Any Appeals for Non-qualification in Bexley?
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Any Appeals for Non-qualification in Bexley?
I don't know if anyone else has noticed but there doesn't seem to have been any ongoing information in respect of appeals in Bexley. Looking at other sections there is much activity and ongoing advice but nothing in the Bexley section! As I understand it the appeals would have been heard during November and results posted by the end of 2008? Does anyone know if this timing is correct as there doesn't appear to have been any relevant postings during this period? Have you had a positive or negative Bexley Appeal experience?
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Bexley Mum 2
- Posts: 851
- Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
- Location: Bexley
Frankie - Unfortunately it's much harder to win an appeal in Bexley than it is in areas like Kent or Bucks which have lots of grammar schools. As you probably know, Bexley only has 4 so the scope for allowing appeals is miniscule. If you look at the Council's website, you will see that there have only been 6 successful appeals in the last THREE years!
I do worry that Bexley parents may be misled if they look at the appeals section and see that children in other areas have won their appeal on the grounds of underperformance on the day alone (sometimes when there is no obvious reason for underperformance). I think that is rarely enough in Bexley and there usually have to be very strong other reasons for an appeal to be successful.
So, on past performance there will only have been one or two successful appeals this year. I suppose the number of appeals heard (about 100) is also small compared to Bucks and Kent which is why there are rarely any postings on this part of the forum.
However, I'd be surprised if appeals were heard in November as school places aren't allocated in March - I thought people appealed against non-allocation of a school rather than not passing the 11+? I knew someone who appealed a couple of years ago and the appeal was held around May.
It would be interesting if people did post - I'd love to find out what exactly is needed to win an appeal in Bexley!
I do worry that Bexley parents may be misled if they look at the appeals section and see that children in other areas have won their appeal on the grounds of underperformance on the day alone (sometimes when there is no obvious reason for underperformance). I think that is rarely enough in Bexley and there usually have to be very strong other reasons for an appeal to be successful.
So, on past performance there will only have been one or two successful appeals this year. I suppose the number of appeals heard (about 100) is also small compared to Bucks and Kent which is why there are rarely any postings on this part of the forum.
However, I'd be surprised if appeals were heard in November as school places aren't allocated in March - I thought people appealed against non-allocation of a school rather than not passing the 11+? I knew someone who appealed a couple of years ago and the appeal was held around May.
It would be interesting if people did post - I'd love to find out what exactly is needed to win an appeal in Bexley!
As far as I understand it the appeals are after allocation day in March. There are 'reviews' in November, I think, which is for those that didn't make the grade on the day. These would be similar to the Head Teachers Reviews in previous years. Very few kids won those either!
A major difference this year is that parents can put forward info torwards the review rather than it being done without their knowledge. Maybe parents would do a better job??? At this point schools would not have issued all the places so there would be no battle with numbers.
You still get to appeal in March for non-allocation and non-selectivity but parents should not get their hopes up too high as for non-selectivity you would have already had your bite of the cherry and shouldn't expect another so to speak.
A major difference this year is that parents can put forward info torwards the review rather than it being done without their knowledge. Maybe parents would do a better job??? At this point schools would not have issued all the places so there would be no battle with numbers.
You still get to appeal in March for non-allocation and non-selectivity but parents should not get their hopes up too high as for non-selectivity you would have already had your bite of the cherry and shouldn't expect another so to speak.
Thank you to Bexley Mum 2 and Tracy. From your replies it seems that the Bexley 'Appeals' I wondered about were actually 'Reviews' which can only be instigated via the HT of your DC's primary school? Following the allocation of secondary school places in March parents then have the right to appeal themselves?
I'm therefore wondering whether any forum members have had 'Review' experiences under Bexley - as the 'Appeal' experiences are obviously yet to come!!
I'm therefore wondering whether any forum members have had 'Review' experiences under Bexley - as the 'Appeal' experiences are obviously yet to come!!
