11+ Appeal
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SS
11+ Appeal
My daughter sat the 11+ exam last year and passed. Hoping to get into Kesteven & Sleaford Girls School. But the big problem we have is that we live out of catchment. The school is in Lincolnshire, and we live in Newark, Notts. Though there is a private bus that currently takes children.
My worry is if she doesnt get what do I have to do to appeal. I am aware that I have to try and write an "original" letter as to why I feel she should go to Sleaford Grammer School, and then present a case to a panel.
Does anyone know what her chances are of getting in?
And what sort of points should I put in my appeal letter.
Please help.
Thanks
SS
My worry is if she doesnt get what do I have to do to appeal. I am aware that I have to try and write an "original" letter as to why I feel she should go to Sleaford Grammer School, and then present a case to a panel.
Does anyone know what her chances are of getting in?
And what sort of points should I put in my appeal letter.
Please help.
Thanks
SS
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hermanmunster
- Posts: 12894
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
- Location: The Seaside
Hello SS,
KSHS is a Community school and therefore follows the Lincolnshire Admissions Policy. You can see this on the Council's website but basically after children in Care and siblings the places are allocated first to children who live in the designated area for school transport and then in order of distance from the school. The distance criteria is applied in the same fashion whether or not you live in Lincolnshire (it is not permitted to give priority to children in county over those out of county)- thus you would be allocated a place over a Lincolnshire child who lived further away than you do.
The school had a huge number of applications from girls who passed last year and took in an extra class of 30 over its usual numbers last September. This, however, was an exceptional circumstance, not to be repeated as Grammar schools are not generally allowed to expand.
I am afraid that the not very helpful answer to your question about the chances of getting in is that it depends how many girls have passed and applied who live nearer to the school than you do or already have a sister there.
If you do not get allocated a place you need to appeal before the end of March. You can get a booklet explaining the appeals process from the admissions department at Lincolnshire county council. Basically when a school is oversubscribed the appeal is a balancing exercise between the "prejudice", that is damage, to the school in taking an extra pupil and the "prejudice" to the child in not gaining a place there. The arguments you use to support your case will be individual to you but could include medical reasons, social reasons, the curriculum offered at the school allocated as opposed to the school you are appealing for, ease of transport links, journey time, and so on. There are some helpful booklets available via the web either free or at low cost and also books you could borrow or buy to help you prepare your case. The Advisory Centre for Education have one you can download from their website www.ace-ed.org.uk and there is also a free one available on www.schoolappeals.org.uk
Appeals for a particular school are generally held in a block, most often in the summer term.
Hope this is of some use.
KSHS is a Community school and therefore follows the Lincolnshire Admissions Policy. You can see this on the Council's website but basically after children in Care and siblings the places are allocated first to children who live in the designated area for school transport and then in order of distance from the school. The distance criteria is applied in the same fashion whether or not you live in Lincolnshire (it is not permitted to give priority to children in county over those out of county)- thus you would be allocated a place over a Lincolnshire child who lived further away than you do.
The school had a huge number of applications from girls who passed last year and took in an extra class of 30 over its usual numbers last September. This, however, was an exceptional circumstance, not to be repeated as Grammar schools are not generally allowed to expand.
I am afraid that the not very helpful answer to your question about the chances of getting in is that it depends how many girls have passed and applied who live nearer to the school than you do or already have a sister there.
If you do not get allocated a place you need to appeal before the end of March. You can get a booklet explaining the appeals process from the admissions department at Lincolnshire county council. Basically when a school is oversubscribed the appeal is a balancing exercise between the "prejudice", that is damage, to the school in taking an extra pupil and the "prejudice" to the child in not gaining a place there. The arguments you use to support your case will be individual to you but could include medical reasons, social reasons, the curriculum offered at the school allocated as opposed to the school you are appealing for, ease of transport links, journey time, and so on. There are some helpful booklets available via the web either free or at low cost and also books you could borrow or buy to help you prepare your case. The Advisory Centre for Education have one you can download from their website www.ace-ed.org.uk and there is also a free one available on www.schoolappeals.org.uk
Appeals for a particular school are generally held in a block, most often in the summer term.
Hope this is of some use.
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SS
Alex
Many many thanks for your reply. I am just panicking rather as I (and my daughter) so desparately want her to go the Sleaford Girls School. I know you have to put something original as to why my daughter should take a place at the school. But am struggling rather. Apart from the fact that she is bright and I felt an excellent school for her.
As a single mum, would my father be able to attend the appeals process with me. I am worried that I would probably get too emotional during the appeal.
Unfortunately she has no siblings, I guess it will just be a mileage thing from door to door.
Do they go on marks? She got 139.
