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Original poster

My turn now Secondary appeal feedback need please? *Sigh*

29 replies

whoisyourverybestfriend · 28/04/2015 20:58

Hi All
NC due to Personal Deets on other threads completing a jigsaw

Just been sent the pwork for my first prefence - on the waiting list (7th) and may have a good chance getting through the first stage of the appeals process ( School effectively said put us first and we will make space for you.. you will get in no probs blah blah) but thinking ahead to the second stage I intend to use the following reasons and would welcome your input

  • DD is avid about History - we regularly attend Museums and exhibitions she has an interest in the Classics and Medieval periods (no idea how I prove this ) and the preferred school offers Latin as an extracurricular club ( our allocated school currently offers Latin as a GCSE but they are under consultation to change to a Co-ed - which may result in Curriculum changes ) The school has great results in History GCSE - This may sound odd but DD loves Mary Beard and wanted to try out Latin ( we did Cambridge Book One) only two schools within a 10 mile radius that do not have religous criteria offer this ( state)

The school I want DD to go to has a Performing Arts specialism and it's own Theatre. DD has been part of EXtra Curricular Orchestra Club since Year 5 (auditioned with her Ukulele and Irish Pennywhistle) and Drama she has also been in singing club. Crucially - being able to attend these extracurricular activities has increased her confidence and self esteem ( it had been noted that she has confidence issues in her reports). Being able to particpate in Performing Arts gives her a boost WITHIN the classroom to speak up and question the teacher and get more out of her learning it seems. Since she was taught in Y5 by a great Teacher who was also a stalwart of Community based Drama and Theatre her Maths levels in particular have come on leaps and bounds - she needs to have confidence in her abilities she gets this by particpating in Performing Arts . Notwithstanding this she loves the arts and wants to make it part of her school life for next few years

Size of school /breadth of curriculum =- preferred school is v large therefore able to offer more curriculum choice in year 9 than most e.g Geography and History can be taken if preferred , French , Spanish or German. 40% of Children take seperate sciences, . Local schools are smaller with limited curriculum....not sure how to word this but DD is academic but also loves Drama/Theatre/dance I want to give her the best choice possible at GCSE level in order to facilitate subject choice at Alevel and therefore her preferred career / university course.

Lastly I'm not sure I can bring this up but a Co-ed school is preferable for DD rather than an all girls school - she has a wide range of friends boys and girls at school at the moment The only other school with all teh facilities we think would be good for DD and the LAtin would be single sex at least until Year 10.

When I write this down it all seems rather flaky - how could I evidence this it is not the kind of thing you get Doctors notes for??

Any advice feedback welcomed Grin

OP posts:
Clavinova · 30/04/2015 09:38

She's a junior member of The British Museum (£25 per year) and you have photographic evidence of her collection of The Roman Mysteries books(£6 for 10 books from The Book People)??!!

Original poster
whoisyourverybestfriend · 29/04/2015 22:20

Anyone with other ideas how I can prove Dd wants to do Latin /Classics history desperately!?? I have tickets from an exhibition we went to recently at The British Museum ummm an Amazon receipt for the Cambridge book

OP posts:
Original poster
whoisyourverybestfriend · 28/04/2015 23:10

Thank You prh47bridge I see what you mean with the "Academic" stuff - just didn't know how to word it. DD loves lots of subjects it is hard to predict what any child will go on to do. The wider curriculum choices mean she can do a college course in Catering if she wants to ( some on MN may sneer but my Dad trained as a Chef one of the few people I know who loves his job passionately) or go on to Alevels in Maths and Seperate Sciences - Provision of Further Maths etc. Or anything in between.

Am hoping the stage one appeal will come off first fingers crossed.

OP posts:
prh47bridge · 28/04/2015 22:42

That sounds like a reasonable case to me. You are showing what the appeal school offers that is relevant to your daughter and is missing from the offered school. For evidence of her interests and the improvement in her confidence and self esteem I suggest you approach her teachers or those running the relevant clubs They may be happy to write a letter for you setting out their views.

Be careful about saying your daughter is academic. Stick to the fact that the appeal school has a wider curriculum than the allocated school, giving your daughter more choice and a better likelihood of getting a range of subjects that suits her interests and abilities. Saying she is academic may sound like you are suggesting she is clever and therefore needs a good school.

You can bring up a co-ed school being preferable for your daughter but you may struggle to justify that one so I wouldn't spend too much time on it.