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Alexandra
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:34 pm

For the moderators

Post by Alexandra »

I have sent some information to the appeals box and desperately hope you can help. :(
Alexandra
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:34 pm

Re: For the moderators

Post by Alexandra »

Sorry me specific question is: how can I best present the information? considering the information sent
Alexandra
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:34 pm

Re: For the moderators

Post by Alexandra »

I've just emailed the password so you can open the document I sent
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: For the moderators

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Alexandra

We don't generally have time to review individual cases, but I have glanced quickly at the information you have sent over.

There is far too much focus on extenuating circumstances in your case - too many of them and they can very easily begin to sound like excuses. Although you and your family have clearly endured a very difficult time, the panel are looking for reasons why your child didn't perform as well as might have been expected on the day of the test.

I suggest that for the next hearing you concentrate entirely on the academic case (which appears to be quite strong) in your presentation, and simply allow the panel to ask questions about your extenuating circumstances if they feel that they need to. Be as brief as possible with your answers and allow them to "drag" information out of you.

If you have not yet submitted your paperwork for the 3rd appeal, I suggest that you rewrite the case, reducing the extenuating circumstances to a very few lines about events in the days before the tests.

I hope that helps.

Sally-Anne
Alexandra
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:34 pm

Re: For the moderators

Post by Alexandra »

thank you. I added the extenuating circumstances as they were the reasons why he did not perform on the day and thought I needed to give an explanation of why his performance was so impaired. I wanted to show that with so much going on and an undiagnosed illness were the reasons why he wasn't performing on the day. The only thing I'm concerned about letting the panel drag it out of me is that my experience last week at my first appeal was that the panel didn't ask me any questions about the academic evidence or the extenuating circumstances. You've said the academic evidence is quite strong, but his score wasn't strong, I felt that at the first appeal they just looked at his score and dismissed it. The appeal this week, in the schools case, they have written his position on the waiting list which is 60th so I feel that this has prejudiced us from the start - any advice on how to deal with this?
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: For the moderators

Post by Etienne »

thank you. I added the extenuating circumstances as they were the reasons why he did not perform on the day and thought I needed to give an explanation of why his performance was so impaired.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 35&t=24978" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sally-Anne has given you the correct advice.

Have you read the Q&As? We recommend understating extenuating circumstances, not overstating them. Generally speaking, you shouldn't even need to refer to them - if there's anything really significant, just attach the evidence which should speak for itself.

If you introduce extenuating circumstances stretching back over the past year, it begs the question 'Why is he doing so well at school then?'
Much better to comment briefly at the hearing "It's been a very difficult year for us", and see if they want to pursue the matter.
If they don't, then I'm not sure what is to be gained by forcing the information on them!

Apart from an undiagnosed problem, the expectation is likely to be that you would have reported any extenuating circumstances at the time of the 11+.
The appeal this week, in the schools case, they have written his position on the waiting list which is 60th so I feel that this has prejudiced us from the start - any advice on how to deal with this?
Ask why that information has been given, when the Code states: “When hearing appeals, panels must not take account of where the admission authority has placed a child on the waiting list.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... school#c17" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Point out that giving out such information - when the Code clearly states that panels cannot consider it - has prejudiced your case.

Sorry to hear that the first appeal seemed so unsatisfactory. If you want to get hold of the clerk's notes, we don't mind having a look at them for you to check whether everything was done correctly.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/ombudsman#d4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Etienne
Alexandra
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:34 pm

Re: For the moderators

Post by Alexandra »

Thanks Etienne. I will try to get hold of the clerks notes to have a look at. I didn't report extenuating circumstances on the day as there was no provision. The only provision was if they were ill on the day to provide a Drs note and sit on the 2nd date. The point was, I had no idea he was ill until he was diagnosed after the test. His school work hadn't dipped as he had held it together, but went into meltdown after all the things had settled down, and reacted badly to a couple of things just before the test. I can see what you are saying about extenuating circumstances and I won't mention them in the next appeal. I can see how it looks but I just know he was not in the right place to concentrate or perform at his optimum because of our circumstances. I can empathize with him as I took an exam for my MA at a similar time and failed - not because I wasn't academically able (I retook it and passed!!) but our circumstances were not conducive to perform at ones best!

Thank you for all the help - a great forum for support and advice
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