own 'we', not the school's (or yours, for that matter).

[relaxedMum77]

Makes sense, thanks. I suppose I just started wondering "why" ask... as no relevance. Although maybe they wondered if we had a sibling link at the school... it would then make sense!