Would it help to obtain some work from her current local primary school although they dont sit the 11+ and the local comprehensive is her local school. All her teachers (and head) seem anti grammer schools, so worried that their bias could effect my daughters chances. Should I ask for a letter or estimation of her SATS results?
Thanks
Many many thanks for your reply. I am just panicking rather as I (and my daughter) so desparately want her to go the Sleaford Girls School. I know you have to put something original as to why my daughter should take a place at the school. But am struggling rather. Apart from the fact that she is bright and I felt an excellent school for her.
As a single mum, would my father be able to attend the appeals process with me. I am worried that I would probably get too emotional during the appeal.
Unfortunately she has no siblings, I guess it will just be a mileage thing from door to door.
Do they go on marks? She got 139.
Would it help to obtain some work from her current local primary school although they dont sit the 11+ and the local comprehensive is her local school. All her teachers (and head) seem anti grammer schools, so worried that their bias could effect my daughters chances. Should I ask for a letter or estimation of her SATS results?
Thanks
-
SS
Alex
Many many thanks for your reply. I am just panicking rather as I (and my daughter) so desparately want her to go the Sleaford Girls School. I know you have to put something original as to why my daughter should take a place at the school. But am struggling rather. Apart from the fact that she is bright and I felt an excellent school for her.
As a single mum, would my father be able to attend the appeals process with me. I am worried that I would probably get too emotional during the appeal.
Unfortunately she has no siblings, I guess it will just be a mileage thing from door to door.
Do they go on marks? She got 139.
Would it help to obtain some work from her current local primary school although they dont sit the 11+ and the local comprehensive is her local school. All her teachers (and head) seem anti grammer schools, so worried that their bias could effect my daughters chances. Should I ask for a letter or estimation of her SATS results?
Thanks
Many many thanks for your reply. I am just panicking rather as I (and my daughter) so desparately want her to go the Sleaford Girls School. I know you have to put something original as to why my daughter should take a place at the school. But am struggling rather. Apart from the fact that she is bright and I felt an excellent school for her.
As a single mum, would my father be able to attend the appeals process with me. I am worried that I would probably get too emotional during the appeal.
Unfortunately she has no siblings, I guess it will just be a mileage thing from door to door.
Do they go on marks? She got 139.
Would it help to obtain some work from her current local primary school although they dont sit the 11+ and the local comprehensive is her local school. All her teachers (and head) seem anti grammer schools, so worried that their bias could effect my daughters chances. Should I ask for a letter or estimation of her SATS results?
Thanks
For the actual allocation of places your daughter's score will not make any difference as score order is not part of the oversubscription criteria. There is no knowing as yet how far out the area from which girls will get a place this year will extend - less than 2 weeks to go though!
If the worst happens and you do not get a place you need to think carefully about what features KSHS has which are not available at the allocated school and which are important for your daughter and conversely what features the allocated school has that make it unsuitable for your daughter. Your daughter's score could possibly be used in argument at appeal, for example if the ofsted report for the allocated school says that it does well with lower ability children but not so well with high ability children, or if the school's intake is generally of lower ability, you could argue that it would not be as suitable for her and her good score would reinforce that argument.
Can you think of a reason why an all girls school would be preferable? It is probably the most obvious distinguishing feature of the school!
You are allowed to take someone to the appeal to support you and you can ask them to speak for you as well if you so wish. The Lincolnshire council's booklet on appeals covers a lot of questions like these. You can look at it on the Lincolnshire website as well as getting it from the admissions department.
Best wishes
If the worst happens and you do not get a place you need to think carefully about what features KSHS has which are not available at the allocated school and which are important for your daughter and conversely what features the allocated school has that make it unsuitable for your daughter. Your daughter's score could possibly be used in argument at appeal, for example if the ofsted report for the allocated school says that it does well with lower ability children but not so well with high ability children, or if the school's intake is generally of lower ability, you could argue that it would not be as suitable for her and her good score would reinforce that argument.
Can you think of a reason why an all girls school would be preferable? It is probably the most obvious distinguishing feature of the school!
You are allowed to take someone to the appeal to support you and you can ask them to speak for you as well if you so wish. The Lincolnshire council's booklet on appeals covers a lot of questions like these. You can look at it on the Lincolnshire website as well as getting it from the admissions department.
Best wishes
p.s.
I don't think you will need to take any books or SATS results with you - your daughter has already proved she is suitable for grammar school by comfortably passing the 11 plus. The whole appeal, if you need to appeal, will be based on balancing the needs of your daughter against the needs of the school not to go over its numbers.
I don't think you will need to take any books or SATS results with you - your daughter has already proved she is suitable for grammar school by comfortably passing the 11 plus. The whole appeal, if you need to appeal, will be based on balancing the needs of your daughter against the needs of the school not to go over its numbers.
