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Secondary education

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Original poster

what can i do about a refused appeal?

31 replies

jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:07

ok here goes very long and maybe confusing but i'm so angry and not sure what to do. My dd sat a grammar in the next town and the kent test. she passed the next town one with 10 marks to spare but failed the kent one but she was unwell on the day. unfortunatley she didn't get offered a space in the next town one as we are 1 mile to far away, we appealed but didnt get a space, i then decided to go on a late appeal to the kent test, her head wrote her a very good supporting letter, she also did her own appeal as she felt she deserved to be there, she is a very clever girl and is top of the class for all her subjects except english but she is progressing very well. we had the appeal on friday and found out today she didnt get in as they feel she would struggle. i am so angry as 4 girls in her class somehow got in on appeal and they are in lower groups than my dd (they also failed the kent test). but 1 of the girls didnt pass either of the test, my dd passed 1. does this sound fair?

OP posts:
Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:11

oh yeh forgot to say, they still have 20 spaces, i thought they would of given her a chance with the amount of spaces they have!

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 28/06/2010 21:16

it's surely up to them who they offer places to? so... i don't think there is anything you can do about it tbh
they're within their rights to give places to the children they thinkm will do best at their school, so maybe your dd just didn't fit the bill?

Milliways · 28/06/2010 21:18

Seems odd if they still have spaces? How do they decide who to allocate to?

However, what are your alternatives. My DD did not get into our grammar (they simply take the 100 girls with highest mark from ANY area, no catchment, so competition is insane) but she ended up with "perfect" exam results after a very happy 7 years at the local comprehensiv, and has just finished her first year at a top Uni.

Sometimes, being top of the Comp is better than middle or lower (or just not top) of a grammar?

Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:19

maybe but she is brighter than them, surely she deserved a chance like they did, i was thinking of writing to my local mp, do u think this will help?

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thisisyesterday · 28/06/2010 21:21

in your opinion yes. the school obviously thinks she is not well suited to it though. maybe you should bear that in mind...

thisisyesterday · 28/06/2010 21:24

i mean, do you really want to try and insist on a place at a school that doesn't want her there?

i would look at other alternatives if it were me

Milliways · 28/06/2010 21:24

I would do anything if I believed that was truly the best school for my DD - especially if they are undersubscribed, and also if the alternate schools were all dire / on special measures etc.

All I am saying is, I thought the grammar WAS for my DD, we were all surprised she didn't get in, and her school was amazed. However, we took a positive view with her on the alternatives so she went in keen & willing to go - never thinking it as "swcond best", and it worked.

(DS DID get into the boys grammar though - and he also loves that).

Are the other schools any good?

Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:25

i do get what your saying but i dont get why 4 girls who are weaker in all subjects and 1 who didnt pass the other test managed to get in, it doesnt make sence to me

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ChuckBartowski · 28/06/2010 21:28

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Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:30

the school she is going to, (her 4th choice) isnt great but better than some, i believe she will do great in grammar and she said she doesnt want to go to a normal school and get bullied for being a boffin!, our grammar school, go by there pass mark and if they fail and appeal, they look at her work, her work that we put forward was very good, her own teacher said he hopes she gets in he thinks she would flourish in the grammar

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 28/06/2010 21:31

because they don't only choose them based on academic record
they will choose children who they think will thrive and do well at their school

Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:31

no, they are lower in everything, i think 1 plays football for our primary school, but my dd does syncronised swimming

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Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:34

but how do they know they will thrive if they dont know them? my dd would thrive, she was desparate for a place there and was heartbroken when she was refused, i'm just so upset that she was refused and these girls who arent as strong as my dd managed to get in

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ChuckBartowski · 28/06/2010 21:36

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thisisyesterday · 28/06/2010 21:37

because they know the school? becuase they've been doing this for years? maybe your daughter just did a really poor interview?

i don't know. but i think they must have their reasons for not accepting her. can you ring them and ask why?
i am sure they don't just turn children down on a whim, there must have been a good reason why they don't think she is suited to the school

Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:39

my dd told me they are in lower groups than her. maybe i just need to give up but her grades show she is grammar material and the head and her teacher think so too, just wanted the best for her and in my opinion grammar was

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ChuckBartowski · 28/06/2010 21:40

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Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:40

they said they don't think she would cope with the pressure of grammar school, but how do they know when they don't know her? why give some girls a chance and not others?

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thisisyesterday · 28/06/2010 21:41

oh jaynel... because they have to! they can't give them all a chance to try it and see can they?
they have to make their decision based on what they see of the child

Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:42

her teacher also told me "some of the weaker girls in the class got a space"

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ChuckBartowski · 28/06/2010 21:45

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Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:45

if they have the spaces why cant they give them all a chance, and they never saw her, they saw me and my dh, they saw her work and her glowing reference form her head and swimming coach. i obviously need to let it drop then dont i, just wanted to know if people agreed with me or if the panel did the right thing

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Original poster
jaynel · 28/06/2010 21:47

no they didn't chuckbartowski, just me and my dh, we told them everything good about her and how high her grades are, she just failed the test due to being unwell

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Milliways · 28/06/2010 21:58

I really do sympathise. When DD "failed" another girl got in who had 3 level 4's at her SATS! Everything seemed unfair, and you do take it personally. DD was really upset, tears etc - she too was a labelled "swot", but in a large school there will always be a number of kids at all abilities.

Looking back, if I was now offered the grammar place for her I would say "no Thanks".

Go to appeal, do what you need to, but PLEASE take a new look at the other school and make sure your child know they can succeed wherever (and Oxbridge love kids from "normal" schools).

thisisyesterday · 28/06/2010 22:02

maybe they didn't like you then?

i know you want the best for her, but you come across (on here) as quite pushy... maybe that's not what they want?

obv can only comment on what you've said here, and lots is lost on internet chat, but that's how it comes over to me

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