Catchment Areas Birmingham

[MSD]

I do see more applying to QM Boys, Walsall, though and the cut-offs going up. Off the top of my head I know of 10 to 15 boys attending KEFW and similar numbers attend KECHB from Wolves alone. All newcomers will more than likely pick QM followed by BV.

[crazycrofter]

Boys from Wolves direction have started attending HGS in recent years too as it’s easily accessible by metro - in fact, for anyone living near the metro line it’s a very straightforward journey; it must be the easiest grammar to get to.

[MSD]

Yes, true! Another easier option for Sandwell and Wolves kids that may no longer be available.

[Wildfuture]

Yes, true! Another easier option for Sandwell and Wolves kids that may no longer be available.

Of course it will still be available. What is Handsworth boys cut off now, low 200's? So how are they possibly going to find enough boys from just the Handsworth catchment scoring 220 to fill?

[crazycrofter]

The catchments don’t really take into account transport routes do they? I suppose that would be almost impossible but for Harborne kids, HGS is more accessible than FW - 20-30 mins on the number 11 bus. I’m sure Harborne parents will be quite happy being in the FW catchment though and I guess the green bus will continue with their service!

[MSD]

Yes, true! Another easier option for Sandwell and Wolves kids that may no longer be available.

Of course it will still be available. What is Handsworth boys cut off now, low 200's? So how are they possibly going to find enough boys from just the Handsworth catchment scoring 220 to fill?

We may find the cutoff logic will no longer be relevant as it will be based on catchment radius. Someone who picked CHB/FW over HGS can no longer do that. And Edgbaston is now in HGS catchment, so this maybe a very busy school

[Moonsun]

If cut offs are no longer relevant will this not lead to lowering of standards on grammar/ selective schools

[MSD]

‘no longer relevant’ in the sense that we can’t look at previous cut-off trend and predict it will be same when catchment rules comes in. No one knows what the demand from each catchment will be like and how children will score in each catchment. That point was in response to Wildfuture’s comment

[Veggie]

From what I can see the catchment areas seem pretty fair. I would have preferred to see 205 PP, 215 for Birmingham residents and 225 for those outside. Hopefully that would mean a high proportion would be Birmingham children and would stop the punishing commutes some children have to do.

[pepomom]

We live on the Penn side of Wolverhampton and my son is in year 8 at QMGG. I can only speak from my personal experience and would have loved a free grammar school for my son nearby.
My DD went to WGHS. My son was offered places (with partial scholarships) at Wolverhampton Grammar and Oldswinford but we simply couldn't afford it.
We sat for QM and Adams because our local comp, which is literally 5 mins down the road is not even rated good and undersubscribed. Other local comps are better schools but are oversubscribed and we were told that we were simply not close enough. We went for the closest Grammar school that was easiest to get to.
He loves it at QM and was in the top 10 for attainment last year.
Luckily I have no other children so this doesn't impact me directly but I can readily sympathise with parents who don't have the luxury of an amazing Grammar or fantastic comp choice