selection Review advice & feedback

[bucksmummy007]

Hello, I have been soaking up as much info from this forum as possible and am now in the final stages of gathering all my bits to submit our selection review. Some feedback or advice before submission would be most welcome.

So DS scored 115 on his 11+. (V 120 / M 108 / NV 115)
A big shock to us and his school as he was expected to pass and pass easily.
This is basically the content of our review:

* 1:1 from headteacher (not many were given and only a couple didn't pass)
*End of Yr 5 report states GDS in reading, writing and maths
* Cats scores taken at the same time as 11+ were 123 verbal, 127 non-verbal, 117 maths
*End of year 6 expectations are GDS for writing and 111-120 in maths and reading
*Reading age of 13 years and 3 months
*Consistently working in top sets (as stated in headteachers report)
*Invited to belong to a writing workshop in Year 5 for 'gifted writers'
*Yr 2 SATS - GDS in reading & writing / EXS in maths and science.
*Headteacher report states he is working at the same level if not higher in maths than his peers who have gained grammar places.

And the Headteacher report also states that he has a keen interest in humanities, represents school at sport, has leadership roles within school etc. And concludes they are 'strongly convinced' he would thrive at GS.

So all very positive.

However, we have no specific extenuating circumstances aside from the obvious.
Our school was one that found out about the discrepancies on the answer sheet during the exam and they were told to put an answer rather than disregard them. While this didn't seem to bother our son at the time and he did as told, kids being kids, then talked about it during the break and he started to get anxious and upset that he had wasted too much time on questions that wouldn't be marked. He was therefore not himself and in fact totally unfocused for the second paper. I also think he may have tried to over compensate by working too quickly and maybe not reading the questions properly. I don't know. Now I know the argument is that this happened to every child in Bucks, but my argument would be that this would have affected every child differently.
I guess the other side of that argument is that a child in grammar school needs to be used to dealing with high pressured situations so this shouldn't have made much of an impact?? I'm not really sure that's true either. Because I do think he would have been fine in the second paper (a high pressure situation in itself) had that not all happened.

Any feedback on what to say or how to word it would be very appreciated. I'm keen not to dwell on the extenuating circumstance but to concentrate on all our positive academic evidence and glowing headteacher report.

Our cover letter is one side of a4, bullet pointed and to the point.

Ill be attaching his Yr 5 report and his latest reading test. Anything else i should attach?

Many thanks

[Etienne]

Welcome to Appeals!

Hello, I have been soaking up as much info from this forum as possible and am now in the final stages of gathering all my bits to submit our selection review. Some feedback or advice before submission would be most welcome.

You've soaked up so much I'm not sure I can add very much.

* Cats scores taken at the same time as 11+ were 123 verbal, 127 non-verbal, 117 maths

Pity about the 117, but let's hope they give some weight to head's comment that "he is working at the same level if not higher in maths than his peers who have gained grammar places".

And the Headteacher report also states that he .... represents school at sport, has leadership roles within school etc.

Completely irrelevant, I'm afraid. The only issue is academic ability/extenuating circumstances.

However, we have no specific extenuating circumstances aside from the obvious.
Our school was one that found out about the discrepancies on the answer sheet during the exam and they were told to put an answer rather than disregard them. While this didn't seem to bother our son at the time and he did as told, kids being kids, then talked about it during the break and he started to get anxious and upset that he had wasted too much time on questions that wouldn't be marked. He was therefore not himself and in fact totally unfocused for the second paper. I also think he may have tried to over compensate by working too quickly and maybe not reading the questions properly. I don't know. Now I know the argument is that this happened to every child in Bucks, but my argument would be that this would have affected every child differently.
I guess the other side of that argument is that a child in grammar school needs to be used to dealing with high pressured situations so this shouldn't have made much of an impact?? I'm not really sure that's true either. Because I do think he would have been fine in the second paper (a high pressure situation in itself) had that not all happened.

Any feedback on what to say or how to word it would be very appreciated. I'm keen not to dwell on the extenuating circumstance but to concentrate on all our positive academic evidence and glowing headteacher report.

You're absolutely right to focus on academic evidence - but they do say they expect extenuating circumstances. (Less critical perhaps if the score had been 120.)

You may as well mention the test issue, in the hope that they might give it some weight. I appreciate that it is only for purposes of discussion that you write: "I think he may have ...... maybe not ....... I don't know ..... I guess the other side of the argument ...... I'm not really sure ....."
- but make sure that your written submission is less tentative.

It needs to be concise and reasonably firm. I suggest something along the lines:
"I appreciate that steps have been taken to allow for the test error, but I am aware that during the break he became increasingly upset at having wasted time on questions that wouldn't be marked. It affected his confidence and impacted on his performance in the rest of the paper."

Ill be attaching his Yr 5 report and his latest reading test. Anything else i should attach?

Not as far as I can tell.
Be careful that there is nothing in the school report that doesn't quite match what appears on the headteacher's review form. It will be spotted!
Some school reports are not very helpful for review/appeal purposes because

• they draw attention to areas for improvement
• or they have lots to say about effort, attitude, behaviour - but little about high academic achievement
• or they don't distinguish between good/very good achievement and excellent/outstanding achievement.

If the school report reinforces what is on the headteacher's review form, and is strong on academic achievement, it is worth including.

[bucksmummy007]

Thanks so much Etienne, appreciate the reply, especially so late at night thank you.

You're absolutely right about my waffling and I will definitely be more concise and to the point!

I will go over his Yr 5 report again to check there are no discrepancies with what is in his reports. His year 4 report is excellent but guessing that's too far back and they won't want to be bombarded with reports in the 3 minutes they have?

I have read not to highlight passages as its likely they'll end up as smudged photocopies, however, is it worth pulling out quotes or sentences or anything in the cover page to draw their attention to?

It's so tough, as I've read a million times on this forum, when you and the school know your child will suit grammar and just messed up on the day
We have already decided not to go to appeal if this does not succeed so just want to make sure we submit the best we possibly can.

[Deb70]

Hi, I did include the year 5 report in SR, I also highlighted some comments from it in one of the bullet points in the academic evidence summary. We had a successful review.

[Etienne]

His year 4 report is excellent but guessing that's too far back and they won't want to be bombarded with reports in the 3 minutes they have?

If it's excellent in terms of achievement, it would do no harm to include it.
They would read it in advance if they're interested, not during the 3+ minutes.

I have read not to highlight passages as its likely they'll end up as smudged photocopies, however, is it worth pulling out quotes or sentences or anything in the cover page to draw their attention to?

If there is one quote that is hugely important and more significant than anything else, I can see a case for using it - but once people start using quotes, they tend to overdo them. Too many quotes in the parental statement, and one side of A4 could soon turn into two!
It could become irritating for the panel if they have to read a lot of information twice.

• • It’s a very good idea to draw attention to the main points, but this is best done by underlining in black ink and/or by drawing vertical black lines by the side of key paragraphs.
    https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a53" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not sure what will be possible with the online system.

We have already decided not to go to appeal if this does not succeed

It's certainly difficult to win an appeal after an unsuccessful review because of the 'fair, consistent and objective rule'. Might be worth asking in March for an appeal, though, just to keep your options open. All you need write is "Details of case to follow." You could cancel at any time.
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeals/general#a49" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;