Pipsqueak Appeal

Pipsqueak · Post by **Pipsqueak** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:55 am

Does anyone know why the amount of appeals from 116-120 almost doubled last year? It seems to have been pretty static for the previous 4 years.

Sadly our DS unexpectedly did not qualify and we would like to appeal and I'm trying to manage my expectations on how likely we are to succeed (as far as that is possible). We have strong academic evidence but no extenuating circumstances. He just didn't do well on the day. Unfortunately our secondary alternative is not good.

Thanks.

Post by **scary mum** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:59 am

Pipsqueak, you should start a thread of your own in appeals. I've just had a quick look at your previous posts & you were talking about Challenor's & BHS so I'm guessing your Uppers would be The Beaconsfield School, Chalfonts Community college or Amersham School? I wouldn't dismiss them out of hand just because they aren't grammar schools, I have heard good things about all of those schools.

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:04 am

Indeed, Chalfonts and Amersham are both good options.

anotherdad · Post by **anotherdad** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:07 am

Hi Pipsqueak. Probably best to start your own appeal thread, your case will get lost on a general post like this.

As for the increase in reviews, I think it's just part of the general trend and competition for grammar school places. In the big town such as Aylesbury and High Wycombe, upper schools are a mixed bag (in Aylesbury, they're all RI in their latest Ofsted reports) so people are keen to avoid them and try their chances at review. You will have noticed an increase in the number of people from out of catchment applying, too, and having gone to the trouble of registering for the Bucks test and taking their children to a test centre for it, they are perhaps likely to pursue a review in the event of non-qualification, especially if they didn't get the result they wanted in one of their many other applications (sigh).

Cross-posted with scary mum whose point about those alternative schools I agree with. I too, know people with children at each of those schools and they seem to be good schools.

Pipsqueak · Post by **Pipsqueak** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:26 am

Thanks. I certainly haven't dismissed the alternatives out of hand at all. I have friends whose children are very happy and doing very well at our local secondary but I still believe it would not be a good fit for DS and that he would not thrive there.

I was surprised at the increase in appeals last year and just wondering if there was a reason why and if the trend is likely to increase which I guess it is.

anotherdad · Post by **anotherdad** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:33 am

What score did he achieve? Strong academic evidence is much, much more important than extenuating circumstances. You can succeed at a review with the former and none of the latter but not the other way around.

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:08 pm

Pipsqueak wrote:I was surprised at the increase in appeals last year and just wondering if there was a reason why and if the trend is likely to increase which I guess it is.

I have two theories about this:

1. As the number of out-of-county testers continues to rise, more and more Bucks children are being pushed into the "almost qualified" category of 116 - 120. I haven't seen a breakdown of where the Review candidates hailed from in 2018, so I can't verify this theory, but the vast majority of Reviews are submitted by Bucks-resident parents.

2. Now that the process of submitting a Review is purely a paper exercise, as opposed to the more stressful option of a panel hearing attended by parents, people may feel it's easier to just "whack in the paperwork and see what happens". (The GS Heads originally claimed that the Review process was designed to be more parent-friendly, but with 1069 Reviews last year, an increase of nearly 400, perhaps they should have been more careful what they wished for!)

That's about the best I can offer on the subject, at least until I see the full 2018 statistics, and that won't be until the start of the new year.

anotherdad · Post by **anotherdad** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:25 pm

Sally-Anne wrote:
1. As the number of out-of-county testers continues to rise, more and more Bucks children are being pushed into the "almost qualified" category of 116 - 120. I haven't seen a breakdown of where the Review candidates hailed from in 2018, so I can't verify this theory, but the vast majority of Reviews are submitted by Bucks-resident parents.

Yes, I think that's better reasoning than my point. Same root cause, different effect.

Pipsqueak · Post by **Pipsqueak** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:39 pm

Hi, I have sent some background information to the Appeals box. I'd be grateful for any feedback/comments.

Thanks.

Post by **Etienne** » Sun Oct 21, 2018 3:05 pm

Hi

I think it would be best if you posted some of the main points of your case on here (the ones that do not reveal any sensitive information), together with any specific questions, so that we can have a discussion on the forum.

Have you read the guidelines for using the Appeals Box?

- [7] Please note that we cannot normally deal with wide-ranging or open-ended questions such as:
  
  "We've emailed our case - what do you think of it?"
  "We've sent you a copy of our draft appeal letter/speech - please comment."
  "What do you think of all our evidence? Will it be sufficient?"
  
  https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... 35&t=35032" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;