Chance of success at review with low score

[Shelly60]

Wondering whether you think I have a strong case here with such an unexpectedly low score

Here are current facts

score 112 (yes around 13% chance last year 7 out of 52 reviews were successful). English 108 Maths 115 and Non VR 119

Headmaster strongly recommends 1:2 and says he strongly recommends her as suitable for grammar - said that prior and now
Highly credible headmaster over 3 years and high performing school with an exceptional year group - average CAT score is 122 this year

Year 5 CATS
English 141
Quantitive 120
Non VR 125
Spatial 126

Year 4
English 125
Maths 121
Non VR 124

year 3

English 118
Non VR 125

Good school reports all B + and A-
Probably working ahead around 1 -2 years
Reading age around 14

So academic suitability is pretty good

Extenuating circumstance - family member taken to A & E on night of exam after being in excruciating pain and home at 0430 am. She lost some sleep and heard the chaos as although we obviously tried to hide it the noise was loud and pain was out of control - hence A& E.

However she is used to pressure in competition through sport and has sat lots of tests so assumed she would be ok and didn't make a big deal of this as expected to pass
After exam she says that she felt tired and also got confused on exam layout - says only realised she still hadn't finished 2 additional sections with 5 mins to spare and had to rush through.

Appears to me she just wasn't on the ball and messed up the VR which is her biggest strength.

Any similar case experience? Thoughts on my chances please

[Etienne]

Welcome!

I would have liked to see As for achievement in school reports.

Otherwise, as far as I can see, the evidence looks good!

With a score of 112 they will have to think long and hard before overturning the 11+ result.

[Shelly60]

Thanks for the welcome. I guess I haven't had the full report back yet from the head. He has to collate the evidence - they may have other scores I don't know about.

Also I think he has to translate her results into the measurements - meets expectations/ working at greater depth etc.

So Ive not had that info yet. She scored 88% in her end of summer English assessment but Head said thats just any old test - doesn't prove anything in its own right so he talks to teachers and they get the values translated into the ones required on the form.

So I am guessing she will need a Working at greater depth in all 3 areas Reading Writing and Maths to even stand a chance?

Im guessing here that the extenuating circumstance will need to prove she was also affected. How do they view messing up the paper? i.e.not realising you had to go on to another section but sat back and waited further instructions. Then realises that she is the only one waiting!

[anotherdad]

Im guessing here that the extenuating circumstance will need to prove she was also affected. How do they view messing up the paper? i.e.not realising you had to go on to another section but sat back and waited further instructions. Then realises that she is the only one waiting!

You don't absolutely need to have extenuating circumstances to succeed at review or appeal but they might explain why an otherwise high-performing child expected to qualify, didn't. The circumstances you describe wouldn't be considered extenuating circumstances. They're not something that can be evidenced, after all.

[Etienne]

There is a form that has to be filled in at a review to record the decisions. The clerk fills in the extenuating circumstances, and notes whether the panel consider them sufficient to explain the shortfall in marks.

I assume you can submit a copy of an A&E report?
There is a space on the headteacher review form where he can write that the school was made aware of the problem at the time - or that daughter was noticeably tired. This would probably be all the proof you could provide.

So I am guessing she will need a Working at greater depth in all 3 areas Reading Writing and Maths to even stand a chance?

Yes, she will probably need 111-120 / GDS.

[Shelly60]

Oh thats interesting as we do have a letter from the GP that will describe the A & E admission. It was traumatic and happened on the night of the exam. So affected her sleep as her brother was in extreme pain until he left the house at 11 pm - so she heard everything. I would have thought they would at least consider that impact or do you disagree?

[Shelly60]

sorry my last post was to otherdad - I couldn't work out how to paste the quote!

yes I will have more information when the report is done and will post those scores.

The hardest part is not really knowing what went through her head. And why. Its so uncharacteristic of her. I can only deduce the effect the previous night had on her by the extremely low score. Its so at odds with all the other evidence, in my view (and I really am trying to look at this objectively). I can't think of any other explanation. All her practice papers in English were well above 85%.

The fact that she dropped so low on VR to 108 when she has a CAT score of 141 and other scores that show high ability in that area seem to be more reason to me to think the circumstances must have had an impact as otherwise wouldn't they have been around 119 etc if she was just an average child.

But I guess its not me making the decision.

[Etienne]

I would have thought they would at least consider that impact

Yes, they will. The difficult bit with extenuating circumstances is deciding whether they are sufficient to account fully for the shortfall in marks.

The headteachers' manual refers to a normal expectation of 'exceptional extenuating circumstances' for a review.
The LA's online guidance for parents states "The Panel will also want to see evidence of any exceptional reasons to explain why your child may not have done as well as you, or their headteacher, had expected in the Secondary Transfer Test."
However, parents on here (usually with scores close to 121) have reported winning a review without any exceptional circumstances.

[anotherdad]

Im guessing here that the extenuating circumstance will need to prove she was also affected. How do they view messing up the paper? i.e.not realising you had to go on to another section but sat back and waited further instructions. Then realises that she is the only one waiting!

You don't absolutely need to have extenuating circumstances to succeed at review or appeal but they might explain why an otherwise high-performing child expected to qualify, didn't. The circumstances you describe wouldn't be considered extenuating circumstances. They're not something that can be evidenced, after all.

To clarify, I'm referring here to the "messing up" of the paper, not the wider A&E issue you described.

[Shelly60]

Thanks otherdad - yes I do agree on that note. I reported what she told me straight after the exam. Another child had the exact same problem however. But he passed. So that makes me think it may not have been that or as I know - other child is exceptionally bright and may have compensated of it elsewhere. Her second paper was also low so overall her marks were deflated which makes me think she was just spaced out and not that focussed on this occasion.