Extenuating Circumstances (Bucks)

[Sweaty Palms]

Hello,

Our DS scored 113 in both tests, but was fully expected to pass. He was sat next to a child that complained of feeling sick during the test. DS doesn't cope well with sickness (almost to the point I was class as a phobia). The child's suspected sickness was reported on the Invigilators report. Will the Invigilators report be made available to the panel automatically? I am stumped as to how I can prove that this incident (happened in both tests) would have worried him enough to have concerned him enough for him to lose concentration?

DS has a 2:2 from the Head Teacher and is fully supported by the school. He has 5's across the board and has had a very high reading age since Year 3.

DS has an Educational Psychologist report to follow to support our claims that GS is the right route for him.

Any advice, gratefully received!

Many Thanks.

[hermanmunster]

Hello,

Our DS scored 113 in both tests, but was fully expected to pass. He was sat next to a child that complained of feeling sick during the test. DS doesn't cope well with sickness (almost to the point I was class as a phobia). The child's suspected sickness was reported on the Invigilators report. Will the Invigilators report be made available to the panel automatically? I am stumped as to how I can prove that this incident (happened in both tests) would have worried him enough to have concerned him enough for him to lose concentration?

DS has a 2:2 from the Head Teacher and is fully supported by the school. He has 5's across the board and has had a very high reading age since Year 3.

DS has an Educational Psychologist report to follow to support our claims that GS is the right route for him.

Any advice, gratefully received!

Many Thanks.

I am not sure - I suppose you can ask for the LEA to be made available. The struggle will be to prove that that event , (which must happen very often in exams) actually made any difference.

- one of my class mates threw up in out 11 plus in 1970, I couldn't stand it either but I I don't think it made any difference then and it would have been hard to prove that it did, while not affecting half the class as well and hence need wholescale adjustment of marks.

If you are going to prove it then you need further evidence - not only of the academic potential that you have but other occasions when it has been a problem and actually affected performance. - have you seen any health professionals about it?

[Sweaty Palms]

Thanks for the swift reply.

I've never taken him to anyone about it. I've always been on hand when he's worked himself into a state about it.

His friend didn't have the problem on the practice papers, just in both of the actual tests. I can't think why else his score was so much lower than his practice papers.

Do I have to ask for the Invigilators Report to be made available or will it be automatic?

Thanks Again.

[Etienne]

I can't guarantee that it will happen automatically, so I think it would be wise to contact Admissions to ask whether the invigilation report for both tests will be available at the hearing, as it will be an important part of your case. (Best to do this in writing so that there's a record of your inquiry. Email: admissions@buckscc.gov.uk, quoting your appeals reference number, name of child, date of birth, & name of school.)

I must warn you that, because of the Data Protection Act, it's likely they will have to blot out the name of any other child.
Would it be possible to get a letter from the school confirming where your son was sitting and that it was next to the child who was ill? (I'm assuming the test was at your son's own school.)

As Herman says, the difficult bit is proving what effect this would have had on your son. It would have helped if you had medical evidence about your son's near phobia, and of any other situations where this has been a problem.

I'm afraid lots of children have unexpected scores in the 11+.

The academic evidence is usually even more important than extenuating circumstances. A really good verbal comprehension score from the EP (90th percentile or higher) would help.

[KES Parent]

I don't have anything useful to add, I'm afraid, but just to say enormous sympathy to your DS as I have this as a lifelong phobia. I tried to watch a TV programme about curing someone of this phobia once, but my anxiety became so extreme I had to switch off before it ended! I have been very fortunate in all my many exam situations that this has never happened, but I know I could never have answered a single question if I had heard another child say they felt sick. Unfortunately I'm not sure how common a phobia it is and whether you are likely to get an appeal panel member who understands the paralysing anxiety that would be caused. In case you're wondering, I have a very resilient DH who undertakes all clean up duties in our house!