appeal advice

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worriedmama
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 10:31 am

appeal advice

Post by worriedmama »

Hi I previously asked for advice on whether I should appeal for my daughter & am decided to go ahead. Her scores were 129 vr 121 nvr & 111 maths. I have sent a message to the appeals inbox as I would like some further advice on the evidence that should be submitted, I would greatly appreciate a response with some guidance on which route to take.
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: appeal advice

Post by yoyo123 »

I'll move this to the appeals section, where it is more likely to be seen

Etienne is very busy with appeals questions at the moment and I am sure she will reply as soon as she can.
Moderators are all volunteers, with jobs and families, we try to help as much as we can but sometimes we get a bit snowed under, especially at this time of year
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: appeal advice

Post by Etienne »

Best to start by reading the Q&As:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I would like some further advice on the evidence that should be submitted
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a36" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Etienne
worriedmama
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 10:31 am

Re: appeal advice

Post by worriedmama »

Thank you for moving to correct place.I did try to PM Etienne as someone else advised how helpful she was but it came back that the user wasn't accepting PM's. Is this correct or have I not done this correctly as I am quite new to this site? I really appreciate everyone involved in this site helping with advice as know how busy you all must be.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: appeal advice

Post by hermanmunster »

Sorry it is not possible to send a private message to Etienne. It tends to be best if you ask general questions on the forum as the answers can help other people and many other people may be able to help.

if there confidential points that you need some specific advice on then there is a appeals box that e-mails can be sent to:. http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... php?t=9907" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
worriedmama
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 10:31 am

Re: appeal advice

Post by worriedmama »

My dilemma is whether to include dd's year 5 report as evidence (her levels were 4c maths 3a english & 4b+ reading science 4). She has been above average throughout primary school but lost confidence in year 4 where she ended the year a sub level lower in maths & the same level in english as year 3. The school hadn't informed me she was struggling so I helped her in year 5 & she re-gained confidence & rapidly progressed & they advised to put her in for the 11+. She has just taken optional sats & her teacher expects her to have high level 4's now & thinks that by the sats in year 6 she will be level 5. My problem is I don't know whether to be completely honest re the level 5 sats or not send her report for that year as am worried this will do more harm. The cats she did in year 5 aren't great either (110 across in each subject), but dd took both cats & sats on her own as we had been away & said she was interrupted & rushed for both. DD's confidence is so much better & her ht has agreed to support us if she carry's on to progress so rapidly.She believes if the test were 6 months later my DD would have passed with flying colours. Science is her favorite & best subject & the grammar school she wants is a science specialist college & the admissions lady strongly advised to go for appeal as historically marks similar or lower have been successful & has also been under subscribed for the last 2 years.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: appeal advice

Post by Etienne »

You're under no obligation to include evidence that weakens your case - but some panels might expect to see the last available full report, and perhaps be a bit suspicious if it's not submitted.

If you were to include the year 5 report, I think you'd need some very strong evidence from before the dip in performance (e.g. straight level 3s at KS1), and some very strong recent evidence - especially in maths - to show all is now well.

However, if the school were prepared to write a very full and detailed report a few weeks before the appeal, this would be the best solution (depending on what the report says!). Then you could tell the panel that they have been given the most up-to-date information.
Etienne
worriedmama
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 10:31 am

Re: appeal advice

Post by worriedmama »

Thank you so much, this is really helpful advice & I feel like I now have a much better idea of how to present our appeal & will indeed ask the ht & class teacher for a detailed report neat to the appeal. If the panel ask about the year 5 sats are they likely to have obtained this information already or is this confidential to the school? I now have to prepare myself for the best way of answering this, if it is likely to be mentioned.
tigger2
Posts: 755
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:35 am

Re: appeal advice

Post by tigger2 »

Hi Worried Mama, I don't know where you are but in Kent the Panel will see the information that you provide them and ,if its a GS appeal, the score is usually provided. All the evidence about your dc usually comes from you....I would warn against leaving a year 5 report out. I know people who have done this and were asked why it wasn't included at the hearing. My ds's year 5 report was pretty dire but we included it but also included a copy of his year 4 report and his end of ks1 summary as well as a supportive letter from his year 6 teacher and ht.

Hope this helps!
Tigger
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: appeal advice

Post by Etienne »

I agree - it would actually be quite improper for the panel to seek information from the school, and for the school to release such information without your agreement.

It seems to me, though, that a missing year 5 report only becomes an issue if it's the last available full report. Take the independent sector, for example, where full reports are likely to be issued two or three times a year. An appeal panel, presented with a full (year 6) Spring Term report, is not going to query where the year 5 report is.

Provided that your school will provide a very full and detailed report at the end of the spring term - or early in the summer - that should suffice.

Some year 5 reports I've seen are close to useless for appeal purposes (hardly anything about achievement, but large chunks explaining what has been covered in the syllabus!). I make some suggestions here about the sort of information an appeal panel might like to see:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b48" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not saying that all of this would fit your circumstances. If this is intended as a substitute report (as well as serving as a letter of support), there ought to be up-to-date comments on all the individual subjects. It could also be helpful if the headteacher were willing to use the line "if the test had been 6 months later she would have passed with flying colours".
Etienne
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