Any advice? - please!
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Any advice? - please!
Hi, I had my appeal hearing yesterday in Essex. My son passed the minimum score neeeded to gain entry to the school but the out of catchment places were filled by higher scoring applicants.I have a couple of questions and would really appreciate your thoughts.
1) When I received the appeal date information, I was sent a sheet containing the school's case for non-admission. It basically stated it was full and had no room for more students without prejudice to those already admitted. During the appeal the school's rep drew attention to my son's lowest score (English comprehension) and said she felt this indicated my son would not be able to cope as English was used in most subjects. I reassured the panel that my son had underperformed in the 11+ and was in fact predicted a 5.3 for both reading and writing. I also took work books in to show them.
Should I have been informed that their case was going to include queries about his academic ability? (I felt taken off guard and keep thinking of things I could have said to make my case stronger.)
2) Neither the panel or the school rep had any questions for me at the end of my presentation. After a few seconds silence the chairperson asked whether my son had been ill on the day of the test - the question seemed to have been asked for the sake of it as I am sure the Chair knew this would have been covered in my presentation had this been the case.
Is this a bad sign? Please be honest!!
I don't know how my nerves are going to last through the next few days. Please advise - I know I have to prepare for the worst but it is so difficult.
Thanks
1) When I received the appeal date information, I was sent a sheet containing the school's case for non-admission. It basically stated it was full and had no room for more students without prejudice to those already admitted. During the appeal the school's rep drew attention to my son's lowest score (English comprehension) and said she felt this indicated my son would not be able to cope as English was used in most subjects. I reassured the panel that my son had underperformed in the 11+ and was in fact predicted a 5.3 for both reading and writing. I also took work books in to show them.
Should I have been informed that their case was going to include queries about his academic ability? (I felt taken off guard and keep thinking of things I could have said to make my case stronger.)
2) Neither the panel or the school rep had any questions for me at the end of my presentation. After a few seconds silence the chairperson asked whether my son had been ill on the day of the test - the question seemed to have been asked for the sake of it as I am sure the Chair knew this would have been covered in my presentation had this been the case.
Is this a bad sign? Please be honest!!
I don't know how my nerves are going to last through the next few days. Please advise - I know I have to prepare for the worst but it is so difficult.
Thanks
Dear Silver29
I don't think it would have been appropriate for the school to criticise your son's English as part of their own case, but in a different context (e.g. questions to you after the presentation of your case) it might possibly have been acceptable, depending on what points you yourself were making.
It's not a bad sign (in terms of how your case is being viewed) if the panel have no questions. It may be that everything was clear to them. The worst interpretation would be simply that they wanted to get a move on.
However, I do think that a panel ought to try and ask several questions, if only out of politeness.
I don't think it would have been appropriate for the school to criticise your son's English as part of their own case, but in a different context (e.g. questions to you after the presentation of your case) it might possibly have been acceptable, depending on what points you yourself were making.
It's not a bad sign (in terms of how your case is being viewed) if the panel have no questions. It may be that everything was clear to them. The worst interpretation would be simply that they wanted to get a move on.
However, I do think that a panel ought to try and ask several questions, if only out of politeness.
Etienne
Thanks for replying Etienne. The school rep made their case first but I had submitted a presentation in writing stating my son underperformed on the day.
The weird thing was that the Head Teacher made a presentation in which he stated that any child who scored over 303 was academically suitable for the school (that was the cut off score for in-catchment). My son scored well above that (on a bad day!) so I was quite surprised his academic ability was brought into question when only 10 minutes previously, the HT had told all appealing parents that the children scoring over 303 had been rejected on an over-subscription basis only.
The school rep caught me off guard and I now wish I had had the presence of mind to challenge her by stating what the HT had said only minutes earlier.
The weird thing was that the Head Teacher made a presentation in which he stated that any child who scored over 303 was academically suitable for the school (that was the cut off score for in-catchment). My son scored well above that (on a bad day!) so I was quite surprised his academic ability was brought into question when only 10 minutes previously, the HT had told all appealing parents that the children scoring over 303 had been rejected on an over-subscription basis only.
The school rep caught me off guard and I now wish I had had the presence of mind to challenge her by stating what the HT had said only minutes earlier.
Dear Silver29
It does seem contradictory.
It may not be enough to get you a re-hearing but, if unsuccessful, it might be worth seeing what the ombudsman thinks. There is an advice line:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus ... ers.php#d3
(see the very end of D3)
It does seem contradictory.
It may not be enough to get you a re-hearing but, if unsuccessful, it might be worth seeing what the ombudsman thinks. There is an advice line:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus ... ers.php#d3
(see the very end of D3)
Etienne
