Bucks 2015 appeal question

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valleymum
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 3:11 pm

Bucks 2015 appeal question

Post by valleymum »

My son scored 116 (Verbal 139 Maths 105 Non-Verbal 75)

He has Dyspraxia and significant visual perception difficulties (diagnosed by his paediatrician and OT) - we applied and were refused any adjustments for the exam. He has an IQ on the 90th percentile and his working memory is on the 98th percentile (WISC assessment by a clinical psychologist).

Given his high verbal reasoning score and the likelihood that his visual perception difficulties will have heavily impacted his Non Verbal score, do you think we stand much chance at a Selection Review Panel?

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

Re: Bucks 2015 appeal question

Post by Etienne »

Welcome! :)

Before we go any further, could I just check whether you've followed the links in Sally-Anne's post
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 12&t=44245" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and have read all the information they lead to?

Are you asking whether it is worth going to review? (and, if not, are you saying that you won't pursue the matter any further?)

Or are you asking whether you'd stand a better chance at a review or an appeal?
Etienne
valleymum
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 3:11 pm

Re: Bucks 2015 appeal question

Post by valleymum »

Thanks for the swift response - the link was really, really helpful as I was struggling to get my head round the difference between a Review and an Appeal!

I'd be interested in your thoughts on which route to take. I will find out what grading his head teacher submitted for him this week (I suspect it will be a 2:1 at best, more likely a 3:1 which if true, won't help our case). So, I'm guessing the basis of our argument could well be more about proving his academic potential and how his disabilities have impacted his ability to demonstrate that in the 11+ (his extremely variable score profile is strong evidence of this??). This feels like it could be a more complex case to present (lots of supporting evidence from OTs, Ed Psychs etc) that I'm worried would get overlooked in a Review. OR if we went to review and were unsuccessful, would the complexity of his case help us put an 'unfair' argument at Appeal?

In addition, I'd also like to know if we can ask for his paper to be re-marked by a person rather than a computer? One of my concerns all along has been his ability to visually process the answer sheet properly and have the necessary fine motor skills to fill it in accurately (in a lot of his practice papers, he would often get the right answer but fail to draw the line in the circle properly).

Hope that all makes sense - any thoughts much appreciated!
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Bucks 2015 appeal question

Post by Guest55 »

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/education/sch ... t-results/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The download on this page explains the marking checks and I think will be of interest.
valleymum
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 3:11 pm

Re: Bucks 2015 appeal question

Post by valleymum »

Thanks! Not sure if I'm reassured or not by that?
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks 2015 appeal question

Post by Etienne »

I'd be interested in your thoughts on which route to take.
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... aneous#e33" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
if we went to review and were unsuccessful, would the complexity of his case help us put an 'unfair' argument at Appeal?
No - the admission authority can point out that the review panel had an educational psychologist in attendance to advise them.
(It would be interesting to know if it's the same educational psychologist who sits on the special access panel that refused your request for adjustments!)

I would have thought an appeal panel might be more sympathetic to the lack of any adjustments, but there's no guarantee.
It would obviously help if there's supporting evidence that adjustments were needed.
I'd also like to know if we can ask for his paper to be re-marked by a person rather than a computer?
Yes.

The fee last year appeared to be £25:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b55" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The current headteachers manual says £15:
    • Where a child has taken part in the Transfer Testing Process, we will agree to provide, upon payment by the parent of a £15 charge, a hand re-mark plus confirmation of the standardised Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS) and separate weighted element scores. Raw scores are not provided as part of this charge.

      The council will only provide this service immediately following the release of test results, and therefore all requests must be made within 21 days of the parents receiving notification of their child’s performance in the tests. Where a request is received after this date, we may refuse to provide the information.

      Parents will be able to request, and pay for, the service above online on our website.
Elsewhere BCC mentions a fee of £28.

