Advice for a friend please!

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khanj010
Posts: 239
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:01 am

Advice for a friend please!

Post by khanj010 »

Dear moderators or any one who can help. I need some advice for a friend , her daughter recently did the 12+ test and got her results which was 119.
Now 2 days before the test the child Grandparent had a stroke and died abroad.
Also the test was taken in the school library where other students of the school were using at the same time approx. about 10-15 children were there and were not quiet at all.
she has received with the result letter a form to complete for a review panel and to send all documents which has to be handed in by April 4th (I think) but it is short notice to gather all the evidence as its the schools holidays. (she received the letter today)
Can she use these points above as extenuating circumstances and how should she go about the review panel.
Thank you.
anotherdad
Posts: 1763
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:33 pm

Re: Advice for a friend please!

Post by anotherdad »

Firstly, your friend would need to provide academic evidence to show that a GS is the suitable place for her daughter. Extenuating circumstances are not enough on their own but would be considered if it was felt that the circumstances led to a test result at odds with the child's academic performance. I assume the daughter has the SATs levels required to sit the 12+ in the first place? Has she good strong evidence from Year 7 to show continued progress?

I'm not sure how strictly these things are checked, but I would expect to be asked to provide proof of the bereavement. Without wishing to be disrespectful, anyone could claim the death of a relative abroad and a panel would not be carrying out its role fairly if it didn't ask for evidence and ask how the child was affected. I suspect it would have been viewed more generously had the examining school been informed at the time.

The circumstances of the test sitting sound strange. Do you mean that the other children were sitting the test and were unruly, or do you mean the test was sat "in public"? If it was the latter, that would surely be maladministration which should have been noted at the time or shortly afterward. It would have looked better had the examining authority been informed immediately, not after an unsuccessful result. If it were the former, again, it should have been noted before now.

If the panel were uncharitable, it might ask why these circumstances were not brought to their or the school's attention before an unsuccessful result.

Off-topic, but how did your son do in his 12+ tests?
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Advice for a friend please!

Post by Sally-Anne »

khanj010 wrote:her daughter recently did the 12+ test and got her results which was 119.
I assume this was outside of the normal testing round?
Now 2 days before the test the child Grandparent had a stroke and died abroad.
Did the grandparent live abroad? If so, it will be hard to demonstrate that there was an emotional impact on the DD. You need to show what impact this event had on her, not just that it happened.
Also the test was taken in the school library where other students of the school were using at the same time approx. about 10-15 children were there and were not quiet at all.
"We would respectfully ask the Review Panel to examine the invigilator's report for any disturbances that took place during the test. We would also ask the panel to consider if our DD was disadvantaged by the test conditions when compared with the main 12+ cohort earlier this year?"
she has received with the result letter a form to complete for a review panel and to send all documents which has to be handed in by April 4th (I think) but it is short notice to gather all the evidence as its the schools holidays. (she received the letter today)
She should have 14 days from receipt of the test result to prepare her evidence for the panel. April 4th is completely unreasonable. I suggest that she calls the school anyway to point out that parents preparing for reviews after the main 11+ testing round had 10 school days to prepare their case.

Despite that, I would advise her to submit her case at the earliest possible date because if she delays she might miss the first round of allocations in early May.

As anotherdad says, academic evidence is more important than any of this.
khanj010
Posts: 239
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:01 am

Re: Advice for a friend please!

Post by khanj010 »

Thank so much S.A and anotherdad for your response because of the holidays my friend cannot get hold of the school so who can she contact? Who is the invigilator as when the test was taken the only adult present was the school librarian. It's a shame as my friend did not ask her dd about the circumstance of the testing as she thought there was no need to as she presumed it would be normal testing procedures.
Because the date is given for the 4th April she has got academic evidence but with all the other extenuating circumstances can she write this all down as PowerPoint.
Any suggestions please.
Also my ds did very well and achieved the qualifying scores but there is no yr 8 places at the moment at the AAylesbury grammar school and there is a high waiting list for the Sir Henry Floyd. We can only hope and wait for may.
I just hope I can help my friend as we have gone through this together.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Advice for a friend please!

Post by Guest55 »

School offices should be open tomorrow so do get her to ring the school or e-mail the office.

There is a certain number of days she should be allowed so either the letter was delayed (check the postmark) or the '4th' date is an error.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Advice for a friend please!

Post by Sally-Anne »

khanj010 wrote:can she write this all down as PowerPoint.
No, please tell her not to use Powerpoint! There are no facilities for electronic PP presentations at appeals, and using 20 sheets of paper in a huge font where one neatly typed page will do is unnecessary.
anotherdad
Posts: 1763
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:33 pm

Re: Advice for a friend please!

Post by anotherdad »

khanj010 wrote:Also my ds did very well and achieved the qualifying scores but there is no yr 8 places at the moment at the AAylesbury grammar school and there is a high waiting list for the Sir Henry Floyd.
That's very good, well done to him. Are there some places at Sir Henry Floyd then? Roughly how close are you to the school? It will possibly come down to proximity if there are spaces.
MollyB
Posts: 71
Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 3:42 pm

Re: Advice for a friend please!

Post by MollyB »

Hi Khan very good news about your son well done to him. After all you have been through I am surprised you are not going for the oversubscription appeal such a shame to give up now especially when you are so sure a Grammar School is the right place for your son. I think you should give it a go you have nothing to loose.
MollyB
Posts: 71
Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 3:42 pm

Re: Advice for a friend please!

Post by MollyB »

Sorry typing too quickly meant to write lose!!!!
khanj010
Posts: 239
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:01 am

Re: Advice for a friend please!

Post by khanj010 »

Thanks mollyb
Its been a long year, I have had non stop sleep for the past year and now that he has passed we have to wait if there is any places available.
I have to do all this again in a few months as ds3 will be doing the new vr/nvr tests this September. :evil:
Can I take this opportunity to say thank you everyone for all the helpful advice and suggestions you have given me, I know I was a pain but I knew my son could do it and if you are in the same boat don't give up as there is light at the end of the tunnel.

SO A BIG THANK YOU :D
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