Question for Etienne
Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:45 am
Hi Etienne,
I'm sorry I PM'd you when I should have put this on the forums and hope you don't mind me asking for (more) advice. We are in North Yorkshire which has two grammar school systems, one in Skipton and one in Ripon. both take the same NFER tests on the same days. historically ripon always has a lower cut off mark, and this year was no different. Skipton cut off was 221 and Ripon 209. My DD scored 216, but we live in Skipton, so she failed. The school's adjudicator in 2006 and 2007 said that this was totally unacceptable, someone with an age standardised score in one town who is deemed suitable, should also be deemed suitable in the other. He recommended that there should be one cut off point in the county, and pointed out that Skipton could accommodate a lower cut off point as usually only around 50 places out of 112 are filled from within catchment. It might seem therefore that we would have a good chance at appeal with this argument.
However, in 2008 a different schools adjudicator found that there was nothing that could be done because the county refused to change, and that the scores could be different because they were standardised against different cohorts (which I understand.)
Sorry for wittering, I'm now coming to my point. Do you think I can still use the argument even if two adjudicators disagree on the issue, or does the most recent case overrule the previous ? Both adjudicators are still employed by the office, and therefore if the first heard an adjuducation this year, the decision may well change again.
I hope you understand what I'm trying to say, I'd really appreciate any advice, you were really helpful last year. To close, I would say that I will focus on my daughter's case rather than railing against the system, but I'd like to use this point if possible.
What do you think?
Bouga
I'm sorry I PM'd you when I should have put this on the forums and hope you don't mind me asking for (more) advice. We are in North Yorkshire which has two grammar school systems, one in Skipton and one in Ripon. both take the same NFER tests on the same days. historically ripon always has a lower cut off mark, and this year was no different. Skipton cut off was 221 and Ripon 209. My DD scored 216, but we live in Skipton, so she failed. The school's adjudicator in 2006 and 2007 said that this was totally unacceptable, someone with an age standardised score in one town who is deemed suitable, should also be deemed suitable in the other. He recommended that there should be one cut off point in the county, and pointed out that Skipton could accommodate a lower cut off point as usually only around 50 places out of 112 are filled from within catchment. It might seem therefore that we would have a good chance at appeal with this argument.
However, in 2008 a different schools adjudicator found that there was nothing that could be done because the county refused to change, and that the scores could be different because they were standardised against different cohorts (which I understand.)
Sorry for wittering, I'm now coming to my point. Do you think I can still use the argument even if two adjudicators disagree on the issue, or does the most recent case overrule the previous ? Both adjudicators are still employed by the office, and therefore if the first heard an adjuducation this year, the decision may well change again.
I hope you understand what I'm trying to say, I'd really appreciate any advice, you were really helpful last year. To close, I would say that I will focus on my daughter's case rather than railing against the system, but I'd like to use this point if possible.
What do you think?
Bouga