Open Evening

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I went to an event (for Cancer research) in Solihull over the weekend just gone & I spoke to several Solihull parents about my recent CHB experience & found out that they themselves are either not even thinking about grammar schools or considering FW instead. CHB really seems to be out of flavour around Solihull. I'm sure not every dp in Solihull is thinking the same but that seems to be the general consensus when I seem to be attending & organising events/charities etc. Maybe I need to get out more - & meaning beyond Solihull....

[um]

When my dcs attended a primary school in Solihull some other children would say, 'Oh my goodness, you're from Birmingham! I went to Birmingham once...'

[sbarnes]

Its totally understandable.
The headmaster admitted that CHB had a disappointing set of A level results this year, nationally falling to 4th place in state schools for A level results, lowest position since 2010
Totally understand sticking to Solihull School.

[Jazz-UK]

This thread makes me very sad

[80's girl]

I went to an event (for Cancer research) in Solihull over the weekend just gone & I spoke to several Solihull parents about my recent CHB experience & found out that they themselves are either not even thinking about grammar schools or considering FW instead. CHB really seems to be out of flavour around Solihull. I'm sure not every dp in Solihull is thinking the same but that seems to be the general consensus when I seem to be attending & organising events/charities etc. Maybe I need to get out more - & meaning beyond Solihull....

Were one of these "Solihull Parents" Shakey by any chance?

[rah_b92]

Hmmmmm! I guess some of the factors at play for us are:

• We live in Solihull, within a pleasant half hour's walk of the town centre, but not in the catchment areas for Tudor Grange or Alderbrook.
• Nor can we afford to move to said catchment areas.
• Nor (by extension of the previous point) can we afford to send DS to Solihull School! (Barring the possibility of an assisted place.)
• Looking at past years' admissions data, we might stand a chance of Alderbrook - looks like we would have got a place in 2012 or 2013 but not 2014 - but not a hope of TG.
• Our catchment-area comprehensive is very reasonable academically and in terms of facilities, but does not have a good reputation among parents of those DC with Asperger's Syndrome.
• DS is bright, doing really well at school, but struggles at times in class due to noise and other nonsense; he finds break and lunchtimes a particular challenge. His present Junior school has been completely fantastic at helping with this.
• He has also developed a particular passion for music (spent much of the summer holidays, when not working on 11+ stuff, composing on Sibelius... he gets this from his maternal grandfather, rather than my side of the family!) So facilities for same are a consideration.
• We live on the route of several of the green buses. (Stop directly opposite our house!)

All those things considered, it would seem a bit daft for us not to consider the various Birmingham grammars as possibilities... Yes, all of them are significantly more diverse than my own was (I grew up in Northern Ireland - I think there were 2 Roman Catholics in my year group of 150!) but frankly that doesn't matter one bit. Finding the right school for DS, does. So waiting for the results, like so many other parents...

[WoolEyes]

I started my teaching career in 1992 at Handsworth Grammar school for Boys and it was roughly 60% white children, by the time I left in 1997 it was roughly 40% white and now it is perhaps 10% white (correct me if I am wrong). [Edited by moderator] I left to teach at a boys' grammar school in deepest Kent and it was 95% white [Edited by moderator]. The two schools were academically very similar. I often wonder why there are a relatively small number of white boys/girls in grammar school (relative to population of Birmingham), where have they gone?

On the issue of open days, proceed with caution. In my teaching career I have endured about two-dozen of these cringe-worthy evenings! The school hides all the bad bits and lays on the best displays, books and behaviour, I hated them as a teacher and would never attend one as a parent. No teacher, in my experience, liked these events and the level of cynicism amongst some of the older staff was shocking! The same can almost be said for parents' evenings.

[shakey]

Very honest of you Wooleyes. I'm still waiting for an answer to your question too....why are there fewer and fewer white british kids going to brum grammar schools?
I agree - Open evenings don't always show the whole picture.

[allnew]

Very honest of you Wooleyes. I'm still waiting for an answer to your question too....why are there fewer and fewer white british kids going to brum grammar schools?

Is this post turning "racist"?

I thought it was obvious. The Indian community believe education is critical and tutor their children extensively, often at home. The tests, especially maths is curriculum based so very easy to prepare for. This explains why they achieve high scores and gain places.

Many can read and write before they begin school and are far ahead of their peers. It is hard work - it does not mean natural intelligence. Hard work is enough and the tests certainly do not test natural ability. Although some are naturally intelligent. How is a good vocabulary natural intelligence? It's reading. How is good maths, natural? It's effort. NVR can be practiced to near perfection. Gifted and talented really means hard working.

Since the test is so easy to prepare for, the more you do the better your score. Some Asian children already have a GCSE in maths at the age of 10. I'm sure you have seen this in the papers. Although many parents will deny it, I know many Asian children who study 2 hours a night for the 11+ from year 4. Others accelerated English and Maths from the day they entered school. Better than PS4 all night!

Good luck to them. If you put the work in, you deserve the rewards. They continue the effort during their school live. With up to 30 fewer places this year compared to last yeat due to PP places, the tuition culture will increase.

This explains the fewer "white" faces in the grammar schools. This is occuring in many areas.

Look at courses for medicine, dentisty, optics, pharmacy, law and accountancy. Many "asians". They end up with high paying jobs. Many of the largest organisations now have Indians at the top. It is all to do with education, education and education.

Keep up with the Chinese!

[rabbie burns]

I think this thread always teetered on the edge of racism and suspect it just fell over the edge Wool eyes basically said less white kids came so manners and behaviour declined. Then went to a white area and it was a breath of fresh air!! Enough said. The other fact that needs repeated is that white children are now a minority in Birmingham primary schools so this alone will be reflected in all it's secondary schools. In some parts of Birmingham the percentage of white children in schools will be even smaller. Add the points made in the last post and the current situation is easily explained. Then some white parents decide not send their children to particular schools and the situation becomes more acute and self perpetuating. An already narrow strata of society going to KE schools becomes even narrower. Hence the efforts to get more pp children in.