Hi.im new to this forum and first time applying for grammars..As it's all changed this year, and they have brought catchment in I know I do fall into category 5 as not in catchment, no sibling or pp. If a child was to get 222, and out of catchment the chances of them getting would be slim for five ways, handsworth, would you agree? I'm just not sure whether it's worth including them in my preferences of schools . Completely unsure of what to do and who can advise

In answer to your question, if you don't apply and find out you would have got a place had you included the school(s) as a preference, how would that make you feel?

Put them in your true preferred order. If you don't 'qualify' you will be allocated a place at another school and placed on those waiting lists anyway. I think this could only be problematic say if you listed 6 grammar schools and no comp!

But do think about distance and how your child would travel to school.

Also, do put a 'banker' on your CAF - a comp where you think your child would be offered a place.

Good luck.