Appeal help please. Gloucestershire

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helpneeded!
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:49 am

Appeal help please. Gloucestershire

Post by helpneeded! »

If someone can help me please. I really don't know where to start.
My DS failed the grammar school entrance test by a quite a bit which was quite a shock to us he was doing really good in the mock test that we doing at home. I think nerves played a part on the results we got back. All throughout his primary years he always been in the top groups in his class. Speaking to HT at his primary school, the HT agreed that he was grammar school material and that he would thrive at a grammar school.

Anyway I have decided to appeal and thinking i was appealing on Non-qualification grounds, looking at the refusal letter that i received from the LEA, the grounds for refusal is that all the places have been filled and no more places are available. What i am stuck is what grounds do i appeal on, is it non-qualification or over subscription or both. I really am stuck, please please can someone help me. Also how do i go about appealing against oversubscription.

Thanks
hermanmunster
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Hi Helpneeded

You will have to appeal on both grounds - firstly on non qualification,

not specifically sure about Gloucs but generally you have to prove academic potential first and reasons why he may not have done as well as expected (extenuating circumstances) - then if you get through you have to appeal as to why that school is the school for him.

there is a fair bit in the Q&A ... will get the link


edit : yer tis http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus ... nswers.php
T12ACY
Posts: 800
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:12 pm
Location: Kent

Post by T12ACY »

Your first hurdle will be the non qualification. Then if your case is accepted you also need to have prepared to cover an over subscription argument.

I found the feedback thread among the top of the 'sticky' posts on the Appeals page to be most helpful. It helped me to find the best way for us to put forward our case, the Q & A section helped to get me to focus on what types of evidence etc. Then the people who kindly posted have kept me sane!

Good luck!
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

What i am stuck is what grounds do i appeal on, is it non-qualification or over subscription or both.
I think in Glos. you will need to cover both grounds at the hearing.
Etienne
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Appeal help please. Gloucestershire

Post by capers123 »

helpneeded! wrote: My DS failed the grammar school entrance test by a quite a bit
Did he actually not reach the pass mark, or did he pass but not get a high enough score for a place?
Anyway I have decided to appeal and thinking i was appealing on Non-qualification grounds, looking at the refusal letter that i received from the LEA, the grounds for refusal is that all the places have been filled and no more places are available. What i am stuck is what grounds do i appeal on, is it non-qualification or over subscription or both. I really am stuck, please please can someone help me. Also how do i go about appealing against oversubscription.
Gloucestershire schools appeals are not split into two parts. Each parent just turns up once for their appeal, and the process is the same irrespective of it being an oversub or a non-qual appeal.

The difference is that an oversubscription appeal 'just' has to prove that the school can fit another pupil in (without prejudicing the other pupils), whereas a non-qual also has to convince the panel that their child is suitable for a grammar school.

Oversubscription appeals are easier to win for some Glos schools than others - it depends if they have gone over PAN / IAN in the past and if the school side turns up & says - 'yes we can fit in up to x more children without problems'! Some, on the otherhand, feel that more children would negatively affect the existing intake.
Capers
helpneeded!
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:49 am

Post by helpneeded! »

i have just spoken to my DC primary school regarding academic evidence and have been told they can not give the CAT scores to me, something to do with the data protection act. Can someone clarify this to me is this right,
T12ACY
Posts: 800
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:12 pm
Location: Kent

Post by T12ACY »

helpneeded! wrote:i have just spoken to my DC primary school regarding academic evidence and have been told they can not give the CAT scores to me, something to do with the data protection act. Can someone clarify this to me is this right,
If there is a data protection issue it is a selective use of it! HT of our school readily provided this and I know many others get it without a problem, however if you need to you can make a request I think. Don't know in full about this but am sure someone will be able to advise :)

Good luck :!:
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

I can't really see why there should be a problem.

We need to know why they think this.

Under the DPA a request should, technically, be made to the chair of governors, but this would be silly (nothing to stop the school passing the request on).

Or is it that they think your child, but not you, can have the information???

If you can get a reason out of them, we can advise further.

Some information here:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus ... rs.php#b20 (scroll down to "school records")

http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/ ... rsion3.pdf
Etienne
helpneeded!
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:49 am

Post by helpneeded! »

Thanks everybody for your quick reply. I think the best thing for me to do is have a meeting with his Headteacher asap. I was by told his class teacher that i couldn't have this information,hopefully the HT may be more cooperating.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Post by Amber »

When my DS failed to reach the pass mark for a particular GS in Glos by a mark, I went and asked the school for CATS scores. These were given to me, in writing, within 2 hours of asking for them. I cannot see any conceivable reason why you should not be given them and I think you should mention to the Head that it is normal practice to give these to parents on request.

A word of caution though: in my case, it just made me sicker, so be careful what you wish for!
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