Hi: the biggest issue is that you don’t have impartial evidence of academic ability (as you are effectively both parent and teacher)
Not “following national curriculum” is not in itself grounds for appeal a choice you have made: plenty of home educators WILL or can follow fhe national curriculum at least in parts, and certainly if you wish a child to enter an entrance exam, preparing for that can be done quite effectively at home (quite a few of the posters on here have DIY-prepped their children for these exams rather than use tutoring or rely on a school).
If you think about it logically “my child didn’t learn this maths at all” isn’t an excuse not to get the questions correct or to allow a lower mark , it just reflects that they were not taught this or enabled to practice it.
I appreciate there are many reasons why parents homeschool (or unschool in some cases) but you’re obviously happy for him to enter mainstream education should he get a space. What do you have that is objectively likely to support evidence of high academic ability?
Usually panels aren’t especially impressed by extracurricular activities, they want to see clear performence in academics:
have you got anything that shows your DC is bright and able?
Does he have musical grades in instruments? Has he done external competitions like chess championships or is he highly advanced in a particular hobby or craft? Does he have creative writing published? this is not stuff that would usually be presented for an appeal, but if the academic evidence is non existant due to the lack of “plug in” to the system, it may be all you have. Examples of current work may be presented but don’t “cherry pick” one or two, taking in unedited work books eg of writing/analytical work may shownthe sort of level he works ar. It will probably be a long shot, I’ll be honest. But if you want to try, as you say, nothing to lose.
Where will he go when/if the appeal is unsuccessful?
Not “following national curriculum” is not in itself grounds for appeal a choice you have made: plenty of home educators WILL or can follow fhe national curriculum at least in parts, and certainly if you wish a child to enter an entrance exam, preparing for that can be done quite effectively at home (quite a few of the posters on here have DIY-prepped their children for these exams rather than use tutoring or rely on a school).
If you think about it logically “my child didn’t learn this maths at all” isn’t an excuse not to get the questions correct or to allow a lower mark , it just reflects that they were not taught this or enabled to practice it.
I appreciate there are many reasons why parents homeschool (or unschool in some cases) but you’re obviously happy for him to enter mainstream education should he get a space. What do you have that is objectively likely to support evidence of high academic ability?
Usually panels aren’t especially impressed by extracurricular activities, they want to see clear performence in academics:
have you got anything that shows your DC is bright and able?
Does he have musical grades in instruments? Has he done external competitions like chess championships or is he highly advanced in a particular hobby or craft? Does he have creative writing published? this is not stuff that would usually be presented for an appeal, but if the academic evidence is non existant due to the lack of “plug in” to the system, it may be all you have. Examples of current work may be presented but don’t “cherry pick” one or two, taking in unedited work books eg of writing/analytical work may shownthe sort of level he works ar. It will probably be a long shot, I’ll be honest. But if you want to try, as you say, nothing to lose.
Where will he go when/if the appeal is unsuccessful?
Statistics: Posted by Aethel — Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:47 pm