11 Plus Exams Forum

has anyone come across anything official about the rumours that 2020 entry may be restricted to Birmingham residents? I heard there was a consultancy going on but I know plenty of Solihull children who are currently studying for next years exam and would be unfair for the rules to be changed without adequate warning.

Cecilcaterpillar wrote:has anyone come across anything official about the rumours that 2020 entry may be restricted to Birmingham residents? I heard there was a consultancy going on but I know plenty of Solihull children who are currently studying for next years exam and would be unfair for the rules to be changed without adequate warning.

In order to introduce a change to the admissions policy for 2020, schools would have to be consulting - i.e. pulishing their intentions on their website, advising other stakeholders, such as primary schools affected etc and inviting comments / objections - at the moment, ready for their admissions policy for that year to be published at the beginning of March 2019.

Do any of the schools have such a document on their website?

Eta, sorry, the consultation period must be 6 weeks between 1st October and 31st January (was thinking 31st December). So there is still time for the consultation dicument to be made public.

would be unfair for the rules to be changed without adequate warning

I am afraid this is legal requirement which has been in place for many years. As TM has said, keep an eye out for any consultation over the next few months. The final determined admissions policy should be available on 28th February.

thanks for the replies, there is nothing official on school or foundation websites but only what I've heard from a few people. we'll see what happens early next year then.

Cecilcaterpillar wrote:has anyone come across anything official about the rumours that 2020 entry may be restricted to Birmingham residents? I heard there was a consultancy going on but I know plenty of Solihull children who are currently studying for next years exam and would be unfair for the rules to be changed without adequate warning.

I think it would be unlikely that such a change would be considered for the KE Grammars as they have historically had a significant intake from outside the Birmingham catchment. If the consortium were contemplating a change then it might be restricted to the Birmingham grammars (BV and SCGSG) which are the only grammars that Birmingham council have a direct input into future school admissions policy for.

However as stated in previous posts this would require consultation.

KenR wrote:
I think it would be unlikely that such a change would be considered for the KE Grammars as they have historically had a significant intake from outside the Birmingham catchment. If the consortium were contemplating a change then it might be restricted to the Birmingham grammars (BV and SCGSG) which are the only grammars that Birmingham council have a direct input into future school admissions policy for.

However as stated in previous posts this would require consultation.

KenR aren't both of the Sutton schools academies? If so, you're wrong to say the council have a direct input into their admissions policy.

Are the rumours suggesting actually just those living in and paying council tax to BCC? Or are you meaning a radius put in place?

Wildfuture wrote:

KenR wrote:
I think it would be unlikely that such a change would be considered for the KE Grammars as they have historically had a significant intake from outside the Birmingham catchment. If the consortium were contemplating a change then it might be restricted to the Birmingham grammars (BV and SCGSG) which are the only grammars that Birmingham council have a direct input into future school admissions policy for.

However as stated in previous posts this would require consultation.

KenR aren't both of the Sutton schools academies? If so, you're wrong to say the council have a direct input into their admissions policy.

SCGSG became an academy in 2011 and BV in 2012

KenR aren't both of the Sutton schools academies? If so, you're wrong to say the council have a direct input into their admissions policy.

You are correct - they are both academies, so the council won't have direct input. So the question is whether the academy governing bodies are being put under indirect pressure from the Dept of Education or other sources to change the admissions policies to include catchment areas for Academy Grammars. I'm not aware of any drive to do that and follow Warwickshire's example.

Are the rumours suggesting actually just those living in and paying council tax to BCC? Or are you meaning a radius put in place?

Surely they'd have to go by radius? E.g. somebody living in Streetly might live less than 2 miles from BVGS yet pay CT to Walsall. Whereas somebody who pays CT to BCC might live 12 miles away?