11 Plus Exams Forum

What a nightmare? My daughter has failed Sale by 3 marks, for a girl that has been a high flyer in primary school, Level 3's at Key stage 1, level 5's in year 5. She was expected to pass, and had achieved a score 0f 370 in the practice 11+ in school at the end of year 5. Her older brother and sister are both at Sale, dont know where to start now, is it worth trying to appeal? HELP

Hi Sale Mum

You should definitely appeal a near miss of 3 marks. You don't say what the pass mark is for Sale, but 3 marks must be a fraction of a percentage point.

Please read Etienne's Appeal Q & As (link at the top of the page). There is also quite a helpful information page about Appeals in Trafford here:

http://www.trafford.gov.uk/EducationAnd ... onsAppeals

If your daughter is working to level 5 SATs already, you should have good all round academic evidence. CATs scores (if any) can also be very helpful, as are strong letters of support from the current Head and form teacher, plus good schoolbooks for the core subjects.

If you can accumulate all of that, your only remaining task is to explain "what went wrong on the day".

If you need help with any specific issues, please post back.

Good luck!

Sally-Anne

Edit: I have just looked through the published Trafford Admission information (which is really pretty impressive, I must say), and I would add the caveat that you should consider your Appeal in the light of the Admissions criteria. If your DD is very unlikely to gain a place on the published criteria, then you might not want to put yourself through the pain of an Appeal. If, however, you are in catchment, then I would advise you to go ahead.

Thank you for your encouragement, the pass mark for sale is 353, my daughter acheived 350. We are in the catchment area for Sale Grammar and as I stated her two older siblings are at the school.I wrote a letter to Trafford Education a few days after sitting the test as my daughter had constantly been disturbed by the girl sitting next to her throughout the exam, hissing her name and even moving her table next to her.The two teachers in the room were aware of my daughters distraction.We plan on seeing our Headteacher on Monday to discuss our intentions.

Our hearing date is next week, I can not believe it is so soon, only returned my appeal forms last weekend. The Head teacher is going to come with us, but worried now as to what speech we need to prepare. Any advice please ?

Dear Salemum

See the Q&As, e.g. A9, A10, A17, A18.

Good luck!

Did your daughter take any of the other Trafford exams and pass? eg Alty Girls, Loreto, Stretford, Urmston?

Through talking to a couple of successful appellants for two separate schools in Trafford (one being Sale) I understand that the appeal panels were very interested in the information that the relevant child had passed one or other of the other exams.

She sat alty but was also a couple off, do you think this will make a difference?