Can my appeal be successful?

[Buterfly]

DS passed test high mark but not enough for the cut off mark as we are OOC, have not mitigation circumstances. But we were expecting a higher mark. The only other factor I can think off is she is fluent in other language that her allocated school does not offer but the grammar school does.
Have I got a good case? She passed other 11+ really well but we really want to appeal to our first preference. Are the other 11+ or selective test would be considered as a top performer?

Thanks
Buterfly

[Etienne]

DS passed test high mark but not enough for the cut off mark as we are OOC, have not mitigation circumstances. But we were expecting a higher mark.

You might be able to argue that a higher mark was expected - provided there's plenty of academic evidence to back this up.

she is fluent in other language that her allocated school does not offer but the grammar school does.

It's a valid argument. It depends on how strong a case the school puts forward to resist further admissions (and, quite possibly, on how strong the other appellants' cases are).

Not sure I understand the last question.

[Buterfly]

Thank you for the response, and sorry about the two threads, I am new to the forum. And did not know where my message went.

My last question is that DS took 3 selective 11+ test 2 for different LEA and one for an independent school. She had top marks in the 3 but we still got our 6th preference. Can the other results be used as academic evidence?

Thanks

[Etienne]

Generally speaking, an 11+ test in one authority might not be acceptable in another authority, because there is the issue of whether the standard of the two tests is comparable.

If we were talking here about two VR tests in the same area, with the same format, the same standardisation, the same sort of cohort, I can see they might be viewed as more or less comparable.

Throw in a curriculum subject such as English, and it could become more complicated. Might we be talking about an essay or a comprehension, marked by different people?

It would be up to the appeal panel to decide whether the alternative 11+ result was comparable, and, if so, how much weight to give it.

It can be hard enough making a comparison with a different 11+ test, let alone with the entrance test for an independent school.
I think I would be wary of this - unless the indie is clearly prestigious, and the result is undoubtedly a significant achievement.

There could be a risk in raising the possibility of other schools, when the message you're trying to put across is "This is the school my DC really wants and needs ......"!

[Buterfly]

Thank you very much Etienne for all your comments.

[Etienne]

Glad to be of some assistance.

[Buterfly]

I have seen some questions that the panel might ask. One of them is "Did your child finish the test?" DS mentioned went she came out of the test that she had wished to have an extra minute. She probably just guessed the last ones. They were probably the 2 questions that having answer them right, she would have got in. I don't know if this honest answer can work for or against us.

Another question is that I have heard that youngest students get extra points. Is this true? do they give extra points according to d.o.b.? Can I ask the panel if my DS was given any points?

[Etienne]

I have seen some questions that the panel might ask. One of them is "Did your child finish the test?" DS mentioned went she came out of the test that she had wished to have an extra minute. She probably just guessed the last ones. They were probably the 2 questions that having answer them right, she would have got in. I don't know if this honest answer can work for or against us.

The 11+ is, at least in part, a test of being able to work quickly and accurately under pressure. I suspect it makes a much better impression if the candidate is thought to work quickly and make careless mistakes, than to work slowly and not finish. However, there could be very legitimate reasons for not finishing (e.g. dyslexia).

Can I ask the panel if my DS was given any points?

It's a complicated subject! The question would probably be better directed at the authority's representative (and you will be given an opportunity to ask him/her any questions). The question would best be phrased "Could you please help me to understand how the standardisation works, and how it might have affected my child whose date of birth is ......?"

[Buterfly]

I was checking in the website the points on how not to win on a oversubscription criteria.
I am worry that it is mentioned there that academic evidence is not considered.
The GS we are appealing it is oversubscribed. And as we are OOC the only criteria under my DS would have got in is the "highest performances", the further you live the higher mark you need to get in. So to us is a matter to prove that a higher mark was expected. I am really worried that they would not look into the academic evidence as the mark is still a factor if you are OOC.

I would understand that the IAP would not consider academic evidence if like other LEA like Bexley once you passed the test, the mark is not considered and only distance is the criteria to allocate the places, unless you are one of the top 180 applicants.

Being OOC means to us that "the passing mark" is higher so we would like to be allowed to show academic evidence.

How could I make this point without being critical to the Admission authority?

[Etienne]

General academic evidence isn't required normally for oversubscription. However, if you're trying to prove a specific point, it might be relevant. This has been discussed elsewhere, for example:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 309#170309

How could I make this point without being critical to the Admission authority?

No need at all to be critical. Just point out that, as you're OoC, the fact that your son was expected to score even more highly is particularly important in your case, and "here is the evidence ....."

I recall that you don't have any mitigating circumstances - this might not matter if there's a shortfall of just a mark or two, but the wider the gap between the score achieved and the score required, the greater the need for mitigating circumstances could be.