Help sought with oversubscription appeal KENT

Consult our experts on 11 Plus appeals or any other type of school appeal

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
fairie
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:15 pm

Help sought with oversubscription appeal KENT

Post by fairie »

Hello, my dd passed the 11+ and due to oversubscription of the two Grammar schools we placed as 1st and 2nd choice on our list, we were given the closer 'mixed ability' school offer, which was our 'safe comp' 3rd.

We plan to appeal for the school that we placed as 1st choice, and wonder what evidence, if any, we will need to include in our appeal.

I have reviewed the Q&A and there is an overview of what to focus on, we intend to focus on a specific qualification (ib) available in only 2 schools in our area, both Grammar and one being the school we are appealing for, plus the pastoral and ethos of the school, which is very suitable for dd.

Im wondering whether we need to include any academic evidence as she did pass the 11+. We have the support of her junior school, and will request a headteachers letter, as advised by the FLO. Will it benefit us to request anything else from the school?

As it is personal preference, rather than any specific long term goal (other than having the opportunity to be internationally qualified) that makes us want the qualification, I dont know really how to present this, or if this is going to be viewed as 'enough' for an appeal.
dd is a good all rounder, and although I feel she will excel at whichever school she attends -these two are quite well matched on her 'top' subject of maths -I feel to give her the support and opportunities she deserves she should be at the grammar school.

Any advice would be appreciated!

As a note of interest to appeals in general for Kent, I noted in the local paper that a Kent cllr was quoted as saying that there was not a shortage of places at Grammar schools in the County but that children living near to a 'mixed ability' school were given the mixed ability school to prevent children from travelling distance.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi fairie

In a sense you have answered your own question. If the IB is your objective and the reason for the Appeal then you should focus on exactly why that is the best education for your daughter, and ask the Head to do the same in his/her letter. I would tend to include academic evidence, even though she has qualified, because it may show why the IB is particularly relevant.

I am not that familiar with the IB, so you will need to do your research. I am sure that a Search on this Forum will pick up some useful points to start you off.

If you can demonstrate that there are strong reasons why it is important - in family terms or for other reasons - then it makes this a very interesting appeal case. I think it is a first for us, and it would be one for us to add to the Appeal Q&As if you win, so please don't forget us!
As a note of interest to appeals in general for Kent, I noted in the local paper that a Kent cllr was quoted as saying that there was not a shortage of places at Grammar schools in the County but that children living near to a 'mixed ability' school were given the mixed ability school to prevent children from travelling distance.
Kent Cllr. needs to read his own Council's website! Discrimination of this sort is illegal under the School Admissions Code. :roll:

Every school has specified Admissions Criteria and places must be offered accordingly. No one can suddenly say: "Poor lambs - a 40 minute journey is too much, so let's send them to their local school"!

I also beg to differ about there "not being a shortage of grammar school places in the county". Every Kent GS I have ever looked at received more applications than they had places, even since the change was made to results being known before the CAF had to be submitted.

Sally-Anne
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

these two are quite well matched on her 'top' subject of maths
If the schools are noted for their maths departments, and you have evidence from the current school that your daughter excels at the subject, it ought to be a valid point.

When it comes to the IB, it might be harder to show why this is relevant to a particular child's needs. As Sally-Anne says, "If you can demonstrate that there are strong reasons why it is important - in family terms or for other reasons - then it makes this a very interesting appeal case."

Similarly, lots of appellants will assert a preference for a school's ethos or pastoral system, which is clearly of importance in general terms - but it can be much more difficult to prove why it matters in a specific case. (There might be 30+ other appellants making exactly the same point!)
Etienne
tiredmum
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 2:51 am

Re: Help sought with oversubscription appeal KENT

Post by tiredmum »

fairie wrote: Im wondering whether we need to include any academic evidence as she did pass the 11+. We have the support of her junior school, and will request a headteachers letter, as advised by the FLO. Will it benefit us to request anything else from the school?

.
hi i was reading your notes as i have an over-subscription appeal also and was wondering about accademic evidance. What do you mean adviced by FLO :?: im sure i should know :lol:
fairie
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:15 pm

Post by fairie »

Thanks for the feedback, this is exactly what I was thinking, its hard to prove that the ib qualification is essential to any one particular child. Its a 'new' way of learning for us in the UK. I believe that the ib programme is perfect for my dd, who is independant, creative, inquisitive, but then so are the 100 or so other children who are going to appeal!

tiredmum, the Family liason officer at dd school, we had a chat with her this week about the appeal and gaining info from the school asking how supportive the school would be of our decision to appeal. She was very helpful, setting up an appointment with the headteacher, offering her assistance and her support. This really is the first time we have spoken to her and Im very glad we did.
Kent99

Post by Kent99 »

If I were you I would try not to rely exclusively on the IB as a ground for appeal (assuming you mean the diploma, not middle-years course) unless you have checked that the school does not have a second entry point at the beginning of year 12.

My daughter's grammar school offers the IB but also holds open a minimum number of places (I think it's about 30) for students transferring at the start of year 12. In our area of Kent swapping schools at that stage seems pretty common; it almost seems like a game of musical chairs...

If the school you are appealing to is the same the panel may take the view that your child could look to move then.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Post by mystery »

Yes, if it's a sixth form qualification you are talking about, there is a lot of swapping around between sixth forms so I'm not sure how critical to your appeal the panel would think this is. Also, these qualifications could have changed a few times again by then!

Is there some aspect of the education lower down the school you could also focus on.

Not sure that Sally has understood the point about Kent without further info - I don't think they are breaching any codes, or that there is a significant shortage of grammar places.
A Mum
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 10:15 pm
Location: Kent

Post by A Mum »

I may be wrong here and if so apologise in advance for adding to the confusion.

With respect to the Council offering mixed ability schools over grammar schools because they are closer, this only comes into play if none of the choices on the applicants CAF can be offered because of the individual schools admission critera.

In this case I am assuming that the 1st and 2nd choice grammars were not offered in line with the schools oversubscription critera and the 3rd choice Mixed ability school was given. Had only grammars been listed as choices last year the nearest grammar school which had vacancies would have been offered even if it was at the other side of the county with an unrealistic journey. This year however I believe the council has taken the stance that if it is unable to offer any choice on the CAF than it will offer the nearest mixed ability school over a grammar that has vacancies but that is too far away even if the child has passed the 11+.

I hope the OP receives one of their grammar school choices from the waiting lists after 15th March or suceeds at appeal.
frustrated
Posts: 299
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:28 am
Location: kent

Post by frustrated »

Hello, same situation for me too.

Does anyone know anyone who got into any of the Canterbury/Faversham grammars on the waiting list alone in the past by any chance?

I know it's clutching at straws, buy hey ho
jingle
Posts: 290
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 2:35 pm
Location: kent

Post by jingle »

The school fairie is appealing for is in the final stages of preparing to follow the middle years programme of the IB. This is one of the reasons I really wanted my son to go there. The school website has some good info on it.
Good luck!
Post Reply