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Rumour 11 plus teacher assessment

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:08 pm
by DarkEnergy
I have no basis of fact for the following rumour, other than I heard it from another 11 plus parent.

The suggestion was that junior schools got 11 plus results early (before Christmas) and could then review the selected children and make comments, recommendations on students performance in the 11 plus exam.

The suggestion ran than a school could put forward (or recommend) a very good student who for some reason managed to under perform in the exam. In other words bringing in some level of teacher assessment into Grammar School entry.

To me, this approach seems amazingly sensible, and I would like it to be so. However, I have serious doubts. Has anyone else heard similar rumours?

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:19 pm
by Ed's mum
No, I'm afraid I haven't. Is the rumour that it will happen THIS year or sometime in the future?

Certainly, there is a stage where (usually the Head) can make an appeal without the parents being aware that their child has even the need for this intervention. The previous head at my daughter's school used to say it took merely a 'phone call for her to recommend a child - that is fact, in that she said it to me!

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:52 pm
by Rugbymum
I think primary school heads are informed early on who has passed but as for being able to recommend children who have underperformed I am pretty sure that did not happen last year.

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:03 pm
by Ed's mum
Yes, I refer to the year before last. I have no idea about last year.

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 10:55 pm
by youngest
I think that there is still the committee of reference who have the job to rank pupils according to test results.

So you get your standardised score aaa, N pupils scored this, ranking yyy out of zzz taking the test.

Where 2 or more have the same score it used to be that essay (no longer done) plus school ranking (i.e. school is asked to rank all pupils in the year group) and possibly head comments influenced this.

From what I have heard head recommendation alone is not enough if you are not above the specified score that the committee of reference is considering.

I am not sure when heads get the list of pupil 11+ results, the school allocation list goes into schools very close to the 1st March.

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:42 am
by Dadof3
The following statement appears in this dicument
Admissions Timetable on the WCC website.

30 November
– 1 December
2009
Admissions send selection scores to all junior and primary
schools.
Exception reports requested from schools by Admissions.

Schools check for
inconsistency and
complete reports.
NB Confidential


It is not a rumour, it is fact ............ the schools know the results NOW!!

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:01 pm
by DarkEnergy
Thank you everyone for your repoonses. So it looks like the 11 plus exam is quite rigidly stuck to, with a small amount of adjustment available if required, which sounds sensible to me.

I am still having fun preparing DD for 11 plus, though I spend more time talking about it than doing it. Oh well, still plenty of time yet.