Our 11+ journey

[Darewehope]

Hi, hope you are all well.
Is anybody able to advise on when I need to get the evidence in for my son’s appeal. I know it is uncertain what will be happening with COVID -19. I think it has to be 10 days before our appeal date. So mid April at latest? I am a nurse at the hospital and am working lots of extra shifts. Given that work is getting busier every day I suppose I should try and do it this weekend. I thought that I was going to have lots of time to collate evidence and write a good supporting letter but I just feel that I don’t have the mental strength or time to deal with it all right now. Can I just get his headteacher to write a supporting letter (if he has time) and include the grades he got in SATS in March all GDS and spelling and reading ages. It’s all the academic evidence we have. It was a long shot anyway and I feel that we have come this far anyway so might as well give it a go. If anything it has put it all in perspective!

[Weakandwobbly]

I take my hat off to you working as a nurse and trying to sort out school. I can appreciate the stress. If you didn't have time to get the EP assessment, then I would contact the school office if it is still open and do as you suggest. Be quick though--our school was open for key worker's children last week, but will be closed next week. Keep us posted in case we can help. Best of luck!

[Etienne]

I think it has to be 10 days before our appeal date

Technically it's 10 school days.
But school days don't exist when schools are closed, and you haven't got an appeal date (for which you are entitled to have 10 school days' notice)!

Whatever the date of your stage one, and whatever form it takes, I expect you to be given a fortnight's advance notice. I suggest that, when you receive notice of the appeal, that is the time to submit any late evidence.
Quite honestly, though, I don't think anyone is going to mind if you're a bit later than that.
I've not even heard of anyone being refused permission to present new evidence on the day of the appeal (so long as it's not 20+ pages long!). If you were to explain to the panel that you've been working extra/late shifts as a nurse, and how difficult it has been in these circumstances to collate evidence, I'm sure they'd be very, very sympathetic.
For more about late evidence, see:
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Appeals in Bucks normally start at the end of April or beginning of May. I can't see it happening this year.

[Darewehope]

Once again, thank you!

[Darewehope]

Hello all, I hope you are all well.

I have a day off and am writing our letter to the appeal panel and collating all the evidence. I have a few more questions about over subscription again if any of you are able to offer advice.

I note that in one of the examples it says to mention family links to the school. Is it too tenuious to mention that his father and four Uncles attended AGS (the youngest left in 2017)? Will it look like I am clutching at straws?!

The two schools we are applying for are academy's so can't see specialisms as such. Have I got this wrong?

There is a bus stop right outside our house that goes directly to the Grammar schools in Aylesbury. Is that worth mentioning?

Many thanks

[Etienne]

I note that in one of the examples it says to mention family links to the school.

If you're referring to the Q&As C2, it is reporting the typical reasons that are often given, not necessarily advocating their use. It depends on the circumstances.

Is it too tenuious to mention that his father and four Uncles attended AGS (the youngest left in 2017)? Will it look like I am clutching at straws?!

As suggested in C2, probably not a strong point but might be worth a brief mention - especially if the circumstances are that your son loved the school when he visited, and is desperately keen to emulate his father and four uncles (the youngest of whom left recently in 2017).
In other words, you might be able to turn this into an opportunity to stress his enthusiasm and commitment!

The two schools we are applying for are academy's so can't see specialisms as such. Have I got this wrong?

Specialisms in this sense no longer exist:
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appea ... school#c34" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
However, you've mentioned your son's interest in Science, and this did happen to be one of the specialisms of the school you're appealing for, so historically it has been well-known for its strong Science department. Worth mentioning if you provide the evidence of his interest in Science.

There is a bus stop right outside our house that goes directly to the Grammar schools in Aylesbury. Is that worth mentioning?

Probably not, unless you can link it with something that matters, e.g. your work as a nurse would normally make it difficult for you to help with transport, but you would have the reassurance of knowing that a bus stop right outside your house would take him directly to and from the school.

Hope this helps.

[Darewehope]

Thank you Etienne, it is, as always, very helpful

[Darewehope]

Hello again!

I have two questions following the recent update from the DfE. When we receive the paperwork for stage 1 I assume it will still include the headteachers recommendations and how many children qualified in each bracket. I am secretly hoping that our headteacher has been somewhat strict in his recommendations and would like to highlight this as part of our case. Does the 14 day deadline for sending in extra evidence relate to stage 1 or stage 2? What I need to know is if miraculously there were other children with recommendations of 3:1 that did qualify could I then send in a few lines mentioning this before our stage 2? Or should I include this as a question to the panel somehow?

Secondly can we now send in what we would have said in our 5 minute presentation?

Sorry if I have misunderstood any of this!

[Etienne]

Hello again!
I have two questions following the recent update from the DfE. When we receive the paperwork for stage 1 I assume it will still include the headteachers recommendations and how many children qualified in each bracket.

The last time we discussed HTRs (headteacher recommendations) may have been before you decided to skip the review. We're not entirely sure whether all the HTRs will be included in the paperwork of those who have gone direct to appeal.
If you don't get this information, neither will your appeal panel. (They might by chance see the overall recommendations in another appellant's papers, but for your appeal they can only make use of the information in your case papers.)

Does the 14 day deadline for sending in extra evidence relate to stage 1 or stage 2?

One might have thought stage two, but in Bucks it's normally 14 days before stage one. I would usually take a slightly relaxed view over the deadline for evidence, pointing out that a panel will even accept late evidence on the day of the appeal if it's not too lengthy. However, the current situation makes the deadline more important.

What I need to know is if miraculously there were other children with recommendations of 3:1 that did qualify .....

You don't necessarily need 3:1 recommendations that qualified to make your case. It's quite possible there were no other 3:1 recommendations! However, if we have a copy of the HTRs, we should be able to form an overall judgement.

..... could I then send in a few lines mentioning this before our stage 2?

Yes, if you have the information in time for the deadline, this would be best. It will then be part of the case papers (even if it turns out that HTRs are not normally being included for those who went straight to appeal).

Or should I include this as a question to the panel somehow?

This too should be possible. Bucks will give you the opportunity to ask questions, whatever system they choose to operate this year.

Ideally, because of the timing problem, it would be useful to know in the next couple of weeks whether or not you are going to have a valid argument.

If this is something you would rather not ask the headteacher about, you could consider writing to BC under the heading "Freedom of Information: headteacher recommendations" and request "a copy of the summary data for The ........... School, showing the number of pupils recommended at each level (1:1 etc.) and the numbers that qualified at each level in the transfer test September 2019 for entry to grammar school in 2020."

• • Email
    access2information@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
    "We aim to respond within 20 working days." (In practice they are usually much quicker, I think, but who knows in the current situation?)
    
    Post
    You can make a request in writing to:
    
    Freedom of Information Officer
    Buckinghamshire Council
    The Gateway
    Gatehouse Road
    Aylesbury
    HP19 8FF

Secondly can we now send in what we would have said in our 5 minute presentation?

Yes, you could, but you might want to wait a bit in case you're able to add an argument about HTRs. There's no way your appeal can be heard before June.

[Darewehope]

Thank you again! I’ve emailed for the information. Hopefully I’ll get it in time. Honestly don’t know what I would do without this forum. I’m not optimistic but I know I will feel satisfied in doing everything I could. Thank you to everyone that has helped and supported me so far.