Birmingham 2021 Marks & Preference of school.

[hermanmunster]

Fair enough - good to decide that now rather than 6 months into year 7!

[Sweetpie]

My dd scored 354 for queen Mary’s girls high school but we will be going for chgs as her first choice because her Birmingham score was 240 and we are in the catchment area

[Fastdruid]

Hiya,
Looking at the waiting list scores, I'm panicking a little!
My DC achieved 227 and we live within catchment (just over 3000m) of Fiveways.
Am I right in my understanding; we probably wouldn't be awarded a place on 1st March at FW, but better to put Handsworth down for OOC and be more likely to be awarded a place?

Your DC has score in excess of 224 so if you are in catchment then it will come down to distance (Cat 4) - in 2020 this was 4400 m on March 1st in 2021 all in catchment were offered.

Is there another reason why you felt you may not get KEFW?

Despite a very decent score above the QS and being within catchment we were worried that we might not get an offer for KEFW due to the distance ~5100m (front door to school gates) as the last pupil was Cat 4 @ 4461m in 2020.

Thankfully (and in no doubt due to the revised QS) we were awarded a place on March 1st 2021. Due to the layout of the catchment area we're actually further away than the "last" Cat 5 and we're not the furthest part of the catchment either.

[spooky101]

Six choices to fill in for the list of schools to be submitted - the first two are BVG, KEA, while third is QMGS and fourth is KEHG. Fifth being KEFW and final choice the local nearest school which is a require improvement status establishment. Obviously we're hoping it never travels too far down the list. Had to wait until today before knowing for sure if QMGS was still going on list. DS not sure whether not being with good friends known since nursery days next year is really worth it, but is more reassured knowing there will be new and old friends in his life.

How are others DS/DD viewing the forthcoming change in schools?

[hermanmunster]

Six choices to fill in for the list of schools to be submitted - the first two are BVG, KEA, while third is QMGS and fourth is KEHG. Fifth being KEFW and final choice the local nearest school which is a require improvement status establishment. Obviously we're hoping it never travels too far down the list. Had to wait until today before knowing for sure if QMGS was still going on list. DS not sure whether not being with good friends known since nursery days next year is really worth it, but is more reassured knowing there will be new and old friends in his life.

How are others DS/DD viewing the forthcoming change in schools?

Spooky101 (love the name) - just looking at your order of schools - what is your genuine first choice and score?

Just wondering as you are in KEA area (BV doesn't have a catchment) and you score in the mid 210's and up you are highly likely to get KEA and the other places won't be considered. If you want a shot at KEFW / QMGS then you might think about putting them higher up the list - it won't affect your chances at BV / KEA

Put the schools in genuine preference order

[spooky101]

Hi,
BV was his first choice followed by Aston. Originally took the QMGS entrance exam as well as wasn't sure about doing well for the Birmingham grammar schools, as always seemed to be below borderline academically. Scored in the high 230s but distance is a key factor as time spent travelling is time lost for other activities. KEFW was a site we never visited as it is in the opposite side of the city.

[hermanmunster]

Hi,
BV was his first choice followed by Aston. Originally took the QMGS entrance exam as well as wasn't sure about doing well for the Birmingham grammar schools, as always seemed to be below borderline academically. Scored in the high 230s but distance is a key factor as time spent travelling is time lost for other activities. KEFW was a site we never visited as it is in the opposite side of the city.

good score !!

that is fine - travel time is crucial

Ignore my witterings - I was just concerned as sometime people put a place that is "harder" to get in to further down the list and can't understand why they aren't offered it on March 1st even though they would have qualified and got a place if it was top of their list

It sounds like you have got it all sorted and he'll get his first choice school.

[Wildfuture]

Baffles me that someone is applying for and happy for their young child to travel daily to and from Aston, or Sutton Coldfield, or Handsworth, or Walsall, or Bartley Green. Really sporadic, just for the sake of a grammar school. Are these schools really that good?

[hermanmunster]

Baffles me that someone is applying for and happy for their young child to travel daily to and from Aston, or Sutton Coldfield, or Handsworth, or Walsall, or Bartley Green. Really sporadic, just for the sake of a grammar school. Are these schools really that good?

depends what the options re schoools are - some kids are fine with travel, others hate it.

[Sweetpie]

My son is in year 10 and goes to Aston he travels what’s wrong with that ? At least in grammar schools teachers make an effort unlike comprehensive schools