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Original poster

Appeal update / banding and aptitude test results

57 replies

OutofIdeas86 · 17/04/2026 18:32

I know i've posted a few time on this topic, to people's annoyance, but we had an update from the school yesterday (their appeal response has been sent to us).

It includes result of our DS CAT4 assessment data and his aptitude test results.

In the appeal we are arguing that due to tonsilitis (as diagnosed by a doctor a day) he wasn't fairly/ correctly banded.
His primary school has been us a CAT4 scaled score of 108, his CAT4 assessment was 98. So there is a big variation. I guess our argument here is he was incorrectly banded, and in not being offered a place was disadvantage by this.

On the drama aptitude test, he scored 24/25 - but only 4 children got a drama place, they all got 25/25. But on the other offered aptitude test - dance, sport, music, children with as low as 88% scoring were successful. I guess my argument here is he was unfortunate to not be selected with a 96% score.

OP posts:
Original poster
OutofIdeas86 · 18/04/2026 14:24

littledonkey45 · 18/04/2026 14:17

No, they aren’t a credible argument as you.let your son take the test having presumably signed a fit and well form. I’m a panel member and every year we have parents who claim the underperformance on the day was due to an illness yet the parent let them sit the test. The exceptions would be when a child becomes ill during a test which couldn’t be foreseen or the child has a chronic illness which likely wouldn’t be any better for the test reserved for those with medical issues on the original date. That is the route you should have gone down. Ignorance (especially from a child whose parent is a head teacher) is no excuse. I sense your desperation but you have been advised over and over that your reasons are not credible.

But this isn't an entry test - it is for the purposes of banding

I can see your point if it was an 11+ type test.

If they've out him in Band D, and his class teacher says from school data he should be in Band B - that feels like a clear discepency?

OP posts:
LIZS · 18/04/2026 14:22

But you made a choice for him to sit the test when unwell. What was the contingency process in event of illness? Would 108 have really changed the band?

Drama was a near miss but others did better on the day. He may not even have got a place had 3 scoring 25 and 1 scoring 24 did, or maybe more than 4 scored 25, what is the tiebreak criteria in that case? If one turned their place down do they continue down the wl for drama places? Where might he be on that?

littledonkey45 · 18/04/2026 14:17

No, they aren’t a credible argument as you.let your son take the test having presumably signed a fit and well form. I’m a panel member and every year we have parents who claim the underperformance on the day was due to an illness yet the parent let them sit the test. The exceptions would be when a child becomes ill during a test which couldn’t be foreseen or the child has a chronic illness which likely wouldn’t be any better for the test reserved for those with medical issues on the original date. That is the route you should have gone down. Ignorance (especially from a child whose parent is a head teacher) is no excuse. I sense your desperation but you have been advised over and over that your reasons are not credible.

Original poster
OutofIdeas86 · 18/04/2026 14:09

The schools admission policy states;

  • Alternative evidence, such as recent school assessments, may be used if a child is too unwell for standard testing.
  • The allocation process aims to ensure fairness and accuracy, including consideration of extenuating circumstances.
The Appeals code;
  • Appeals may be made if illness or exceptional circumstances affected test performance (Sections 2.6, 2.8).
  • Panels must assess whether allocation materially affected the likelihood of securing a place (Section 2.14).

I feel both the CAT4 Illness and the aptitude test falls under this?

I guess I am not saying do I have enough to win, but more is this a credible argument?

OP posts:
clary · 17/04/2026 19:56

So what is missing from your post is the numbers admitted from the band you say he should have been in? If (say) he was banded in band 3, which saw 22 DC selected out of 50, and he should have been in band 1, which saw 22 DC selected out of 30 (numbers totally random and no idea if that's even how it works, or if it is a % from each band) – in that case, yes he would have had a higher chance of a place. Still no guarantee then. I think it’s very weak in terms of appeals, sorry.

And the drama thing – well yes that is close but not close enough. If the cut-off for a 9 at GCSE history is 85% and you score 83% – well that's a good mark and a strong grade but not good enough for a 9. And maybe the % for a 9 in geography, which you did not take, is only 75%. That's life. You can't use that to argue that your history grade should be a 9. There has to be a cut-off and there has to be someone who is just below it.

BendingSpoons · 17/04/2026 19:44

I don't think you will get very far with the drama test. I understand your disappointment, but it was applied fairly. Either the drama test was easier or the standard was higher, but the places went to the top scorers. He likely wasn't the only one who scored 24.

Again I understand your frustration about him being ill, but you can't evidence he would have got a place if he had been in a higher band. It's hard when you feel he has just missed out twice, but you can't 'add them together' so to speak.

Whilst you can make the case outlined above, it's unfortunately likely to be pretty weak unless you have other strong arguments as to why he really needs to attend this school.

littledonkey45 · 17/04/2026 19:13

I don’t think there is much new in your update, sorry. You let him sit the test on the day, presumably having signed a fit and well form. Even if he did underperform there is no guarantee he would get a space in the other banding if that was random selection. He did not score as highly as rhe other students in the drama test. Yes, he scored well but not enough. I think you need to accept (as many said on your other thread(s)) that your arguments have little merit and are not likely to win, especially when up again 25 or 100 other appeals.

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