Will the effect the new test has had on schools be reviewed?

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elevenpluscrazy
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 2:26 pm

Will the effect the new test has had on schools be reviewed?

Post by elevenpluscrazy »

In previous years, the Head Teachers 1:1 recommendations have been accurate, SATs results have been in line, around the average 30% pass mark for 11+ has been achieved, and the school Ofsted has improved a level.
This year, 1 or the 4 1:1 recommendations passed, 1 went to review (us) and the other two chose not to review purely because of the scores being so low. These were not borderline children, all 4 would thrive at Grammar School. There were other 'borderline' recommendations.
The predicted SATs for this year are all as good as previous years, if not better.
Having not been successful with our review, only one child has passed, lowering the pass rate at the school this year to less than 10%.
This does not add up.
Will schools have an opportunity to feedback/review the test and its impact?
Will Bucks CC look at a school and assess the massive drop in pass rate yr/yr whilst SATs remain similar yr/yr?
Why have the panel not looked to see that the Headteachers recommendations have been accurate before.
Although I don't expect to have a reply to our individual case, is there anywhere I can write to and air these views?
Ultimately, the 1:1 recommendation has counted for nothing, the predicted 3 5 SATs has counted for nothing, the extenuating circumstances have counted for nothing and the decision has been based purely on the score from the test, which I don't see as being the purpose of a Review Panel.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Will the effect the new test has had on schools be revie

Post by Etienne »

Welcome! :)
elevenpluscrazy wrote:Will schools have an opportunity to feedback/review the test and its impact?
I feel sure primary heads in Bucks could make their views known.
Will Bucks CC look at a school and assess the massive drop in pass rate yr/yr whilst SATs remain similar yr/yr?
The problem is that BCC aren't really in charge of the 11+ any longer - the grammar schools are (and they're answerable to the DfE who are not particularly interested in the 11+).
At an official level, schools tend to be judged by their position in the league tables rather than by their 11+ results.
Why have the panel not looked to see that the Headteachers recommendations have been accurate before.
There's so little time allowed for each review, I doubt it would be practical. In theory it might be possible for an appeal, but I can't see it happening - they would need not only the previous results, but presumably whether there had been a change of headteacher, change of year 6 teacher, any other special circumstances .......
Although I don't expect to have a reply to our individual case, is there anywhere I can write to and air these views?
There was a time when you could have complained to your county councillor. Not now!
You could ask whether your headteacher or one of the parent governors will be raising concerns.

Some of these points could be raised at an appeal.
Etienne
elevenpluscrazy
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 2:26 pm

Re: Will the effect the new test has had on schools be revie

Post by elevenpluscrazy »

Thanks for your comments Etienne,
I'm sure when the 11+ system works its great, unfortunately our experience of the 11+ is like many other things if life, he who shouts loudest wins.
As much as I'd like to fight on, in the words of Dragon's Den 'I'm out'............no matter how deserved or bright or capable the child, its an unsettling process, and for us, particularly for a child that avoids the spotlight and conflict.
Yes we could try an appeal, and drag this thing out to the bitter end, however I sense that my daughter has already heard more than enough about the 11+! I think keep trying anf trying and then cosidering 12+ to potentially fail on all counts again, could have other detrimental effects. It's not great for the confidence to keep hearing how you 'should have got it'!
We are lucky to have a very good Comp school as the other option which we will have to settle for...but I'm left with no faith in the system, no signs of an individual child being reviewed, and no proof that the 11+ has become a non tutorable test!
Incidentally, I'm told that only 5 reviews were successful with our score...another indicator that the decision was only based on the score not the SATs and Head teacher recommendation and report.
Thanks again.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Will the effect the new test has had on schools be revie

Post by mystery »

Did children in past years at your school prepare for the 11 plus test? Did they this year?

