11 Plus Exams Forum

Having read the sad posts recently, I would like to say to everyone who has an appeal yet to come - please don't give up.

We felt we didn't have a strong case, in fact the only reason we decided to go through with it was that it would make our case to take the 12+ stronger. The Appeal Panel grilled us thoroughly (and considerately) - my biggest fear had been that they would tell us our case was awful!! I felt that I kept on saying, "I'm sorry, I don't know". However, we did the best we could and provided as much information as we could.

Dissecting the Appeal afterwards - as you do - I thought that we had totally blown it! The LEA man told us, as we were waiting outside afterwards, that we had sold our son short - we should have emphasised his G&T! Then the Legal clerk refused to make eye contact when he returned our papers.

However, we were successful (the letter really did say 'pleased' and 'successful'!!) I still can't believe it!

So, please don't give up - the panel will ask penetrating questions, but they are human (they told us that if we needed a break at any time they would stop for us). And, of course the very best of luck.

Great news flinty - well done! It just goes to show that you cannot always tell what the panel are thinking.

Dear Flinty - Congrats!

Thanks for your words of encouragement. Our appeal was yesterday, and although I had quite a good nights sleep (the first time in three months) I still woke up thinking about the ordeal yesterday.

The only thing that stuck in my mind was the chairman saying " your daughter is obviously very bright and we have a good understanding of her capabilities" just as we were about to go out. But then I started thinking that she was just lulling us into a false sense of security.


Hope you don't mind me asking, although your child is G & T, what was the other score - one of them was the same as our daughter's - the 118, but she failed miserably on the first test at 112, although she was the youngest girl in the class.

And I must say that I did not think it right what the LEA rep said (just to make you feel great!). I thought they were supposed to be impartial. After our appeal I said I wonder if they are going to take a long time looking at our extra evidence - to which he replied "well you did include rather a lot of extra stuff". so I told him that we were supposed to the further away from 120, to which he agreed.

Anyway, at 118 we were told by the head that it was 50/50, although not everyone has a level playing field.

Still living in hope, but if unsuccessful, will definitely go for 12+

hi

other score was 115.

We were totally on for the 12+ - we had booked interviews at a couple of schools to find out their attitude to 12+ and what they would do to ensure that he was stretched for the G&T, and had talked to his current head about all our possible options. I think at that stage we needed closure and to move on - which, of course happened in the manner I hadn't let myself contemplate.

Good luck!

Hi Flinty

Well done, and congratulations! On 118/115 this was definitely a hard fought and well deserved result.

All the unearthing academic evidence from under stones obviously paid off!

Dejavu - I like that comment from the Chairman. You can' read anything in to it, but it is a good comment to take away with you, regardless of the result.

Sally-Anne