University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
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University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
Ds2 has a score of 215. He was desperate to join ds1 at KEFW and I am tempted to put KEFW down just in case! He also really liked BV where we may have a chance (off the waiting list?) and ditto KEA. My dilemma is how to rank university school vs HGB. We are 1.8km from Uni school so not sure we have much of a chance but it looks impressive, ds liked the look of it and it would be a short public bus trip. HGS would mean two buses, one into the city and then another out to the school because I don't fancy sending him on the number 11 past George Dixon! Is it madness to pass up a grammar school place for the untested but potentially very good University school?
Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
Personally I would place FW,BV,KEA in order of preference.muminbrum wrote:Ds2 has a score of 215. He was desperate to join ds1 at KEFW and I am tempted to put KEFW down just in case! He also really liked BV where we may have a chance (off the waiting list?) and ditto KEA. My dilemma is how to rank university school vs HGB. We are 1.8km from Uni school so not sure we have much of a chance but it looks impressive, ds liked the look of it and it would be a short public bus trip. HGS would mean two buses, one into the city and then another out to the school because I don't fancy sending him on the number 11 past George Dixon! Is it madness to pass up a grammar school place for the untested but potentially very good University school?
I know George Dixon very well & I also wouldn't want to send my lad on the 11 past that school
Our friend Mike Roden (he from CHB) is now the head of UFS - trust me you'll be in good hands there. The trouble is that, due to a VERY high demand, the UFS might be oversubscribed. Give them a call tomorrow - you certainly won't regret it.
Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
My question wasn't really about how good the new University school will be, rather what people would do faced with the choice between a good comp close to home and a grammar some distance away. Handsworth grammar doesn't get mentioned much in here, never quite figured out what people have against it!
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Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
There is an awful lot to be said for not travelling. And Handsworth Grammar has historically been seen as a back up to the KE Foundation schools because its results (and Ofsted rating - currently Good with Outstanding features) have been lower.
Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
Logistics is everything as I've reiterated on numerous occasions.muminbrum wrote:My question wasn't really about how good the new University school will be, rather what people would do faced with the choice between a good comp close to home and a grammar some distance away. Handsworth grammar doesn't get mentioned much in here, never quite figured out what people have against it!
Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
HGS has a lot going for it and the current Head has been introducing a lot of improvements in procedures, standards, comminication with parents about progress, sims access to student records, extra curricular provision. Ds1 is very happy there and I am glad I sent him but l think if I had the choice then between it and UBS, I might have picked the latter: only due to the shorter and easier bus journey to a good school (I know we can't say that for sure yet but it is in very good hands).
UmSusu
Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
Thanks umSusu. That is very helpful. Ds2 is all for ranking the University school above KEA too but I think I have to overrule him on that one but then that isn't an easy journey either.....so hard to know what to do for the best. He's happy to get the train to BV though!
Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
I also suspect that we are a bit too far from UBS so all this worry is probably pointless
Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
The admissions criteria for the University school are a bit complicated, it isn't distance from the school that matters but distance from one of the "nodes". As far as I remember (I'm working so I'm not going to be sidetracked into looking it up) one of those is in Hall Green, another one is in the Jewellery quarter, can't remember how many others or where. It's on their website somewhere.
Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar
The school itself is a node and gets half the places. At least that's wahat Michael Rosen said at the info evening last month!