Any chance?

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anxiousanna
Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 7:09 pm

Any chance?

Post by anxiousanna »

I recieved my DS's results today for a GS. His maths and English score seem around what I would have expected. However his VR is shocking. On the day of the test he was extremely upset, crying and unusually angry. He complained that the noise in the room had completely distracted him- chairs moving in and out, but also watch alarms going off. (a little thoughtless towards others). He is predicted level 5's for his SATS and his cat score are high. Is there anything I can do ?
Many thanks. A
Last edited by anxiousanna on Wed May 23, 2012 11:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
anxiousanna
Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 7:09 pm

Re: Any chance?

Post by anxiousanna »

I thought it would be best to add more information, hope this may help to decide if this is a hopeless case.

English 31/50
Maths 29/40
V/r 49/80 (what a shock! the lowest he has ever scored is 62/80)

He is currently level 5 for English, Has a high reading and spelling age and has achieved a level 6b in a mock sats for maths.

His cat scores (from October 2011) are;

NVR 114
VR 120
Quantitive 141

Any chance?
Last edited by anxiousanna on Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:32 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Any chance?

Post by Etienne »

I'm afraid many of us are not sufficiently familiar with Essex to interpret those 11+ scores. (Why is 49/50 a shock?)

The curriculum evidence looks quite good.

The CAT VR and NVR are lower than I would like to see. (Was this a one-off set of CAT results, or are there any others?)

I've a feeling Essex appeals aren't easy, but you need to weigh up how strong a case you can put forward in terms of academic evidence and reasons for wanting a place.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b11" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... -school#c2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Etienne
hermanmunster
Posts: 12815
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Any chance?

Post by hermanmunster »

Think it perhaps should have been 49/80
anxiousanna
Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 7:09 pm

Re: Any chance?

Post by anxiousanna »

Yes 49/80 is correct. It is indeed a 'one off' cat score result. However, it is his school that suggested to me that we should consider appealing, based on his accademic abilities, and have said that they are willing to strongly support if we decide to proceed.
aang
Posts: 158
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:41 pm

Re: Any chance?

Post by aang »

Throwing in my two cents as I am familiar with Essex GS but not much knowledge about appeals (other than they are hard to win in Essex).

A forum user has posted their DD's scores which are very similar to your DS, with English 31/50, Maths 29/40 and VR 62/80 for a standardised score of 347.304. I assume the standardisation makes no difference for boys and girls so if hypothetically your DS had indeed scored say 62/80 in the VR, then this would have given you a score that qualifies for an offer at Colchester, but not at KEGS. One forum poster has shared their DS standardised score of 341.847 ranked 115/555 at Colchester and an offer from CRGS. Another forum poster has shared their DS standardised score of 346.978 ranked 200/844 at KEGS and no offer (but possibly waiting list). I do not know which school you are considering appealing, but the gap at KEGS is substantial.

Without seeing the VR papers, the scores suggest that the VR paper this year may have been harder than last year as I have not seen many scores in mid-high 70s out of 80.

Some pupils perform better on the day of the 11+ exam, while others unfortunately do not. It is hard to replicate the exam conditions, which like you say can be noisy and disruptive. If the invigilator had noted the excessive disruption, then there may be some consideration to this. However, you have to remember that the VR is the third and final paper and that most pupils are familiar by then with the shuffling of chairs and been warned about setting loud personal alarms. Unless you have strong evidence otherwise, I cannot see much point in raising exam environment since this could apply to pretty much most pupils.

When I attended the open day, I remember the Headteacher of CRGS stressing that the 11+ merely measures the performance of pupils on a given day - some pupils do better or worse and may not be reflective of their ability. Bear in mind that this year there has been a marked increase in the number of pupils sitting the KEGS exam, up from 744 pupils to 851, which may explain why the standardised scores appear much higher this year.

If you are to appeal, then focus on evidence of strong performance and being able to support that the 11+ exam was a seriously off day.

Good luck.
anxiousanna
Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 7:09 pm

Re: Any chance?

Post by anxiousanna »

Thank you aang for your very detailed response. I am not yet convinced that this is the route that I wish to take, I am more inclined to 'walk away' at this moment in time. I was expecting my DS's scores to be low, purely based on the state he was in when we collected him. I completely agree with you re; by the time they get to the third test they should be used to the shuffling etc. Unfortunately, on the day, my DS really struggled with this and found it impossible to cope with. I would not base an appeal on dissruption, as everyone suffered the same. If (and it is a big if) we decide to proceed, it would be based on his academic ability - accompanied with evidence from the school. I don't think I would have given it a second thought until the Deputy Head at school voiced her shock and suggested that we should go down the long, lonely road of appeal.
dutchy005
Posts: 117
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:11 pm

Re: Any chance?

Post by dutchy005 »

Have a look at my posts from two years ago not missing my report on the sticky at the top of the appeals section. If you want more personal info then PM me, I am more than willing to help if I can. One thing I do know is that it is a long hard road and takes months so there is no hurry.

I do understand what you say about the disruption affecting everyone but you do need mitigation, good strong academic evidence is required but the panel will also want reasons as to why his performance on the day was unexpectedly and significantly worse than anticipated.

So, have a look, I have put quite a bit up over the last couple of years and, when/if you want more help just let me know. Over the next couple of days I'll dig out our CAT Scores etc and this might give you an idea of whether your academic evidence is strong enough.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Any chance?

Post by Etienne »

Interestingly, the new Code of Practice makes no mention at all of mitigating circumstances.
..... the panel must only uphold the appeal if it is satisfied that there is evidence to demonstrate that the child is of the required academic standards
The previous Code said:
the panel should consider any factors which appellants contend may have affected the child’s performance (e.g. illness, bereavement); whether the family made the admission authority aware of these before they sat the test; and whether it offered alternative testing arrangements or made reasonable adjustments (e.g. in the case of children with disabilities). The panel may then need to consider any clear evidence presented by the appellants to support their claim that the child is of the required academic standard .....
Etienne
dutchy005
Posts: 117
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:11 pm

Re: Any chance?

Post by dutchy005 »

That does sound much better.

I think we won the academic argument with both panels but both appeals focussed on a disturbance in the exam which like anxiousanna we weren't going to mention. This was one of a number of factors cited in the letters informing us of the outcomes. It will be interesting to see what happens this year when this can no longer be a factor. Presumably it could turn it all into a bit of talent contest with whoever has the best academic evidence winning their appeal rather than whoever had the worst year.

When you know where your DS is on the waiting list PM me this and his standardised score and I will tell you what ours was, where we were on waiting list(s) and summarise our academic evidence. We came very close to winning at KEGS and did get a place at CRGS.
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