Grammar school appeal

54 replies

AlexiaR · 21/03/2023 12:35

I wonder if i could ask for some advice/inspiration on how to write my child's grammar school appeal? They missed out form originally passing the kent test, by a few points. I have tried to evidence everything, in terms of presenting objective facts, to demonstrate their ability and suitability, but I am at bit of a loss as to how to put accross, effectively, how going to the grammar school would be of greater benefit to their all round education, and their future prospects, and in turn how they personally they would be of benefit to the school, by them going there? My mind has just become muddled, at this point and I don't know how to put these points accross clearly and succinctly without coming accross as over the top. Could I anyone possible provide a few examples, please?

Many thanks in advance.

OP posts:

prh47bridge · 25/03/2023 16:41

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 25/03/2023 16:10

@prh47bridge, I never expected to disagree with you on an appeals post. I’ve read your advice to many people.

But I am going to disagree here. The undersubscribed grammar schools in my neck of the woods (East Kent) rely on non-qual appeals to put bums on seats. This doesn’t go down very well with the local high schools, unsurprisingly.

If your dc is reasonably academic (high expected, but not necessarily greater depth) in some parts of Kent there is a very good chance an appeal will be successful.

That shouldn't happen. Where the grammar school has a pass mark rather than simply taking the highest scoring applicants, the Appeals Code is clear that the panel can only admit if they are satisfied that the child is of the required standard and that there is some reason they failed to perform on the day of the test. Successful appeals for grammar schools from people who didn't pass the test should be rare.

But the point I was making in my last post is that the appeal panel don't care where you live. Your chances of success should be the same regardless of whether you live next door to the school or over the border in the next local authority. Any appeal panel that takes location into account isn't doing its job properly.

prh47bridge · 25/03/2023 16:45

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 25/03/2023 16:35

Cope is a relative word, though, isn't it?

I can cope with classes of 32/33 in science, but the students don't get such a good experience. By Y11, it can get difficult to have the students moving around the classroom. There are certain practical activities I won't do once we've gone over 2 students per desk (i.e. 33 +) because I feel it's unsafe.

It's also too many for our DT rooms, and again impacts practical opportunities in those subjects.

We share equipment between classrooms, and the classrooms are equipped with more gas taps/sinks than we need.

We also try to have smaller sets at the bottom end of our GCSE years and a nurture group in Y7- but this isn't possible when classes are at 32 already.

I mean it's moot, because my school doesn't argue these points anyway- they are desperate for the bums on seats because of funding!

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What I was referring to is the fact that the size of room needed for 30 pupils according to current standards was, until a few years ago, regarded as big enough for 35. But yes, it is a balancing act for the appeal panel. They have to figure out whether the disadvantage to the school from having another pupil (which includes the disadvantage to the other pupils) outweighs the disadvantage to the appellant from not being admitted.

Bluevelvetsofa · 26/03/2023 13:55

OP, if your daughter is naturally academic, what happened in that one area of the test? Is it a weaker subject, because we all have strengths and weaknesses, or was it a surprise that she did less well in one area.

I think it’s important, because if it was a blip, there’s no reason to doubt her ability, but if it’s something she’s not quite as good at academically, it might be difficult in future.

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 26/03/2023 14:59

prh47bridge · 25/03/2023 16:41

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Kent is a strange county. The pass mark is inflated in the West with people trying for superselective grammars from London, meaning that in the East the pass mark filters out too many candidates leaving the grammar schools without enough pupils. Although that is not to say that a child who hasn't passed in West Kent stands no chance on appeal.

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