Unsure about appeal English as second language

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Zdara
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 11:44 pm

Unsure about appeal English as second language

Post by Zdara »

We move to England in March 2006. She star school in 2007. She don't speak the language. (Our second language is Spanish)
She has develop understanding of English in the very impressive level.
Our daughter seat the 11+ for Sale Grammar school her scores was VR97 NVR107 Ma88.
She also seat the test for Strefford Grammar school the scores was VR96 NVR122 Ma99. slight better Is possible that we can appeal n the ground that English is not her first language and she has to learn from the beginning.
In only one year. Also she has a accident in the school. She broke the arm making stay out of school for around 6 weeks.

My question is Do you think is a good case or is better if we forget about?
Sorry for disturb by email but we need to supply all the evidence by this friday
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

Dear Zdara

Welcome to the forum.

I suggest you read section B of the Q&As:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus ... nswers.php

See also the Q&As, E7, which discusses the problem of insufficient English.

You can certainly put forward lack of English and your daughter's accident as extenuating circumstances, but it all depends on what alternative evidence of very high ability you can produce. Have you spoken to your daughter's present school, and will they fully support you?

What was the pass mark? Generally speaking, the further away from the pass mark, the stronger your case will need to be.

If it is your appeal form that is due in this Friday, and you need more time, there is nothing to stop you writing "Details of case and evidence to follow". Provided you send in your case and supporting evidence a fortnight before the date of the appeal hearing, there won't be a problem.
Etienne
Zdara
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 11:44 pm

Post by Zdara »

what alternative evidence of very high ability you can produce?
Sorry for be ignorante but what do you mean. Sale Grammar school is Art School We can produce some of her work. Her report say that she has a develop a good product in art. I can produce some of her Creativity. Also I have the letters from hospital when she has the accident in school she has a metal plate and them has been removed this year in March. Her report only when she was in year 4 only get a 2+ in all subject. She star having support for reading since January 2007 I have a letter at home. Her reading have improve but in year 5 she has some bulling problems at school. The children pick on her because of her language. Was so distress she cry everytime she come back from school and want to go back to our original country but I don't want use this problem in our appeal.
could please suggest what is high ability?

The pass average mark was 337.
We have a meeting at school last week we spoke with her teacher she told us that she can produce a letter that she can help in our appeal, but everytime that we call the headmaster is very busy with meetings and still not talk with her face to face.

Another I know that the school accept a chinese boy with not english at all. Someone is going to investigate how that child get a place at the school. Can I used this in my appeal?

Thanks again
Zdara
katel
Posts: 960
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:30 pm

Post by katel »

I know someone whose parents made a successful appeal based mainly on the fact that she had been at school in Spain and taught in Catalan until the age of 9, and only came to school in England in year 4. She is now doing very well and is very happy at grammar school.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

It was Katel who was responsible for Q&As E7 .....
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... pain#14426

There are suggestions for evidence of very high ability in the Q&As. See B11 and E7, for example.

I doubt whether any discussion at the hearing of another child's case (e.g. the Chinese boy) would be permitted.

If this were an appeal against oversubscription as well as against non-qualification, then you could try to match your daughter's strengths with what the school specialises in, and show some of her work in Art as evidence.

I was interested to read on the Trafford website:
No later than 14 days from the date of your letter of refusal from the Director of the Children and Young Peoples Service. If you do not appeal within this time, then your right of appeal is lost.
This appears to be a breach of the Code of Practice which states:
there is no statutory time limit on submission of an appeal.
Etienne
Zdara
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 11:44 pm

Post by Zdara »

Thanks you for all you kind help.

I spoke with the Headmaster saying that she will supply a letter with Dara's proyections as well any point that she consider would help in the appeal. Her maths Teacher say that progress is impresive as well her reading.

She is reading The Pears Encyclopaedia and Francis Drake Book (for her independant learning) and she have made some ilustration of the famous five Her favorite books.
Zdara
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 11:44 pm

Post by Zdara »

Etienne wrote:I think it refers to Head Teacher.

I'm afraid we often resort to "shorthand" on the forum, so do please ask whenever something isn't clear.
I'm very nervus. I really don't know what to say. Yesterday I recieved her prospectus say that is coming from DO not English at all. Part of the letter say very capable girl who works rather inconsistently. Once her grasp of the
Englsih Languaje improves she will be able to perform at the required level. Y4 reading 2b, Writing 2b, Maths 3c, Science, 2b. Y5 Reading 3a, writing 2a, maths 4b, mental math 4c, science 4b, Y6 reading 4a, writing 3b, Maths 4a, Menatl maths 5c science 5b.

I really don't know what this means. You say that I have to prove that she has high ability.

The Local Authority can check this in the school data? I keep it to present on my appeal is in the 9 of December.
Is good or bad?
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

Dear Zdara

We've moved your last post to here. Please keep all posts about your own case in the same thread, otherwise we have to spend time hunting around to see what was said before. Thank you.


Not quite sure what you mean by "prospectus" and "DO".
Y6 reading 4a, writing 3b, Maths 4a, Menatl maths 5c science 5b.
If these are the current levels, then they look fine. That's one good point for your academic case. (There's an understandable problem with writing.)
The Local Authority can check this in the school data?
Is this a Local Authority appeal or a foundation school appeal? In either case, I'm afraid it's not the role of the Local Authority to check your case for you.
Etienne
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