advice for Bucks appeal next week

Consult our experts on 11 Plus appeals or any other type of school appeal

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

sharone
Posts: 113
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:39 pm
Location: Bucks

advice for Bucks appeal next week

Post by sharone »

Hi again

I added this post to the end of my last topic, but in case people have missed it, have made it a new post.

Our appeal is next week and it has been wonderful to hear of people's successes, but I'm still nervous and want to put the best case forward that I can. In terms of our son's school which could be considered underperforming, I managed to find the percentage of children with SEN from the dcsf website. 6.7% of children are with statements of SEN or supported at school action plus, and 26.9% of children are with SEN and supported at school action. Is this relatively high, and could this information be useful in our appeal?

Thanks for any info/help/advice
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

Sharone

This was published in 2007.
Special educational needs are broadly defined as any child needing extra help in a range of areas including schoolwork, socialising or behaviour. A school usually formally has to agree that a child has special needs.

In January this year, 229,100 (2.8%) pupils across all schools in England had special educational needs statements, a slight fall compared with 2006. A statement is written if the child is assessed by the local authority as needing help beyond the capabilities of the school, and is reviewed annually.

The proportion of pupils with special needs statements placed in state special schools rose by 1.1 percentage points to 36% and in independent schools by 0.4 percentage points to 3.9%.

But there were more than 1.3 million pupils with special needs who did not have official statements in 2007, representing 16.4% of pupils across all schools, the figures showed. This is an increase from 15.7% a year earlier.

There are more special needs pupils without statements in primary schools (17.7%) than secondary schools (16.2%).
I think it would support your case that the situation at your school is challenging, and that, taken into consideration with the other factors, this should be viewed as an "extenuating circumstance".

You could try asking the LA rep. at the hearing whether the figures for your school are above average ......

Regards
Etienne
sharone
Posts: 113
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:39 pm
Location: Bucks

Post by sharone »

Thanks Etienne. At would point could we ask this? Is this the sort of thing that could be asked after the LEA rep has made their statement? We were also thinking of asking why, if ~30% of children are stated to normally pass the 11+, what the LEA thought might account for the much lower pass rate in Wycombe schools in our area. I'm not sure though as I don't want to come across as unreasonable or bolshy!

Take care
Sharon
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Bucks appeal

Post by Etienne »

Dear Sharone

The latest SEN figures for your son's Bucks school are in the appeal papers as part of the LA's case, so I think a good point to ask about them would be when the rep. finishes his statement, and the chairman asks if you have any questions.

Personally I'd be inclined not to ask about the pass rate in Wycombe, as I think it would be too easy to dodge the question, e.g. "All sorts of factors might be involved," "It would be speculation", etc., and I don't think it will get you anywhere.

Hope this helps.
Etienne
sharone
Posts: 113
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:39 pm
Location: Bucks

Post by sharone »

Hi Etienne

I've read and re-read the LEA's papers in the case notes we've been sent, but the SEN presentage information doesn't appear to be there.

On another matter, I wondered if you could give me any advice on the OoS and scores achieved (below) included in the case notes.

Ranking..........HTR..........VRTS

1....................1..............122
2....................1..............120
3....................1..............123
4....................1..............110
5....................1..............115 (my son)
6....................2..............103
7....................2..............111
8....................2..............109
9....................2..............125
10..................2..............124

Only 10 children out of the 47 in the transfer cohort were recommended by the headteacher as suitable for Grammar school, and of these, only 4 passed.

Having read what has been said about other OoS, we realise that although our son's position as 5th sounds good, the headteachers assesments don't appear to be very accurate.

Can you think of anything out of this information we could turn to our advantage?

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

Post by Etienne »

Dear Sharone

My apologies - SEN figures appear in Bucks transfer appeal papers (re the school being appealed for), but not for selection appeals. A memory lapse on my part! :oops:

The OoS (which you have set out with admirable clarity :D) is indeed inaccurate. At first glance it helps you to be in 5th place and among the "1"s, but if the panel study it carefully (some will, some won't!), they will decide that they cannot conclude much from it. Don't worry - I suspect that the majority of Orders of Suitability will fall into this category.

I suggest that you don't draw attention to the OoS (apart from a quick mention of 5th place and "1"). If it is discussed, however, you could perhaps point out that it supports your feeling that the school is facing numerous "challenges" and is not serving all its pupils as well as one would hope.
Etienne
sharone
Posts: 113
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:39 pm
Location: Bucks

Post by sharone »

Thanks for the terrific advice. I'm hoping that the Panel will be one of the former rather than latter ilk, but if it comes to it, your suggestion may help us turn it around to our favour (fingers crossed)

Thanks again
Sharon
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

Sharone,

There will be data in the OfSTED report on www.ofsted.gov.uk [then go to reports then Secondary then south east then Buckinghamshire then look through] - it will say if SEN and EAL are greater than national average -
sharone
Posts: 113
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:39 pm
Location: Bucks

Post by sharone »

Thanks Guest55, yes I have looked at the OFSTED report, but the last one was in 2004. I did get some info from another site which suggests that the percentage of children with SEN is greater than average (detailed in my first post).

Appeal is tomorrow. Having trouble sleeping, I guess most of you have been through this!

Best wishes to everyone going through/been through the same thing.
Hope
Posts: 149
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:16 pm

Post by Hope »

Good luck tomorrow, just try to do your best and try to sleep tonight. It will all be over tomorrow, only a wait for the postman then!!
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now