Specialist Appeals advice

Consult our experts on 11 Plus appeals or any other type of school appeal

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kentmum33
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:30 pm

Specialist Appeals advice

Post by kentmum33 »

My daughter recently took her 11+. It sounds as though she had no problems with the VR, NVR or english papers, but did not finish the maths paper, with as many as 5 - 7 questions outstanding (did not wish to interogate her too much!!) Although she has had to work hard at her maths, she was achieving 80 - 90% in the practice papers at school in the week leading up to the exams.

Results are not out for another seven weeks (aaahh!) , but i am already thinking about the possible appeals process. I have read the Q and A section regarding appeals, but feel overwhelmed at the thought of having to go this alone. I note that there are a number of individuals and companies that offer specialist appeals support and advice and who will help parents put together an appeal. I wondered if anyone had any experience with them, and how useful they found them. Any advice gratefully recieved !!!
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Specialist Appeals advice

Post by capers123 »

kentmum33 wrote:I note that there are a number of individuals and companies that offer specialist appeals support and advice and who will help parents put together an appeal. I wondered if anyone had any experience with them, and how useful they found them. Any advice gratefully recieved !!!
I would try & do it myself. I have no proof that appeals I've heard have been professionally created, although I often have had suspicions - all the elements are there to supposedly tick the right boxes. But in my experience, an appeal is just as likely to succeed when the parents submits one hand written sheet of A4 as if they submit a ring-binder full of 'evidence'. What we look for are the reasons the child didn't do well on the day of the exam. Don't bother with piles of certificates showing how good she is at doing knots at Guides or playing stoolball at a national level.

If you have any evidence you can put together now as to why she didn't do so well in the maths exam, gather it now. Then come back for more advice should you need it in 8 weeks - hopefully we won't see you again!
Capers
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

I strongly agree with Capers.

The appeal system was devised so that parents did not have to pay for professional advice or seek a remedy in the courts.

Even if you don't present your case well, a good panel (and that is the vast majority of panels) will tease out the important facts.

A panel has an "enabling role" when parents find the process difficult, and will be sympathetic. On the other hand, they will see through a slick presentation and not be impressed.

My experience, when the adviser actually came along to the hearing, was invariably that the parents would have been better off without his or her input. I can think of only one case when I was really impressed ........ but we would have upheld that appeal anyway!

Some advisers claim high success rates. They might, of course, be picking and choosing their cases - and even then, a successful outcome might well be despite their efforts not because of them.

Forumadmin offered to pay for the work that went into the Q&As. I declined, but offered to let him charge for access to help cover his running expenses. He declined.

A helping hand is always welcome - but you can get that for free on this forum ....... :D
Etienne
Ed's mum
Posts: 3310
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:47 am
Location: Warwickshire.

Post by Ed's mum »

Thank you Etienne and Forumadmin.
I hope I shall never have to ask for appeals advice (!) but the level of support that this forum provides is fantastic, and FREE!!
:mrgreen:
You should feel proud.
kentmum33
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:30 pm

Post by kentmum33 »

Thankyou both for your advice. I may be worrying unnecessarily of course, and there is the possibility of a headteacher appeal if her scores are just short of the pass mark. But I am finding that being prepared for every eventuality is keeping those nerves at bay!! Thanks again.
mummalea01
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:48 pm

Post by mummalea01 »

Dear Kentmum33, we have consulted an 'expert' for our daughter's 11+ appeal tomorrow. We needed advice from someone who knew the system (more than her own headteacher as it turns out!) and support from a third party as to how relevant or lame our evidence chest is. He gave us a realistic view of our chances (slim to nil would be kind, actually) which has put a whole new perspective on things. We have no false hope, we have given it our best and we feel she deserves the greatest effort we can put into this appeal, given that she's been doing all the hard work thus far. We are now aware that this procedure will not simply be a 'cosy chat' where we turn up and read from one side of A4 and go through on the nod, but we are also aware that people DO get through - so why not give it the best shot you've got? Here's to all the stressed out, anxious parents out there not getting any sleep!
kentmum33
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:30 pm

Post by kentmum33 »

Dear mummalea01,
Thankyou for your comments, which have certainly given me food for thought. Good luck for your appeal tommorow, heres hoping that your daughter is one of those that DO get through.
Best wishes.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

For the record the success rate of people on this forum last year was better than average ....
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Post by capers123 »

Etienne wrote:Even if you don't present your case well, a good panel (and that is the vast majority of panels) will tease out the important facts.

A panel has an "enabling role" when parents find the process difficult, and will be sympathetic. On the other hand, they will see through a slick presentation and not be impressed.
Yep, we do try to tease out facts that parents may have overlooked, especially with poorer presentations. Sometimes we're really surprised when, upon our prompting, the parent pipes up with 'Oh, yes, granny died the morning of the exam, but I didn't think that would be important', and of course it is then taken into account.

I do remember one slick presentation that the other two panel members thought they had 'seen through', but I was unconvinced that it was professional. We didn't allow the appeal (2 to 1 decision, unusual for us). I then bumped into the dad at the municipal tip and chatted to him. Both parents were doctors of science, and had spent ages putting the appeal together in the format they would do for a work-based presentation. The mum got a warning from work for the amount of work-time she dedicated to putting it together. Son didn't get in that year. However, he took 12+ and got in the next year without tutoring (I bumped into the parents at an orchestral workshop!). Problem is, this is a small community, so some contact with some parents after the event is quite likely. Anyone known to me before the appeal, of course, is something I declare at every opportunity.
Capers
hermanmunster
Posts: 12816
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Hi Capers

Interesting you say that about the professional appeals - has always struck me that it must be very difficult to present an appeal if you are not used to presenting information to others eg at work. If you are used to it - it is much easier to make the points / stick to the time /not confuse yourself or others while you are at it.
I recently went to a planning committe and the woman who was speaeking opposing the application in question obviously was not used to sepaking in public - got jumbled with what she wanted to say - went off at a tangent nd only got half way through before being stopped. Difficult as amngst her group of supporters there were many who could have managed it imply becasue it was part of their everyday work - also they would not have got nearlyas nervous as she did.
reckon it Must be tricky for panels sorting through which appeals are professionally done and those which are simply parents who have done this sort of thing before.

Herman
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