Appeal in March, not sure what to do
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Appeal in March, not sure what to do
My son took the exam for the local Grammar School in September 2008 and received a score that had been reviewed, i thought the R stood for reserve!
His father walked out on us without warning 5 weeks before and his contact was very limited.
My son was very upset at the time as was I and my other children but what I didn't realise was that I could have filled in a form stating the circumstances. However, because my head was elsewhere at the time, I didn't.
He has always been a high achieving child, level 5a's in everything from recent exams and his last SAT results were over 400 combined, so for him to not do well on the exam was a shock but I put it down to the emotional circumstances we were going through.
I rang the Grammar school this morning to ask about what I thought was a reserve mark but instead informed it was a review mark, mainly to find out if I could now fill one of these forms out, which I can't. However, if he doesn't get offered a place in March I can then appeal.
I have an older son in the school already but apparently this holds no weight.
I wondered does anyone have any advice they can offer me with regards to this type of appeal and what information would be needed, if his Heateacher comes with me would that be beneficial?
Thanks
His father walked out on us without warning 5 weeks before and his contact was very limited.
My son was very upset at the time as was I and my other children but what I didn't realise was that I could have filled in a form stating the circumstances. However, because my head was elsewhere at the time, I didn't.
He has always been a high achieving child, level 5a's in everything from recent exams and his last SAT results were over 400 combined, so for him to not do well on the exam was a shock but I put it down to the emotional circumstances we were going through.
I rang the Grammar school this morning to ask about what I thought was a reserve mark but instead informed it was a review mark, mainly to find out if I could now fill one of these forms out, which I can't. However, if he doesn't get offered a place in March I can then appeal.
I have an older son in the school already but apparently this holds no weight.
I wondered does anyone have any advice they can offer me with regards to this type of appeal and what information would be needed, if his Heateacher comes with me would that be beneficial?
Thanks
Welcome, smile! (We're more used to names like "nervous wreck" 
)
If you haven't already done so, I suggest you read the Q&As (link at top of page).
If you still have any questions, we may well need more information in order to help. Please read Sally-Anne's Announcement: APPEALS 2008/2009 - PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU POST
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... php?t=8255
)If you haven't already done so, I suggest you read the Q&As (link at top of page).
If you still have any questions, we may well need more information in order to help. Please read Sally-Anne's Announcement: APPEALS 2008/2009 - PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU POST
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... php?t=8255
(b) Tell us which area you are from. If you know the website address of your Local Authority's (or foundation school's) admissions/appeals, please tell us what it is.
(c) Tell us the pass mark, and your childs' score compared to that.
(d) Tell us what sort of appeal it is – did your child not achieve the pass mark, or have you not been allocated your preferred school?
(e) If it is an Appeal against non-qualification please give us all the scores, not just the highest, and what they were for (e.g. VR, NVR)
(f) Tell us if the Appeal is being handled by a Local Authority or a Foundation/Voluntary Aided School.
Etienne
Hi thanks for the reply
I live in the trafford area.
My son got 334R, which is apparently a pass after being reviewed. Pass mark was 334
We put the school as first choice but because we are out of area and his score wasnt that high he might not get a place.
However I was informed by the school if the local authority doesnt offer him a place I can appeal and they have to find him a place if successful (is this correct) School have said its doubtful he will be offered a place due to higher pass parks.
The school told me if he doesn't get allocated a place I ring them for information on appeal.
Headteacher is fully supportive, he is also on Sport England specialised sport program. However his sport not a featured one at particular school.
I live in the trafford area.
My son got 334R, which is apparently a pass after being reviewed. Pass mark was 334
We put the school as first choice but because we are out of area and his score wasnt that high he might not get a place.
However I was informed by the school if the local authority doesnt offer him a place I can appeal and they have to find him a place if successful (is this correct) School have said its doubtful he will be offered a place due to higher pass parks.
The school told me if he doesn't get allocated a place I ring them for information on appeal.
Headteacher is fully supportive, he is also on Sport England specialised sport program. However his sport not a featured one at particular school.
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Sally-Anne
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- Location: Buckinghamshire
Smile
All the oversubscription criteria for Trafford schools are published in their Secondary School Admissions booklet. I assume that you have a copy?
If not, you can read it online here:
http://www.trafford.gov.uk/cme/live/dyn ... 912D9D8840
Would all parents please note that information about over-subscription criteria has to be published by the school or Admissions Authority. All you have to do is find it and post it here for us to then help you further.
Sally-Anne
All the oversubscription criteria for Trafford schools are published in their Secondary School Admissions booklet. I assume that you have a copy?
If not, you can read it online here:
http://www.trafford.gov.uk/cme/live/dyn ... 912D9D8840
Would all parents please note that information about over-subscription criteria has to be published by the school or Admissions Authority. All you have to do is find it and post it here for us to then help you further.
Sally-Anne
Thank you
Don't really want to go into much detail and bore you all but the last 7 months have been the worst experience my children and I have had to endure.
