Hi, my son scored 118. I've checked his reports, mostly all maths and literacy above expectation. We live out of county so I'm not sure if our head teacher will have been asked to complete review paperwork before, but will phone the school tomorrow and go and see her. I have an older son who passed the (CEM) the year before last with a very high score and based on the close similarity of both children in aptitude, was expecting this one to pass. I'm worried that we have no specific extenuating circumstances, and have seen on the forum that Pepe don't recommend citing nerves as an extenuating circumstance. But my son was very nervous, he kept saying what if he fails because it's a new test etc. On the day he was absolutely anxious. He also sat right at the front of the hall, and missed out the last maths question even though he'd worked out the answer; if he was further back he said he would have marked it in. What is the best thing to do? I know he's clever enough, but it seems that I can't just say "he's just as clever as his brother" or "he was nervous". I have no doubts about his ability to cope under pressure of lots of work, but exam stress at ten years old is a bit different. I KNOW he's capable and our local comp is so bad that I would almost prefer to take him out of school altogether than send him there. My eldest boy (now 25) went to the local comp as I didn't know about the eleven plus. He was also clever and was bullied for this until he decided to start messing about like everyone else to fit in. He still got all As at GCSE and went on to grammar school where he was encouraged to be himself and wasn't bullied for being bright. I can't bear to see the same thing happen to my youngest. Please advise - what should I say on the review letter?

Have you read all the information here?
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=35032

Have a thorough read through the reviews and appeal section and then come back to us with any specific questions.

Don't dwell on missed questions, etc. It won't help. If I've inferred correctly and your son's suggesting he would have marked the answer after the "pens down" had he been at the back of the room, it's certainly not something to dwell on or raise at the review stage! In all likelihood, on 118 one question was probably not the difference between qualification and non-qualification anyway.

From your description of his nerves, my view is that it's not a reasonable extenuating circumstance. Everyone sat the same test and it was the first of the new test type for everyone, too. You might make a brief reference to his brother qualifying two years ago and him wanting to match that expectation, but don't labour it.

I agree with a brief reference to sibling pressure.

Nothing you write will make much difference, though.
Would the school be in a position to describe him as a very nervous boy in certain situations such as a test?

What will matter most is the academic evidence.

We need to see whether the school will predict 111-120 and GDS for the end of Y6 (in other words, well above expectations).

We also need to see what sort of language this out-of-county school uses to back up the "headteacher recommendation" (2:1, or whatever the recommendation is).
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appea ... cation#b41

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Etienne