Proposed admission Criteria B'ham Grammars 2020

[nervousmom]

I believe there was a meeting at Camp Hill last night, with some very angry parents!

[AK loving Dad]

I believe there was a meeting at Camp Hill last night, with some very angry parents!

Do you think it will change anything? I would have like to have been there..we any parents supportive? Thank you!

[JaneEyre]

I believe there was a meeting at Camp Hill last night, with some very angry parents!

Do you think it will change anything?

This is a very defeatist position. If you believe in something, you have to fight for it!

See It Through
By Edgar Guest

When you’re up against a trouble,
Meet it squarely, face to face;
Lift your chin and set your shoulders,
Plant your feet and take a brace.
When it’s vain to try to dodge it,
Do the best that you can do;
You may fail, but you may conquer,
See it through!

Black may be the clouds about you
And your future may seem grim,
But don’t let your nerve desert you;
Keep yourself in fighting trim.
If the worst is bound to happen,
Spite of all that you can do,
Running from it will not save you,
See it through!

Even hope may seem but futile,
When with troubles you’re beset,
But remember you are facing
Just what other men have met.
You may fail, but fall still fighting;
Don’t give up, whate’er you do;
Eyes front, head high to the finish.
See it through!



I am aware that, I quote, 'a moral purpose has driven these changes'. However, the panel - with all due respect to them and I felt that their effort might/may* be sincere - couldn't help contradicting themselves.

So at the end the only sentence they could repeat is that 'no admission system is perfect'.

In that case, it is just simpler to stay with the present system with all its imperfections, whilst doing more outreach work, for example by implementing helen0209's suggestion and other good ideas:

BV did an outreach programme in 2018 which extended to DS2’s Primary, but it was a little late in the year. These programmes need to be at the start of Y5 and not virtually at the end. I know HGS did some last month as DS1 was involved, but how much is fed back to the parents I don’t know.

* As a person whose mother tongue is not English I still have this grammatical problem with 'might' and 'may'!

[JaneEyre]

Sorry, I was trying to edit my post to add to my point but I unfortunately clicked on the wrong button, creating a new post that I cannot remove myself.
My day has been a long one!

[JaneEyre]

This is a very defeatist position. If you believe in something, you have to fight for it!

Of course, my use of the word is figurative!
I mean be active, defend your opinion, etc.

For example, only this meeting has been planned so far, this is not appropriate for the situation.
The Foundation should be doing a proper consultation, not a just one meeting in one of the GS and a link on a website...
Just my opinion...

Yesterday a designated person responsible for the minutes was not planned beforehand.
The people on the panel could not take notes of all the arguments put forward. Sometimes, they would not answer the questions asked to them. To be honest, it must have been a very difficult and embarrassing time for them, even if they tried not to show it!

[thirdtimemum]

Do we know what was actually said at the meeting? I've been trying to speak to my MP about it all (Sandwell) but after 3 messages I still haven't had a response

[Roon]

It's a shame your MP hasn't got back to you! But I feel that being an academy they are going to implement these changes with possibly a few tweaks regarding siblings and ward boundaries.
People in Sandwell, Dudley will be greatly affected.

[JaneEyre]

a few tweaks regarding siblings and ward boundaries.

Yes, these will be some tweaks, like adding a temporary group concerning siblings for a limited period only.
Hence why it is important to let your voice heard.

People in Sandwell, Dudley will be greatly affected.

This is why people have to mobilise!
There were some excellent points raised during the evening. I cannot quote them all ; the intervention of a mum who comes from Coventry everyday to drive her daughter to CHG and then go to work was excellent... and they were so many other excellent ones!

The Foundation cannot remain deaf to the logic of the arguments given to them! On the 18 of June 1940, the General De Gaulle made a speech on the BBC, declaring that 'it is not because France has lost a battle that it has lost the war'. What would be France now if he had accepted defeat???

Be active! Write to the foundation with well worded letters and unbeatable arguments!

[thirdtimemum]

It's a shame your MP hasn't got back to you! But I feel that being an academy they are going to implement these changes with possibly a few tweaks regarding siblings and ward boundaries.
People in Sandwell, Dudley will be greatly affected.

Tweeks with boundaries I'm happy with. I've just measured and I'm 600 yards from the Birmingham border. I live in Birmingham and just happen to pay my council tax to Sandwell. I have 2 children already at Birmingham schools and welcome a catchment area but do it like every other school in the area and have distance rather than boundaries.

[gcapitalG]

What a great move for the children of Birmingham

will stop this tourism from all over the country & children taking our places from god knows were.

I can not go & take the test down south due to catchments so why should they have the privilege.

I see a lot of you are not happy, is it because you don't live in Birmingham!

the system is fair anyway you look at it so why so much animosity!

plus this will make all KE schools equal as the intake will be similar across the schools, takes away the snobbery of CH & FW for some