11 Plus Exams Forum

Hello
I just met up with a friend who's son hasn't got a place at Bishop Vesys, she lives yards from the school and has another child in the same school. She was absolutely distraught and this made me wonder--- shouldn't Sutton schools have a catchment? Don't their children deserve a grammar school education while rest of Birmingham kids do?

This is especially when there are 2 buses the green and yellow running to Sutton schools and 2 running to Derby with another bus to Burton

There are Birmingham tutors running tution centres in Derby and Leicester --- how did we get there?

Is it also safe for these kids travelling on such busy roads at peak hours?

Pl discuss and act but no hatw messages please.

Which school is not giving priority to local children in Sutton?

SCGS and BVs

Yes, of course. It will be interesting to see if they are considering changing to offer something along the same lines as Birmingham.

In other areas parents have lobbied for more local access.

When I have enquiried at SGSG there was no enthusiasm for introducing a catchment area. I think they will certainly wait and see what the impact is for a few years but at the moment they say they already take children from a long way away so it isn't relevant. I also got the impression that KE foundation office had tried to include them in catchment discussions last year and they were not interested.

My friend seems to think the opposite from a recent discussion with the headmaster at BBs

I think that they should have a catchment, but if they do then they should not also be in the catchment for KEA and Handsworth Girls. It does not seem right to be in the catchment for a choice of 2 GS’s. However, may be difficult as they still come under Birmingham.....

Did your friend put KEA on her CAF or was that deemed too far to travel and the local option of Plantbrook or Fairfax a better alternative?

With respect to the original post , I don't know about the specific geography of the location , but the majority of these problems come from the failure of political leadership - both at the national and council levels - to recognise the need and desires for Grammar Schools across all regions of the UK.

We know that children only get one shot at education , and the failure to give them a chance to compete and succeed , and to try to ram everyone into a Comprehensive , is at the root of this problem ......the LA where I used to reside had no GS's , so I know about these problems

Next time you get to talk to a local politico who comes begging for your vote , make sure you bring up the subject of selective schools and GS's .......highlight the hypocrisy of politicians who tell the masses one thing , then send their kids to private schools ( Diane Abbot) .....highlight the politicians who went through GS themselves ( Corbyn , Stella Creasy) and then try to tell parents they must send their kids to a bog standard comprehensive. Vote accordingly , and make sure they know why you voted

Be careful what you wish for.
You only have to spend a little time in these forums to see the issues GS's raise.
No system will ever be perfect and there are pros and cons for and against the GS system.
I was given my opportunity for education through the government funded Assistance Place scheme (scrapped in the 90's) and I'm always curious why this isn't resurrected.

A colleague and a friend have both written and emailed their MP, the foundation, headteachers and council

They have had a positive response, it seems this will be rolled out to Sutton schools fairly soon


Watch this space!