Failed by 2 marks !

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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Suesole
Posts: 153
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 9:38 am
Location: Bucks border / Berks

Post by Suesole »

Hi Sally Anne

Thanks sooo much for your help. I have started a thread in Appeals to get this in the right place on the forum....

Guest - Sue When you say CATS or NT what do you mean ? At CJS are these the Stage tests they do or are they the end of each year tests?

My son got Maths Level 4B at the end of year 5 and when I queried this at the Year6 parent's evening at the beginning of October she advised he had been retested at the beginning of year6 to assess their ability groups she said he was High level 5 in Maths ! Apparently there were some mix ups and descrpancies with these tests taken at end of year 5 :evil:

He is working to Stage 6 in maths and english on their monthly stage tests...

Thanks Again All of You. Sue x
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hi Sue, When i went to see the Head Teacher about my appeal they went through the form with me but i didnt get to take it away with me there and then they just explained what was goin to go on it. When i received the letter he had a Heads recommendation of 1 2 and there were NFER and QCA test scores from May 05. I hadnt realised my son had sat any of these and only got them because of the appeal. He was predicted 5's and they also mentioned that he was alreday working at that level at the time of appeal which i think is an additional plus in your favour. Although i sent my paperwork off immediately i didnt get my appeal hearing date until 30th Jan (or there abouts). I remember going to appeal on the Tuesday and had the letter by the Friday. Dont worry if you have a later date appeal it doesnt mean anything. My sons scores were also considerably lower than yours and he got through.

Hope this helps - any other questions just ask.

Sue
Guest

Post by Guest »

Sue, With regards to the stage tests - again if i remember correctly my son flew through all stages up to stage 6 and then seemed to get stuck - getting a different one wrong every month!!! but after the trauma of the 11+ and then the SATs to think about i really didnt give them a lot of time. Think he left on Stage 6 for both - as he got older the certificates dint seem to bother him as much :roll:
Sue
Tom's mum
Posts: 49
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 8:27 pm

Post by Tom's mum »

Suesole, don't make the mistake of thinking the Bucks result is a predictor of the Berks result - far from it. The two exams are completely different, as is the scoring and standardisation. Your child needs to be good at maths and NVR for Berks exam, not just VR.

If you are close to a pass for Bucks, make sure you lodge an appeal now and don't wait for Berks result when it might be too late.
Suesole
Posts: 153
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 9:38 am
Location: Bucks border / Berks

Post by Suesole »

Thanks Toms mum. I know. My son is pretty level on all 3 subjects. He said the VR and NVR were fine and the maths was so so for Berks. He seemed to be in a much better frame of mind when going for the Berks 11+ and was getting much better practise scores leading up to this one. Maybe the extra months revision or the fact he want's to go to a Berks school had something to do with it. Roll on 7th December !

Thanks for the advise though.
Tom's mum
Posts: 49
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2007 8:27 pm

Post by Tom's mum »

Fingers crossed for you Suesole - my son missed Bucks by two marks last year but really wanted the Berks school anyway. The extra practice and just being generally more relaxed about the exam meant he qualified by two marks for Berks. Hopefully you will find the same (though to be on the safe side, a pass of more than two marks is a good idea as 111 did not get in this year).
Good luck!
Suesole
Posts: 153
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 9:38 am
Location: Bucks border / Berks

Post by Suesole »

Hi - I have just spoken to our school and they advised the head of year write's the reports for the children appealing, we have a general meeting tomorrow with her on how to proceed. There is a guest out there called Sue who went through this with her son, who went to CJS - Sue did you get a letter from the head of year or from the actual head teacher. We have a new head teacher and i'm not sure of her views on GS education, she was teaching in East London, and seem really great but not sure how she feels about GS education.
Does anyone know if this is good enough or should I push for a letter from the head too....! Thanks Sue
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hi Suesole, Im the guest whose son got through from CJS 2 years ago on appeal. Ive dug out my paperwork from my appeal (how sad am i - but i keep it for sentimental reasons. The only paperwork the school filled out was a form called 'Headteachers Selection Appeal Summary Sheet' which was filled out bythe Head. It contains the recommendations - in my sons case a 1 2 , his predicted KS2 scores (all 5's) and his QCA and NFER test for the end of year 5. On the back of the form is 4 small paragraphs for teachers comments in Maths Science English and general curriculem areas followed by the statement of support from the head. From reading other post you need the teachers to write things like 'high academic abilty' and a big plus would be if they are already working at level 5. I found the Head of year 2 years ago also extemely helpful and supportive (dont know if shes still the Miss C)

Hope this helps - ask away if ive missed anything out.
Suesole
Posts: 153
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 9:38 am
Location: Bucks border / Berks

Post by Suesole »

Hi Sue (Guest) !

I think her name is Miss Conlon. We are going to the meeting tomorrow (Oops today) Sorry I'm still at work till 0200 ! So we will find out more then, can you remember if they speak to everyone individually at the general meeting or do we have to go back? As I have said my son got Level 4b for maths at the end of year 5 and was retested entering year 6 and is now a high level 5 (End of year 4 he was a 4A and his form teacher advised at parents evening there was some mix ups with scores! when I questioned this).

Thanks for your help. At least someone was successful. My son said tonight the headteacher advised that 24 people from the school went for appeal last year and only 3 were successful...Fingers crossed !
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hi Suesole, 2 years ago under the old head Mrs Sessions - we didnt have a general meeting. I had an appointment made for me with the head and Miss Conlan together (she also taught my son whereas the head had had no dealings with him apart from prefects etc). We went through the form i mentioned in my last post and they gave me their honest opinions on his ability. The form was given to me within a few days and was sent in with my appeal paperwork. My appeal was just 1 sheet of A4 paper, i gave no excuses just said it wasnt to be on the day but that didnt make him unsuitable. the school let me take his science maths english and a few other books to the appeal hearing at the end of January. I'll be honest it was the scariest thing i have ever done but boy was it worth it. Dont worry about the appeal successes/failures historically as each case is taken on its own merit although it does pay to be cautious as there are no guarantees.

Good Luck and keep on posting

Sue
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