Bucks 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

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kate14cat
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 10:05 pm

Bucks 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

Post by kate14cat »

Hi All,

DD scored 119 yesterday and we are keen to pursue a selection review. The school are highly supportive and her sat scores are ok I think. At the end of year 5 she was a 5b for reading, which was top of her class, 4a for maths and science ( science mark was again top of her class) and a 4b for writing which was almost a 4a (and came as a surprise to her teacher as she is talented at writing and has won poetry competitions etc). She is being taught in yr 6 by the same teacher she had in yr 4 who has noticed a huge maturing process in my DD and she strongly believes she is grammar school material. I have had two boys sail through the old test and I am now in a panic that her chances of success rest on the case I put together. She was sick on the day of the preparation tests and sat them on the 11/09/13 in isolation. I have a doctors letter that acknowledges her sickness and verbal advice given to my husband and my DD that said she would be well enough to sit the test on the day. And she was bouncing on the morning so we sent her in.................... when she got into the test I think the emotion of the previous two days got to her and she burst into tears....................... her teacher sat behind her and told her she would be fine.................. I felt the stress of sitting it on her own 24 hours after the test would have been worse than doing it with her friends................... any thoughts comments would be gratefully received as you all know better than me timescales are tight!

Thank you.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

Post by Etienne »

Welcome!
kate14cat wrote:The school are highly supportive
Good - although whether that carries any weight is likely to depend on how realistic the head's overall recommendations turn out to have been.
See E9 (1) (d):
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... laneous#e9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What I think really matters is how much of the following academic evidence you will have available:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b11" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
She was sick on the day of the preparation tests and sat them on the 11/09/13 in isolation.
If she was judged well enough to sit the test, then the only issue is that she was on her own, without her friends. This is certainly a point to be raised, but I think it's unlikely to be viewed as 'significant' or 'exceptional' (even though I fully understand that it would have been so from your perspective). There will have been many out of county children who had to sit the test in a totally strange environment (a central location), and who may not have seen a single familiar face - let alone a friend - at their session. Many children get upset, whatever the circumstances.

For appeal purposes, I don't think the lack of an 'exceptional' circumstance would necessarily matter with a score close to 121. (The Appeals Code doesn't even mention extenuating circumstances!)

For review purposes, the headteachers manual does refer to "evidence of exceptional circumstances ........ significant issues such as ......... death of close family member" [my underlining].

I've no doubt you should be going to review or appeal. The difficult issue is which is more likely to give you the result you want, and there's no easy answer to that!
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... aneous#e32" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... laneous#E9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - scroll down to E9 (2).

Good luck!
Etienne
kate14cat
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 10:05 pm

Re: Bucks 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

Post by kate14cat »

Hi Etienne,

Thanks for all of that. A friend recommended I post and that has been helpful. I am writing a list of the evidence. I didn't make myself clear. DD sat the preparation test on the day after the rest of the school and hated it so much that DD really didn't want to sit the real thing on her own so DD went in and sat it with her friends but only one day after the preparation tests.

I think the stress of the 48 hours leading up to the exam then descended on her and DD started to cry before the test started . I understand that we don't need to stress the extenuating circumstances but feel they might have contributed to her just missing the mark. As her parents and siblings have all been to grammar school DD was putting herself under a lot of pressure.

I think DD has a 1:1 recommendation and I will find out what ranking she was in the school.

DD reading age is more than 2 years ahead and she is on a high achieving writing group run between three local schools for those working above their sat levels. it is likely DD will be sitting a level 6 reading paper or is that assessed at level 6?
Her yr 5 report shows her to be working above national expectations for year group.

I am not sure if the school do any other testing I am seeing the headmistress on Monday am!
Could you point me in the direction of any statistics reporting the number of successful selection reviews in Bucks last year and also do I need to move the thread to Bucks rather than general appeals? Not very computer literate I am afraid!

Thank you.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

Post by Etienne »

kate14cat wrote:Thanks for all of that. ........ I didn't make myself clear. DD sat the preparation test on the day after the rest of the school and hated it so much that DD really didn't want to sit the real thing on her own so DD went in and sat it with her friends but only one day after the preparation tests.
Sorry I misread.
I think the stress of the 48 hours leading up to the exam then descended on her and DD started to cry before the test started . I understand that we don't need to stress the extenuating circumstances but feel they might have contributed to her just missing the mark.
I appreciate that - just concerned about the reference to 'exceptional' circumstances in the review guidelines.
As her parents and siblings have all been to grammar school DD was putting herself under a lot of pressure.
Personally I think that for a borderline score 'sibling pressure' is quite a good argument (for an appeal anyway). It's probably stronger than having had to do the practice in isolation - but still unlikely to be seen as 'exceptional'.
I think DD has a 1:1 recommendation and I will find out what ranking she was in the school.
I wouldn't attach too much weight to a 1:1 unless most of the 1's qualified.
Ironically, if the head is quite strict with his/her recommendations, you could actually be better off with a 2!
DD reading age is more than 2 years ahead and she is on a high achieving writing group run between three local schools for those working above their sat levels. it is likely DD will be sitting a level 6 reading paper or is that assessed at level 6?