CEM does not claim on their website that their test is untutorable. It is some heads and local councillors who make this claim.
elevenpluscrazy
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 2:26 pm

Re: Will the effect the new test has had on schools be revie

Post by elevenpluscrazy »

Yes, the children expected to pass had all prepared for the 11+, it really doesn't add up why only one out of the four or five passed.
end yr 5 scores:
reading 4a
writing 4b
maths 4a
predicted end yr6
reading 5a
writing 5c
maths 5b
Total score low at 109, breakdown
verbal 51.87/maths32.68/non verbal 25.38
Review said writing end of yr5 not strong enough together with verbal score.
Both spelling and reading way above where it needs to be, are there many cases where a child can spell and read exceptionally well but struggle with writing? I feel the main problem with a timid, quiet child is not having the confidence to 'enlarge' when writing..with more confidence, and a good knowledge of vocab and spelling and reading, the writing will come with confidence, it isn't ability lacking.
Do you agree score too low or could we appeal? I feel the review was unsuccessful purely on test score which we acknowledge wasn't good enough hence wanting a review.
Even a 5c is a good level, even the brightest child that is good at everything, must still have a slight strength and weakness?
crecheout
Posts: 51
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2010 4:48 pm

Re: Will the effect the new test has had on schools be revie

Post by crecheout »

Interestingly, the deputy head at ds school has asked all parents with an un successful appeal to copy their rejection forms and give them to him so he can challenge the way it was presented and ask a few tough questions of his own. This is of course only if the parents agree to his request, and let's face it, most will as they have. Itching left to lose.
Although I appreciate this will not help my own case I hope that if enough primary school heads make a fuss it may help years to follow.
The schools really need answers if they have seen a dramatic fall in their usual numbers to try to figure out why this year has been so different to the last 20 years of pretty static results on percentage passes!
Maybe suggest this to your own schools?
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Will the effect the new test has had on schools be revie

Post by Amber »

As an outsider - presumably if every school has seen a drop in successful candidates, there will be lots of empty places at the grammar schools? Or are there schools where the number of successes has actually increased, thereby countering the fall in others? If so maybe that is the desired outcome of the new test, extremely hard as that is on some who might have been successful under the old system.
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Will the effect the new test has had on schools be revie

Post by scary mum »

The standardisation in Bucks is set to admit approximately 30% of candidates, so presumably that will stay the same. In recent years there has been the increase in highly tutored children from outside the area, meaning that although 30% still pass, more of those 30% come from outside the county. The fact that GL VR was so susceptible to tutoring meant that the pass mark of 121 came to represent a very high pass mark in percentage terms. So I don't think there will be a change in the overall pass rate, or grammar schools with echoing empty classrooms, it's just that the distribution might be different. I have some sympathy, as my DSs, while as "suited" to GS as the next person, might not have found the new system so easy - they were whizzes with the old VR. Would the time pressure of CEM have suited them? Probably not. Would they have suffered terribly by not being at the GS? Probably not. Easy for me to say now that they are there, of course.
scary mum
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Will the effect the new test has had on schools be revie

Post by southbucks3 »

The amount if children passing from state in catchment schools has dropped about 15% this year. From 23% to 19% of cohort passing. (All approx and casually rounded figures) in real terms, nearly 200 kids!

The pass rate has been steadily falling for this category by over the last 3 years.

Although the % pass rate for ooc kids also fell, by 2.5 %, the rise in children sitting the exam from ooc has meant yet another rise in successful applicants ooc in contrast to the fall of successful applicants in county.

So theoretically more buses, larger distance allocations, more pressure on bucks uppers accommodate another 200 local children!
Or even worse...more empty he places, as many of the children who scored highly from ooc really had their sights set on other schools anyway!

The exam needed changing, but that really was not the only problem, everyone is asking for the same thing...standardise local kids state school results separately from ooc results, if we have to have a two tier system in this area.

Anyone that knows me, would know I have been supporting people who are saying the same thing, through our successes as well as our current failure to gain a pass, so this is not a shoulder chip speaking btw.
jabba7
Posts: 263
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:26 pm

Re: Will the effect the new test has had on schools be revie

Post by jabba7 »

It's good news that the proof of address rules have changed for this year but not fair on last year. At least this should hopefully reduce the OOC children sitting in Bucks as now you have to show proof of address dated before results are out rather than moving into the area once you receive the results.

This is a good change but another reason I would be unhappy if I had a child in year 6 as this rule was not in place last year. I think this change could also be interpreted as showing that the GS got it wrong last year.
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