Catchment Areas Birmingham

Eleven Plus (11+) in Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Wrekin

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PettswoodFiona
Posts: 2134
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:24 pm
Location: Petts Wood, Bromley, Kent

Re: Catchment Areas Birmingham

Post by PettswoodFiona »

Looking at my area where children often sit three Grammar area tests, there is no single model of grammar.

Kent have a system that generally is pass plus priority for defined parishes. However in West Kent there are some that have ‘Governor places’ for top scorers, if they go by score they have to go by score for parish. This creates a system of ‘in-county’ places and ‘out-of-couny’ places - the latter having to score far higher (or as can happen - move into catchment by change of address cut off in early December).

Bexley have a system of top 180 scorers get places regardless of location. The remainder, if they pass are done on distance. Some in neighbouring boroughs get places as they are closer than some in the borough. The distances changed massively last year and a lot of children were left very disappointed who would have got in on previous years.

My Borough (Bromley) is one that only has two grammars - the boys Grammar is top scorers wherever they are in the entire country (after two tests, not just one, the second of which takes place in November after CAF submission). The Girls Grammar allocates on top scorer within a 9 mile radius; they’ve also just introduced a change that gives priority any test taker on PP or SP who scores in top 350.

Assignment of places comes in all shapes and sizes and then keeps on changing too.
KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Catchment Areas Birmingham

Post by KenR »

kentish_man wrote:
1. It is a Birmingham 11+, not a Bromsgrove, Halesowen, Solihull, Smethwick 11+.
It was never the remit of the foundation to educate the children of the midlands as a whole.
Actually that isn't totally correct. When the KE Foundation was originally established, Halesowen, Oldbury, Smethwick, Sandwell and Dudley were part of Birmingham. Also Longbridge, West Heath, Rubery, Rednal and Kings Norton (within the new KEFW catchment) were part of Worcestershire.
lakings1900
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 8:14 pm

Re: Catchment Areas Birmingham

Post by lakings1900 »

I suspect there are multiple reasons to do this. Who funds the grammer schools, is it Birmingham LEA?

The mini baby boom is about to hit secondary schools. Birmingham needs to find more places so restristicing these places to Birmingham makes sense as they have just created a large number of places at a stroke. Obv other LEA's may have more of an issue now in finding more places.

Were there an extra 600 kids taking the exam this year? A trend likely to increase.
Emmal
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2018 4:54 pm

Re: Catchment Areas Birmingham

Post by Emmal »

lakings1900 wrote:I suspect there are multiple reasons to do this. Who funds the grammer schools, is it Birmingham LEA?

The mini baby boom is about to hit secondary schools. Birmingham needs to find more places so restristicing these places to Birmingham makes sense as they have just created a large number of places at a stroke. Obv other LEA's may have more of an issue now in finding more places.

Were there an extra 600 kids taking the exam this year? A trend likely to increase.
Interesting point. Academies would be funded by the Education Funding Agency BUT the local LEA still has the responsibility for providing sufficient school places in their area. That's right isn't it? Maybe the new arrangements would suit both KEF and the LEA?
MSD
Posts: 1731
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:08 pm

Re: Catchment Areas Birmingham

Post by MSD »

Emmal wrote:
lakings1900 wrote:I suspect there are multiple reasons to do this. Who funds the grammer schools, is it Birmingham LEA?

The mini baby boom is about to hit secondary schools. Birmingham needs to find more places so restristicing these places to Birmingham makes sense as they have just created a large number of places at a stroke. Obv other LEA's may have more of an issue now in finding more places.

Were there an extra 600 kids taking the exam this year? A trend likely to increase.
Interesting point. Academies would be funded by the Education Funding Agency BUT the local LEA still has the responsibility for providing sufficient school places in their area. That's right isn't it? Maybe the new arrangements would suit both KEF and the LEA?
Well, it looks like the consultation has been put together to suit KEF more, as the individual grammars within foundation seem to be quite keen on reducing the divergence in enty cut-off scores; surely in an effort to improve the league table ratings for the less popular grammars within foundation, alongside all the other justified reasons I would assume.
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: Catchment Areas Birmingham

Post by mike1880 »

KenR wrote:
kentish_man wrote:
1. It is a Birmingham 11+, not a Bromsgrove, Halesowen, Solihull, Smethwick 11+.
It was never the remit of the foundation to educate the children of the midlands as a whole.
Actually that isn't totally correct. When the KE Foundation was originally established, Halesowen, Oldbury, Smethwick, Sandwell and Dudley were part of Birmingham. Also Longbridge, West Heath, Rubery, Rednal and Kings Norton (within the new KEFW catchment) were part of Worcestershire.
When the Foundation was established there weren't any grammar schools; and when the grammar schools were established they were all close to Birmingham city centre so the boundaries of the outlying districts were hardly relevant.
imranb
Posts: 108
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2016 4:56 pm

Re: Catchment Areas Birmingham

Post by imranb »

I've only been able to lay my hands on the proposed catchment for KECHB and KEFW. Does anyone know where to look for the proposed catchments for KE Aston and Handsworth?
hermanmunster
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Catchment Areas Birmingham

Post by hermanmunster »

imranb wrote:I've only been able to lay my hands on the proposed catchment for KECHB and KEFW. Does anyone know where to look for the proposed catchments for KE Aston and Handsworth?
the catchments for all the schools are in the KEFW presentation
imranb
Posts: 108
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2016 4:56 pm

Re: Catchment Areas Birmingham

Post by imranb »

hermanmunster wrote:
imranb wrote:I've only been able to lay my hands on the proposed catchment for KECHB and KEFW. Does anyone know where to look for the proposed catchments for KE Aston and Handsworth?
the catchments for all the schools are in the KEFW presentation
Thanks. Found it.
kentish_man
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:46 am

Re: Catchment Areas Birmingham

Post by kentish_man »

First couple of things that jumped out at me when I looked:-

There are some bits of Kings Norton, which are 2 miles from Camp Hill, but are allocated to Fiveways catchment area - 6 miles away.

Edgbaston ward has been allocated to Handsworth boys and girls schools I see.
There must be parts of Edgbaston (The ones bordering Selly Oak) that are at least 3 miles closer to Camp Hill than they are to the Handsworth grammar schools they are allocated to.

But I guess there was always going to be a few anomalies like that, as obviously the schools aren’t evenly spaced around the population areas of the city.
Last edited by kentish_man on Mon Nov 19, 2018 5:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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