Including all school reports or just the latest?

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DC17C
Posts: 1197
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:34 pm

Including all school reports or just the latest?

Post by DC17C »

AArggg.... well it looks like I might need a new plan A for DS so I am back to planning an appeal for Gloucestershire GS but unsure if I should enclose all school reports from KS2 or just the latest.

Head says just to put the end of Yr5 which is very positive along with this years midterm report. I don't know if they will expect all the KS2 reports. The only thing I am not sure about is the yr 4 report mentions DS being level 5c for maths and then he was still level 5c at the end of yr5 so it seems he made no progress but then the report then goes on to say DS will be doing level 6 maths going forward into yr 6. DS is due to do level 6 SAT maths paper after more recent assessment.

Head also mentioned putting in merit awards and extra curricular activities and submitting his theme books/ homework but the 11+ forum would suggest sticking to academic evidence/ mitigating circumstances/ reason why school is right school for DS. I guess I will get more of an idea when I get the appeal paperwork after 1st March but any advice would be gratefully received.
Last edited by DC17C on Wed Feb 20, 2013 12:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Pumpkin Pie
Posts: 661
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:27 pm

Re: Including all school reports or just the latest?

Post by Pumpkin Pie »

I guess you mean KS2! :wink:
DC17C
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:34 pm

Re: Including all school reports or just the latest?

Post by DC17C »

Thanks :roll: OP now corrected!
Etienne
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Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Including all school reports or just the latest?

Post by Etienne »

Hi DC17C

Primary school heads don't necessarily know too much about appeals - no reason why they should, but they shouldn't make it up by substituting what they think might be required!
We went to see our son's head teacher yesterday who threw us into a panic by talking about letters from choir masters and scout masters and football coaches and stuff about "the whole child" ....... When we got home, we rang the LEA Secondary Admissions Team, who confirmed what the Head had said. All we could think was that things had changed somehow. We were completely confused!

Then, late last night the Head rang us at home. He said that he had just talked to the Clerk of a Kent appeals panel, who said that both he (the Head) and the Admissions Team were absolutely wrong, ............

The Clerk said that the only time letters from coaches and so on could possibly be useful is if it is a specialist school and they provide solid, independent evidence from a qualified person of a particular aptitude. He also said that sometimes evidence of independent thinking and leadership might help a bit, but not much. He said that the crucial element is hard evidence. The Head's recommendation is very important.which needs to be incredibly carefully worded. Any element of "he deserves a place because he's a lovely lad with beautiful manners" and the whole letter is called into question. And SATS levels, CATS scores and an Ed Psychs reports.


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I guess I will get more of an idea when I get the appeal paperwork after 1st March
I'd be surprised if it goes into detail such as which school reports should be included.

I think all the KS2 reports would normally be too much. I would usually suggest just the most recent reports - year 5, plus any interim reports if available (e.g. year 6, mid-year).

An exception might be if there had been extenuating circumstances affecting academic performance in year 5 - in that situation the parent would want to demonstrate that what happened in year 5 was just a blip, and would turn to earlier reports for proof.

If your child had straight level 3s at KS1, it could be worth including the printout of those results (just the one sheet), as the panel might well view it as a good early indicator of grammar school standard.
Head also mentioned putting in merit awards
I suggest only if they are for exceptional academic achievement - not for effort or anything else!

Good luck!
Etienne
DC17C
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:34 pm

Re: Including all school reports or just the latest?

Post by DC17C »

Thanks Etienne - I guess appeals panels don't want to be overwhelmed with paper but want the most recent and relevant information in the most concise form - yes I have the KS1 paper as well with level 3's so that is a help.
scaredycat
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Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:36 pm

Re: Including all school reports or just the latest?

Post by scaredycat »

We appealed in Glos a few years ago and were required to submit, as part of our case, Year 4 and 5 reports, CAT's scores and predicted SAT's. We chose to submit examples of work but got the impression that these weren't really necessary. The appeals form tells you exactly what you need to submit if I remember rightly.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Including all school reports or just the latest?

Post by Etienne »

scaredycat wrote:We appealed in Glos a few years ago and were required to submit, as part of our case, Year 4 and 5 reports, CAT's scores and predicted SAT's. We chose to submit examples of work but got the impression that these weren't really necessary. The appeals form tells you exactly what you need to submit if I remember rightly.
Interesting! I don't think they should be instructing parents what to submit!

Here's an example of good practice:
the IAP will then consider any clear evidence from you to support your claim that your child is of the required academic standard.
Examples of this might be a recent school report or a letter of support from their current or previous school, clearly indicating why your child is considered to be of the required academic standard.
The Appeals Code gives 'examples' of evidence, not 'requirements':
3.13 An appeal panel may be asked to consider an appeal where the appellant believes that the child did not perform at their best on the day of the entrance test. In such cases:
a) where a local review process has not been applied, the panel must only uphold the appeal if it is satisfied:
i) that there is evidence to demonstrate that the child is of the required academic standards, for example, school reports giving Year 5/Year 6 SAT results or a letter of support from their current or previous school clearly indicating why the child is considered to be of grammar school ability"
Etienne
Poppet3
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Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:12 pm

Re: Including all school reports or just the latest?

Post by Poppet3 »

Phew! Am much relieved by your thoughts, Etienne. We are doubtless going to be going through an appeal and had hoped to be able to submit just the latest reports ie Xmas of year 6. It's really only been since the summer that our DC has matured in attitude to work...results have improved hugely long with efforts. I had been hoping not to have to reveal earlier reports, so this thread was a little alarming :( !
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Including all school reports or just the latest?

Post by Etienne »

I think it should be a decision for parents as to what evidence best will support their case. What really matters is that it should be of a high standard and sufficient.

It would in any case be difficult to insist on both a year 4 and a year 5 report - parents could easily say "Sorry - we were only able to lay our hands on the most recent one". And any panel that stated it was turning down an appeal because a year 4 report had been omitted would most likely be asking for trouble!

(Panels could reasonably expect the most up-to-date information. Under normal circumstances it would of course look rather odd to submit a year 4 report, but not year 5! :lol:)
Etienne
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Including all school reports or just the latest?

Post by capers123 »

Etienne wrote:
scaredycat wrote:We appealed in Glos a few years ago and were required to submit, as part of our case, Year 4 and 5 reports, CAT's scores and predicted SAT's. We chose to submit examples of work but got the impression that these weren't really necessary. The appeals form tells you exactly what you need to submit if I remember rightly.
Interesting! I don't think they should be instructing parents what to submit!
I can't speak for all the schools in Glos (or rather, I can't speak for any), but from what I remember of the letter that goes to parents, it's not an instruction but a suggestion of the type of evidence the parents could submit - pretty much as your example. A parent might interpret that as an instruction.

As panels we don't expect to be presented with the same information from each parent. Some might have lost previous school reports (though schools do keep a copy if you need one).

Poppet3, don't panic. It is up to you what to submit. One thought though is that by submitting both the past & Xmas reports it would show how your child had matured. Just the Xmas will give nothing to compare with. It's down to whatever will support your case, really.
Capers
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