advice for a headteacher

[jenny wren]

Hi Sally-Anne and Etienne and anyone else out there

Our Headteacher would like to know what is expected from them in the appeal. They have written the letter of support and are more than happy to come along to the appeal. Your Q&As are fantastic but is there any advice you can give specifically to a head?

Gosh, hasn't the forum gone quiet. Has everyone gone skiing

Jenny

[Sally-Anne]

Gosh, hasn't the forum gone quiet. Has everyone gone skiing Jenny

Not me Jenny - you wouldn't catch me on skis in a million years! Tried it once and only managed a spectacular demonstration of how to fall over repeatedly!

Most Heads don't really know individual children particularly well - they just have a general impression, so I think she needs to do her homework on your son.

I would advise the Head to speak to every teacher who works with your son so that s/he has absolutely everything about your son's performance at school at her fingertips - his position in each subject relative to the rest of the year group and his attitude to work, quality of homework, etc.

I would suggest that s/he takes notes of all of this plus exam results, test results, predicted SATs - everything. If s/he has the information to hand and can call up facts and figures readily and shows that s/he really does know your son I think the panel will be impressed by how seriously s/he is taking the Appeal.

I also suggest that s/he speaks to the previous year's form teacher to get a comparison of his progress over a couple of years.

Can't think of anything else really ... over to Etienne!

Best wishes
Sally-Anne

P.S. Tell me if it's a he or a she and I can edit all those horrid "s/hes" out!

[Etienne]

Agree with Sally-Anne, and would just add two points:

• Like parents, headteachers need to focus on academic evidence and (if applicable) extenuating circumstances. Some heads can't resist giving a character reference, or wandering off on to "prowess on the sports field" and "contribution to school life". This really doesn't help at an appeal against non-qualification.
  
  Panels wil consider very carefully a headteacher's exact choice of words, e.g. "I very strongly support this case." However, a head has to be realistic. Panels get to know those headteachers whose support is exaggerated and over-optimistic, and cease to believe them.

[jenny wren]

Thank you ladies

Is it too much to have both head and class teacher at the appeal hearing with me?

Jenny

[Sally-Anne]

I think it would be Jenny - the Head should be able to cover everything that the class teacher can say, and from a more authoritative standpoint.

Sally-Anne

[jenny wren]

Sally-Anne

Just browsing through the forum at previous topics. Are you and your child preparing for the 12+?

Jenny