University of Birmingham School

[um]

I'm aware that the new free school at Birmingham university will not be selective (except at 6th form), but there has been some mention of it before on the forum. I have some details for the proposed admissions policy and thought that they may be of real interested to some parents. I've pasted these below.

The University of Birmingham School and Sixth Form:
Public Consultation Programme

We now write to confirm details of the public consultation and provide you with the dates for five drop in events - and an opportunity to learn more about the school at the University’s Community Day on June 9. In addition you can participate in the online survey as detailed below.

Community Day
Public consultation on the plans for the School, including the draft admissions policy, proposed curriculum and the building and site, will be launched at the University’s Community Day on the 9th June. There will be a stand in the Bramall Building on the University’s Edgbaston campus from 11am-4pm and a presentation at 3pm in the Aston Webb building. More details about the Community Day can be found here: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/communityday" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Online Survey
The proposed admissions policy for the School will be available for consultation on the website (http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/university-school" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) from 9th June to 2nd August 2013.

Drop-in events
The University is holding a range of drop-in sessions for the parents and guardians of prospective pupils and other interested parties across Birmingham (see details below). These sessions will be an opportunity to learn about different aspects of the planned school, including admissions and curriculum and to express views on the plans. There will also be drop-in sessions looking at plans for the School’s building and site. There is no need to sign up for these sessions- please feel free to drop in any time and learn more about the proposals.

Date
Venue
Details
Wednesday 26th June,
3.00pm – 8.30pm

Ladywood Community Centre, St Vincent Street West, Birmingham, B16 8RP
Proposed admissions policy
Vision of the School
Tuesday 2nd July,
3.00pm – 8.30pm

Centre Court,
1301­ S­tratford Road , Hall Green , Birmingham , B28 9HH
Proposed admissions policy
Vision of the School
Thursday 11th July, 3.00pm – 8.30pm

Small Heath Community Forum,
Heather Road, Small Heath,
Birmingham, B10 9TA
Proposed admissions policy
Vision of the School
Saturday 13th July,
10am -1pm

Orchard Learning Resource Centre,
Hamilton Drive, Weoley Park Rd, Selly Oak, Birmingham, B29 6QW
Proposed admissions policy
Vision of the School Building and site plans
Wednesday 17th July,
3.00pm – 8.30pm


The venues for the drop-in sessions have been chosen because they are close to the proposed admissions nodes for the School. Nodes are the central point of the catchment area – defined by a specific postcode. School places will be allocated according to the distance between the applicant’s home address and the main entrance of the node.

The proposed admissions policy has been carefully developed in-line with the vision for the School. It aims to provide opportunities for pupils from all across Birmingham to attend and to ensure that pupils attend the School from different social and cultural backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of the city of Birmingham. It also tries to target those postcode areas which need more school places in the future.
The proposed nodes are:
· The University School site itself (B29 6QW)
· Hall Green Rail Station (B28 8AA)
· Small Heath Station (B10 0DP)
· Jewellery Quarter Station (B18 6LE)

Admission into Year 7 will not be based on academic performance or on an entrance examination, whilst admission to the Sixth Form will be selective, based on GCSE results, to ensure that pupils can meet the demands of studying in an academically-focused environment.
You can learn more about the nodal policy and the proposed nodes either at the drop-in sessions or via the website: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/university-school" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ or ‘Admissions Policy’). Please note that the full proposed Admissions Policy will be available on the website from 9th June.

[Turtlegirl]

This type of nodal system is already in use at Sandwell Academy - they have six nodes in the six Sandwell towns. But the University School is wise in having the school itself as a node. We live about a mile from Sandwell Academy but noone from our primary school can get a place there because the node is the geographic centre of our Sandwell town and about 3 miles away from the school. When I looked around I was told that the farthest entrant in our town had lived about 1km from the node. I think the University School's choice of nodes close to transport links is very sensible.

[um]

It is interesting.
Given that the university itself is in quite a wealthy area, they could have decided to set the admissions criteria as distance from the school.
But the fact that they are opening up admission to pupils from less wealthy areas such as Ladywood and Small Heath, shows a real willingness to engage with the wider Birmingham community.
I wish them well...

[UmSusu]

Thanks um,

Having had a quick browse, I noted that the address for that postcode is the old Selly oak/Westhill site on a new building and not the Winterbourne site off the main campus as previously stated - so still a nice area but not quite so wealthy. If anyone goes to open day at the ORLC, then that seems to be roughly where they will build. They will open a year later than planned too - 2015.

I am due at the Community Day event anyway so will try to fit the presentation in too. Will report back if anything interesting but moving the site further out like that would probably mean we will be too far to qualify even though we don't really have better (non-selective) options for DS3 who needs would need a whole new personality before we would be prepared to even contemplate going through 11 plus business with him

[muminbrum]

Thanks for posting Um, I thought they weren't releasing admissions details for another few days.

We live 1.5km from the school site and are considering it for DC2 who is currently in year 4. He is keen to sit the 11 plus, especially as DC1 has a GS place, but this could be a good back up option for us over the other local alternatives. Sounds like we might not live close enough though

[nostress]

I'd like to know how they came up with these nodes! Hall green and small heath have good/outstanding secondary schools (that are oversubscribed)... Now people in these areas will have at least two good schools to choose from... Hmmmm wheres the node in the area with no good schools to choose from? ...

[moseleymum]

Bumping this rather old thread to see what impressions parents have of this school as the current Year 6 are the first children eligible to apply for year 7 in 2015.

The website is http://www.universityschool.bham.ac.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They have been running an extensive programme of talks, some took place last week and some are happening next week.

Anyone got any views now that we have more information about the school than a year ago?

[AK loving Dad]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bi ... m-29331575" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/un ... ar-7830629" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2000 parents already interested...the perennial challenge of finding good schools for our DC seems to carry on...

AK.

[moseleymum]

It's an option for those who may not make a grammar as it's not selective, although I have a friend who lives very local to the new school and says she may put it down first choice even if her DS1 does make a grammar.

She likes the idea of her son's year having the whole school to themselves for a year (apart from Yr 11) with access to the new UOB sports centre being built. It's also a bit of forward planning on her part as she has younger children and the admissions policy gives siblings preferential admission. I can imagine if it will be as oversubscribed as people think then the subsequent years may be even more oversubscribed as siblings of the first cohort try to gain entry in addition to those with no family members already there.

[Bob1892]

Mr Roden is the head - so the school is in very good hands. He did a brilliant job at CHB - a nice fella as well - very approachable - my ds took to him immediately but was very disappointed that he left chb.
The UofB school will be a success I'm sure.