Whatever the fee, the answer to your question is 'Yes' - but with the limited amount of information a remark provides these days, and the very, very small likelihood of the score changing, we'd advise most parents not to waste their money.

If in your particular case you wish to go ahead, you should email (not phone) Admissions with your request.
Etienne
valleymum
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 3:11 pm

Re: Bucks 2015 appeal question

Post by valleymum »

We have found out the school have submitted 3:3 (despite him having a 1 for effort for every school subject in his last report?!). Are you aware of any instances of a 3:3 getting through a Selection Review? Does this alter anything in terms of us choosing to go down the Selection Review vs. Appeals route?
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks 2015 appeal question

Post by Etienne »

valleymum wrote:We have found out the school have submitted 3:3 (despite him having a 1 for effort for every school subject in his last report?!).
The headteacher ought to explain what his reservations are.
Are you aware of any instances of a 3:3 getting through a Selection Review?
No (which isn't to say it hasn't happened).
Does this alter anything in terms of us choosing to go down the Selection Review vs. Appeals route?
Difficult to say in isolation. It might help when you know what the headteacher has put on the rest of the headteacher summary sheet.
Etienne
valleymum
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 3:11 pm

Re: Bucks 2015 appeal question

Post by valleymum »

The Headteacher's concerns focus on his poor planning and organisational skills (which are a key symptom of his Dyspraxia) and she is questioning whether he would cope at Grammar School where she argues they expect greater independence.

Is it appropriate (legal?) for the headteacher's reservations to be based on his disability? Does this (along with the refusal of additional support in the exam), provide further evidence of discrimination? Surely his planning and organisational skills are an irrelevance to this process as he would be entitled to support with these difficulties at whichever school he ends up?

Given the 3:3 and the less than convincing written support from the school, I'm thinking more towards Appeal than Selection Review as I think we are going to have to argue our case primarily on the grounds of discrimination and this is a more complex argument probably better suited to an Appeal forum. If you have any thoughts that challenge this view then please let me know. However, I then read the Admissions Policy for our preferred Grammar School and it stated:

"An Independent Appeal Panel hearing will not ordinarily carry out a full review of a pupil’s capacity to pass the selection test as that process should take place at the Selection Review."

Is this correct? If so, this worries me that both our argument for discrimination and/or mitigating circumstances (i.e. he didn't pass due to his Dyspraxia etc.) won't be heard at an Appeal? Any thoughts? Thank you!
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: Bucks 2015 appeal question

Post by Etienne »

valleymum wrote:The Headteacher's concerns focus on his poor planning and organisational skills (which are a key symptom of his Dyspraxia) and she is questioning whether he would cope at Grammar School where she argues they expect greater independence.

Is it appropriate (legal?) for the headteacher's reservations to be based on his disability? Does this (along with the refusal of additional support in the exam), provide further evidence of discrimination? Surely his planning and organisational skills are an irrelevance to this process as he would be entitled to support with these difficulties at whichever school he ends up?

Given the 3:3 and the less than convincing written support from the school, I'm thinking more towards Appeal than Selection Review as I think we are going to have to argue our case primarily on the grounds of discrimination and this is a more complex argument probably better suited to an Appeal forum.
We cannot point you in one direction rather than another, but we can see the argument that it would be easier to talk through the issues to do with the 3:3 and with disability face-to-face with an appeal panel.
However, I then read the Admissions Policy for our preferred Grammar School and it stated:

"An Independent Appeal Panel hearing will not ordinarily carry out a full review of a pupil’s capacity to pass the selection test as that process should take place at the Selection Review."

Is this correct?
No, not if you haven't been through a selection review first of all. It doesn't apply.

Even if you have been through a selection review, an appeal panel would have to decide whether or not the review was 'fair, consistent & objective'.
If it was 'fair, consistent & objective', your appeal case will not be considered.
If it wasn't 'fair, consistent & objective', the whole of your appeal case can be considered.
Etienne
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