Hi guys I need help can you please advise me how to do an appeal

My daughter didn’t pass her 11plus entrance exam for the Birmighsm kingedward schools and was few marks off, and I need help to construct an appeal submission

my daughter is of very high academic ability, and although she is autistic this has not affected her behaviour in school. She fits in like all other children.

A week prior to the exam my daughter was of sick due to viral infection. She was also off school for one week On the day of the exam she was not fully recovered but much better than before. I also felt the anxiety of the exam was making her ill and was a contributing factor in her illness. The sooner the exam was over the better it would be for her recovery.
During the exam she told she felt sick had a headache and stomach upset. She said she was very nervous and although she found the exam okay and was able to do it without difficulty however she made some careless mistakes whereby she answered the multiple questions where by answers are marked onto separate sheet - she put the answers in the wrong box order and worked her way down and hadn’t realised this until she was at the end of the page..once she realised she went back to correct all of them in the right numbers and this consumed her time made her nervous and panic and she was unable to complete the remaing part of the exam leaving several pages empty. She was very upset and I assured her it will be okay even though I knew this would affect her score. This would not be an accurate reading of her true ability . she was told by her teachers she is of Grammer school standard who will have no problems in the exam. In school she is in higher depth in maths and reading
A month later She also took the kHES private Grammer school test in which she passed and was offered a place on fee paying basis which I cannot afford. As This is also the king Edward school, I asked if they would support me in my appeal or if these results could be taken into consideration for the other Grammer school as the purpose of the Grammer schools is assertain high academic children, to which they said refused,


I’ve requested an appeal on mitigating circumstances, high academic ability etc
I’ve asked the school teachers to right me supporting letters for H. to which she agreed but the head teacher stopped it and said they are not allowed to get involved.

H. is very gifted in maths and often helps her sibling who is in 7 in maths which is a year above her . Often teachers tell me that she is a gifted mathematician and she was selected by her school to attend a one day maths club for gifted children in another school


H. has come a long way overcoming her autism and socialising
She did a sign language course at school club and enjoyed this
She’s a reading buddy to help other children
She a Prefect in school and has also been selected for netball tournament
She had the main role in her Christmas play etc
She attend dance class and has performed in her majesty theatre in London
Can you advise how I should construct my appeal submission for
H.

Any help or support would be appreciated
Should I get private reports from ED

Welcome to Appeals!

It's only fair to point out that Birmingham grammar school appeals seem very difficult to win.

If you want to understand appeals, you really ought to do some reading, including our Q&A section.
See the sticky at the top of the main Appeals page: "Welcome. Start here! Essential reading".

Behaviour is not relevant from the point of view of an appeal.

Were you required to confirm that she was fit to take the test?
Or were you warned that she should not take the test if she was not well enough?

See the Q&As:
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appea ... cation#b20

Will the other school put in writing that she attended?

From the Q&As:

Quote:
Don’t spend time saying how wonderful your child is at extracurricular activities unless the panel ask you a specific question. Even if they do, don’t expect non-academic extracurricular activities to influence a panel’s decision.
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appea ... cation#b12

Read the Q&As to see how to construct an appeal. For example:
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a43

_________________
Etienne

I am pretty sure the Birmingham schools require you to sign a fit and well sheet as you walk into the test centre, which also gives details of when their late testing date is, for those who can't sit on that day, so unfortunately you will have an uphill mountain to climb using illness as an extenuating circumstance - however, you could, having presented your academic evidence, say in passing that she got out of sync with her answers and lost time putting that right, as their may well be evidence of rubbing out on her answer sheet.

The independent KES school is really a KES school in name only - their entrance exam is not comparable with the GS - they have to fill the seats and, at the lower end will take people who can pay the fees, or who offer something else that the school is interested in like sporting ability/music/drama etc at a high level (whereas the KES GS effectively take the "top" scoring applicants only until they are full). Your strong academic evidence will come from your current school/reports/recommendation from head etc.

I assume her autism is diagnosed and she has support in her current school with this? When you applied for the 11+, I assume you gave evidence of her autism where you were asked if she needed any specific assistance? Did you ask for a small venue or anything? If you didn't ask, then they cannot be faulted for not providing you with one, obviously, but if you did ask and they didn't do this, then that might be a factor.

I only know of one successful Birmingham gs appeal on here. It was due to extenuating circumstances (possibly bereavement?) and I think it may even have been moving between two other KE schools. Birmingham and Walsall grammar appeals are notoriously hard to win, but I've been there and in the circumstances you have to try.

Sorry your daughter had such a tough time.

One thing you don't mention (and this needs to be a strong focus) is why that particular grammar? What makes it such a great fit for your daughter? Not just any gs, that particular grammar?