Her yr 5 report shows her to be working above national expectations for year group.
"Above expectations" doesn't help much, because the issue is "how far above?".
Ideally one would like to see 5a/5b predictions for either a review or appeal, and there are indications she could be on target, which is encouraging.
I am not sure if the school do any other testing I am seeing the headmistress on Monday am!
It would have helped your case if there were some strong alternative reasoning test scores (I mean something like CATs, not practice papers).
Could you point me in the direction of any statistics reporting the number of successful selection reviews in Bucks last year
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 12&t=31963" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(if you scroll down, you'll come to the table.)

I've not seen a figure for last year's appeals, but it wouldn't mean very much when most of the strongest cases were (one hopes) taken out at the review stage.

If you scroll down to (f) here:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... aneous#e29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- you can see what the appeal figures were a couple of years ago with the old style 11+.
do I need to move the thread to Bucks rather than general appeals? Not very computer literate I am afraid!
Not at all. We may comment briefly about appeals in Bucks, but for detailed consideration of your case you've done the right thing in starting your own thread here on Appeals! :)
Etienne
kate14cat
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 10:05 pm

Re: Bucks 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

Post by kate14cat »

Hi Etienne,

That is all really helpful and I have written a first draft at my selection review. Is there anyone who could comment on it if I sent it to someone privately?

I have followed all the advice I have found on the forum and also used a couple of friends as sounding boards both of whom have had successful reviews / appeals in the past two years.

Many thanks
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

Post by Etienne »

Sorry - much as we'd like to, we don't have enough time to check individual submissions. :)

We prioritise specific questions on the forum because the answers may at the same time help others, and this is probably the most efficient use of our time.

There is a confidential email address for sensitive questions - but we exclude assessing or checking appeals, which can be very time-consuming!
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... =35&t=9907" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Etienne
kate14cat
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 10:05 pm

Re: Bucks 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

Post by kate14cat »

Hi Etienne,

Thanks for clarifying about individual reviews. We now have scores etc for DD review. She is predicted level 6 for reading and level 5bs for the rest. How do I find out % of children who get level 6 in reading and would you put this % as part of your academic evidence. We have strongest wording possible in the headteacher statement and received advice to emphasize the progression DD has made since KS1 where she was 2a in everything except reading. I feel her KS1 levels were low due to the sudden death of a close relative who had been highly involved in her upbringing. would you mention that or just highlight the improvement in the predicted KS2 results. can I also ask if the deadline of the 25th will be end of working day or does it in fact need to be in on the Thursday. We will be hand delivering directly to county offices.

Many thanks for help

:D
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

Post by Etienne »

kate14cat wrote:How do I find out % of children who get level 6 in reading and would you put this % as part of your academic evidence.
I wouldn't! I doubt the panel would thank you for quoting statistics at them. :)
You can be reassured that headteachers on the panel will know just how good level 6 is.
I feel her KS1 levels were low due to the sudden death of a close relative who had been highly involved in her upbringing. would you mention that or just highlight the improvement in the predicted KS2 results.
The briefest of mentions. Perhaps: "Following KS1 levels (affected by the sudden death of a close relative very involved in her upbringing) her progress has been really encouraging."
can I also ask if the deadline of the 25th will be end of working day or does it in fact need to be in on the Thursday. We will be hand delivering directly to county offices.
Not sure, but if no time is specified, I'd be inclined to take that to mean the end of the working day.
Etienne
Marylou
Posts: 2164
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Re: Bucks 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

Post by Marylou »

Etienne wrote:Not sure, but if no time is specified, I'd be inclined to take that to mean the end of the working day.
So would I, normally, but it might be worth checking this as I have a friend submitting a review who is under the impression that the papers have to be received by 9am Friday! :shock:

It may be that they have to arrive no later than the morning post so that they can all be processed together on the Friday and provide an idea of how many have requested a review. Either way, my friend isn't taking any chances with the post (her results arrived four days late and she wasn't allowed to go and collect them) and so is delivering her letter by hand on Thursday. Assuming that's not also against the rules, of course...... :roll:
Marylou
MumX3
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 1:29 pm

Re: Bucks 11+ Selection review following yesterday!

Post by MumX3 »

There is an email address on the yeelo selection review paper, would it not be easier to email all the documents? I was hoping to do this tomorrow when we have our HT report.

Or is it the case all these formal documents need to be posted? better check now before I end up missing the deadline!!
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