In a quandary over going to Selection Review or to gamble everything on the IAP route

Child scored 117 overall (100 on numerical, 117 on verbal, big score on non-verbal)

DC more creative brained then 'traditional' academic and as a result the very traditional HT is not at all supportive (HT sits on appeal panels apparently) his advice is DC 'doesn't stand a chance at appeal', given past SAT scores of 110-114 so he won't support appeal because he has his own 'credibility to consider and the academics don't add up'. (My own view is that they have DC pigeon-holed as a bit of a dreamer/lacks concentration and have never got the best out of him as a result)

Having had two kids go through grammar I am fully aware of the grammar system and how it works, and I am confident that DC would thrive once at the right Grammar, and DC SATS have been steadily improving over the last few years.

Extenuating circumstances including a very close family member with advanced cancer going through Chemo in the run up, and DC lives between two different homes (divorced, warring parents). Obviously desperate to got to school with older sibling in what has become a familiar environment. DC very committed to school community activities (is this clutching at straws?)

Given the massive lack of support from the HT is it worth doing the SR?
Concerned that if it fails much more difficult to succeed at IAP

Any views/insights appreciated!

Without support from the HT a review is harder. What HT recommendation did he give? How accurate were his predictions? What are the KS2 predictions?

From what you say I fel an appeal might be the better route for you. I'm sure Etienne will be along later to comment but time is short to get review paperwork in.

As Guest55 says, an appeal possibly looks a better bet. If your son's academic performance has been and is improving, you may have more evidence and therefore a stronger academic case in the summer. It will also give you more time to gather any useful evidence of your extenuating circumstances, but these aren't any good on their own - you need to prove the academic case for qualification first. You might have an over-subscription hurdle to get over by then though, as well, so appealing can be risky.

Something else to consider is the 12+. It is a long-shot because it requires qualification on another test, there being a place at a grammar school and your son being at the top of the admissions criteria to get the place ahead of someone else.

Welcome to Appeals!

117 seems a respectable score (i.e. not too far short of 121).

However, I agree that it's going to be difficult to win a review without the head's support - there would need to be convincing alternative evidence.
What would your evidence be?
Some very high CAT or WISC scores? Predictions of 111+ and GDS for the end of Y6?
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appea ... cation#b11

As pointed out further above, we don't know what the headteacher recommendation is in your case (is it a '3' or a '4', I wonder?).

We don't know how reliable the school's overall recommendations have been. We caution elsewhere of headteachers who are too generous with their recommendations and therefore lack credibility - but the other extreme could also be possible. In other words, if the head is perceived to be too strict, this might to some extent compensate for an apparent lack of support, and work to your advantage at a review or appeal.

Yes!
I'm afraid it has no relevance at all to the issues that will be considered.

This sounds sufficient for a score of 117. Might be best presented at an appeal where you would be face to face with the panel, and have the opportunity to respond to any questions about the impact of extenuating circumstances.

The older sibling could also be a useful argument in the event of an appeal where you would probably have to counter oversubscription.

_________________
Etienne

Thanks all! Sounds like IAP as I suspected.

Couple of other bits of info

HT put in a 2:2 before test

Very recent yr 6 SAT result was 119 weighted, 121 unweighted (i.e. Incl Spatial)

Don't have KS2 prediction although have requested one.

The highest standardised score is 120 ... so I'm not sure what the teacher has done here.

How many 2:2s qualified? What the Head has said does not match a '2:2' ...

Etienne, thank you for the welcome.



I don't have any more data other then this
I guess the key questions is at what point SR became a better option then IAP. We have
2:2 in terms of HT pre-report
117 total score (with a massive bias in one area - nb does that matter)
Evidence from most recent CAT that 121 is achievable if not yet achieved (progress over time from 110 to 119/121 in CATs). Is this the 111+ you refer to?

I need to understand
Do we need KS2 5 rating?
Don't have a WISC score - I can see this could help at appeal but needs separate assessment. Is that right?
Don't have GDS scores either - is this something the school should provide me with?

Heads predictions reliability - no idea on this. Is there any way to find out? Are the school obliged to divulge?

Thanks in advance for any help.

121 v 120 - Maybe underlines why DC math score was comparatively low?!...

No idea re 2:2s qualifying. Could that be prejudicing the HT mindset re supporting this one?

Ideal predictions for KS2 are: Reading 110 - 120, Maths 110 - 120, Writing GDS

Ideally CATs would be higher than 121.

If you PM me the name of the school, I can look back at the reliability of the Head's recommendations in past years.