I'm really sorry if I'm asking you questions that you have been asked a thousand times before or you are posting info I could quite easily find myself. I am only just getting my head round it and really appreciate all the help.
Don't really want to go into much detail and bore you all but the last 7 months have been the worst experience my children and I have had to endure.
I'm really sorry if I'm asking you questions that you have been asked a thousand times before or you are posting info I could quite easily find myself. I am only just getting my head round it and really appreciate all the help.
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TraffordMum
- Posts: 593
- Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:29 pm
- Location: Trafford
Smile : Are we talking about Altrincham Boys' Grammar? A mark of 334R sounds like the review pass mark for that school.
Etienne/Sally-Anne: http://www.agsb.co.uk/admissions.html is the page on the Alty Boys' website that contains a link at the bottom under 2009 Policy that takes you to the relevant admissions policy.
Alty Boys has a priority catchment area listed in the Policy and boys within that area are admitted on the basis of distance from the school, not on score attained.
Once all boys in catchment have been admitted, to the extent there are remaining places, these are allocated in order of score and not on distance from the school. This is why, I think, Smile is anticipating that her son will not get a place at the school because he is, effectively, on the lowest possible entry score and out of priority catchment.
Hence this is a potential appeal against oversubscription.
The actual wording of the policy is:
[quote]2. Over-subscription
Where the number of boys qualified for admission exceeds the number of places available the following criteria will be applied in the order set out below to decide which boys to admit:
2.1 “Looked after childrenâ€
Etienne/Sally-Anne: http://www.agsb.co.uk/admissions.html is the page on the Alty Boys' website that contains a link at the bottom under 2009 Policy that takes you to the relevant admissions policy.
Alty Boys has a priority catchment area listed in the Policy and boys within that area are admitted on the basis of distance from the school, not on score attained.
Once all boys in catchment have been admitted, to the extent there are remaining places, these are allocated in order of score and not on distance from the school. This is why, I think, Smile is anticipating that her son will not get a place at the school because he is, effectively, on the lowest possible entry score and out of priority catchment.
Hence this is a potential appeal against oversubscription.
The actual wording of the policy is:
[quote]2. Over-subscription
Where the number of boys qualified for admission exceeds the number of places available the following criteria will be applied in the order set out below to decide which boys to admit:
2.1 “Looked after childrenâ€
Thank you, Sally-Anne and TraffordMum (I was hoping you might be around). I'm afraid I've been too busy today to start trawling through websites!
Section C of the Q&As explains the process for you, smile.
In particular, you need to build a case based on some of the following:
Section C of the Q&As explains the process for you, smile.
In particular, you need to build a case based on some of the following:
As score will be one of the oversubscription criteria in your case, it's just possible you might be able to present evidence that your son was expected to score more highly - it depends on how this particular appeal panel operates. Your current headteacher or TraffordMum may be able to advise.* It’s the catchment school.
* Although not in catchment you live very close to the school.
* Getting to any suitable alternative school would be logistically difficult (you would have to prove this, and I think the degree of inconvenience would have to be very considerable indeed).
* There is a sibling already there.
* Other family members are attending or have attended the school (perhaps not a strong point but worth a mention).
* There are strong educational reasons (I don’t mean a preference for a type of school such as a grammar school – I mean something specific on offer at this particular school which is not available at any suitable alternative. You would need to prove why this is so crucial).
* There are strong medical or social reasons why your child needs to attend this particular school. These are often the most compelling reasons, but you will need proof, and you will need to demonstrate convincingly why only this school is the solution.
Etienne
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TraffordMum
- Posts: 593
- Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:29 pm
- Location: Trafford
Where exactly do you live, Smile? Are you actually in Trafford but just not in the priority catchment for Alty Boys (assuming we are talking about Alty Boys) or are you in Cheshire or Manchester?
I'm trying to get a feel for how out of catchment you are. Since Trafford has lots of grammar schools (some, obviously not being appropriate because they are all-girl or Catholic only if you aren't Catholic) if you live in the north of the borough I think it would be hard to argue that Alty Boys would be any better than, say, Urmston, Stretford or Sale.
Did Master Smile take any of the other grammar schools' exams?
Edited to add: For the record I have no experience with out of catchment appeals to Alty Boys. I know of two successful in catchment appeals this year so far but only through knowing the families involved, not as having played any part.
I'm trying to get a feel for how out of catchment you are. Since Trafford has lots of grammar schools (some, obviously not being appropriate because they are all-girl or Catholic only if you aren't Catholic) if you live in the north of the borough I think it would be hard to argue that Alty Boys would be any better than, say, Urmston, Stretford or Sale.
Did Master Smile take any of the other grammar schools' exams?
Edited to add: For the record I have no experience with out of catchment appeals to Alty Boys. I know of two successful in catchment appeals this year so far but only through knowing the families involved, not as having played any part.
