Is it all hopeless? (Bucks)

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ithastobepurple
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:29 pm

Is it all hopeless? (Bucks)

Post by ithastobepurple »

Our DD 'failed' her 11+ her score was 111.
My DD is dyslexic - extra time was applied for, however at the start of September we were told that further evidence was needed. It was impossible for the further evidence to be supplied in order for my daughter to sit the paper with her peers. The school and I agreed that DD should sit the papers with her peers and without extra time - I was told this would give us stronger grounds for an appeal.
My DD knew that we had applied for the extra time and when we didn't get it she fell apart and it really affected her confidence.
I have struggled with ill health for much of the year which I know has been difficult for DD but I don't know if it could be used as mitigating circumstances.
Should we draw a line under it and move on or will we regret it if we don't at least try.

Thank you in advance :(
Last edited by ithastobepurple on Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Is it all hopeless?

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi ithastobepurple

It does not necessarily have to be hopeless, particularly as you have an obvious reason for a low score in a verbal reasoning test. It will be a matter of proving her academic ability and then demonstrating why her dyslexia held her back.

Was the dyslexia diagnosed by an Educational Psychologist? If so, how old is the report?

Can you please post more information about her academic track record - CATs, reading or spelling ages, predicted SATs, etc?

Sally-Anne
ithastobepurple
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:29 pm

Re: Is it all hopeless?

Post by ithastobepurple »

Thank you Sally-Anne I will get the information together as soon as I can.

My DD was not diagnosed by an Ed psych - she was identified by the school - she was on school action plus but went down to school action at the start of year 5.

Thanks again
ithastobepurple
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:29 pm

Re: Is it all hopeless?

Post by ithastobepurple »

Hi Sally-Anne

So far I have managed to gather the following results from last year -

CAT Scores - V - 125, Q - 99, NV - 106

Results Of tests taken Feb 2010 -

English - Reading 5c
English - Writing 4c
Mathematics - 4b
Science - 4a

Thanks
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Is it all hopeless?

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi purple (forgive the abbreviated user name!)

The CATs are rather more mixed than I would hope. The VR is good, and suggests that her 11+ score should have been higher, but the QR is weaker, suggesting that the maths questions may have been more of a challenge for her.

The SATs look rather stronger, particularly reading, which is excellent. The writing score isn't strong, but that is to be expected with dyslexia. You will need to try to find out what the school is predicting overall for literacy, and I think the breakdown into reading and writing will be important. Otherwise she looks set for 5a or 5b in Maths and Science, so that is encouraging.

I am sending you a PM with a further suggestion.

Sally-Anne
Morning Glory
Posts: 310
Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2009 8:46 pm
Location: Bucks

Re: Is it all hopeless?

Post by Morning Glory »

Hi

My DS had scores of 104/106 last year and had been refused extra time. We had an EP assessment that clearly stated he should have extra time but still to no avail. We appealed and won. It is not for the feint hearted and we did have a lot of mitigating circumstances and very strong consistent academic evidence.

In hindsight I believe it was to our advantage that the extra time was refused as if he had had the extra time and still failed then I believe our case would have been significantly weakened.
ithastobepurple
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:29 pm

Re: Is it all hopeless?

Post by ithastobepurple »

Morning Glory

Thank you so much for your reply it is good to know that others have been successful with similar scores.

We will give it our best shot at least then whatever the outcome we will know that we have done our best.

Purple
Rob Clark
Posts: 1298
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:59 pm

Re: Is it all hopeless?

Post by Rob Clark »

Just to add to MG’s point, please explore the whole issue of extra time carefully.

We never even considered asking for it for DD and nor did we mention it at appeal, but when we registered her for the 12+, the LEA contacted us and asked if we were applying for extra time as she was eligible, so clearly schools don’t always know themselves when it might apply.

Good luck.
ithastobepurple
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:29 pm

Re: Is it all hopeless?

Post by ithastobepurple »

Hi

I have had a meeting at the school this afternoon and I have been told that they will support our appeal and have graded DD 2.1.
My main concern is that her end of Y6 predictions only include 1 L5 which is for reading does this make any chance of success very unlikely? I have been told that we need at least 2 L5 predictions. I have been told that they will try and gloss over this fact and focus on the fact that her maths improved by 3 levels last year instead but will this be enough?

Thanks
Morning Glory
Posts: 310
Joined: Fri Jul 31, 2009 8:46 pm
Location: Bucks

Re: Is it all hopeless?

Post by Morning Glory »

You should already be discussing with HT about access arrangements for Year 6 SATs. My DS had predicted 4's on the HT appeal summary but I asked if that was his predicted levels with or without access arrangements. HT amended appeals summary to read level 4's* (*if appropriate access arrangements are approved he has the potential to get level 5's).

We applied for a scribe, extra time, a break and separate room and were granted all of these and he got level 5's.

I truly think you have to be just one step ahead of the game when you have SEN issues. When we went to see the HT about access arrangements for 11+ I didn't have a clue what we were able to ask for and what evidence we required. When I went to discuss the Year 6 SATs access arrangements, I had already done my research and knew all the access arrangements that were available, exactly what evidence was required and what I thought DS required. Luckily the HT agreed.
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