When to move into catchment area for Birmingham Grammar Sch

[schoolgra]

Hi all,

My DS is in Year 5. He is currently preparing for the 11+. We are currently out of the catchment area of Birmingham and Walsall.

We have been looking to move into the Sutton Coldfield area for some time but just did not find the right house to buy.

Now we are thinking, do we wait and move into the catchment after the results are out, hoping to get visibility of his score and then rent close to the school we want to apply to?

But I am not clear if it is really possible and if there is enough time between the results being out and applying from the local council.

Can someone guide me on this? 

Thank you.

[hermanmunster]

The results for Birmingham come out second week October and you have to prove your address by the end of that month https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/2011 ... admissions" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

a pretty tricky thing to do - also be aware that the LEA are very wary of people renting in an area near a school when they still have their previous property

Hi all,

My DS is in Year 5. He is currently preparing for the 11+. We are currently out of the catchment area of Birmingham and Walsall.

We have been looking to move into the Sutton Coldfield area for some time but just did not find the right house to buy.

Now we are thinking, do we wait and move into the catchment after the results are out, hoping to get visibility of his score and then rent close to the school we want to apply to?

But I am not clear if it is really possible and if there is enough time between the results being out and applying from the local council.

Can someone guide me on this? 

Thank you.

[JustOutside]

@schoolgra there is currently no catchment area for QMGS (Walsall) or Bishop Vesey (Sutton Coldfield), so there is no requirement to move into the area within a particular timeframe. Distance from school will only come into play if your DS scores a borderline score and you live further away than the other children achieving the same score.

Catchment areas do apply for the King Edward grammars in Birmingham, but based on the results from the previous three years, you would not need to live in catchment to get a place at KE Aston or Handsworth Boys, and the minimum score required by these two schools has been lower than the priority (catchment) score anyway.

[hermanmunster]

@schoolgra there is currently no catchment area for QMGS (Walsall) or Bishop Vesey (Sutton Coldfield), so there is no requirement to move into the area within a particular timeframe. Distance from school will only come into play if your DS scores a borderline score and you live further away than the other children achieving the same score.

Catchment areas do apply for the King Edward grammars in Birmingham, but based on the results from the previous three years, you would not need to live in catchment to get a place at KE Aston or Handsworth Boys, and the minimum score required by these two schools has been lower than the priority (catchment) score anyway.

Good points!

I think the main issue with people moving is trying to get into the KECH and KEFW catchments - agree not with Handsworth or Aston.

[ToadMum]

Hi all,

My DS is in Year 5. He is currently preparing for the 11+. We are currently out of the catchment area of Birmingham and Walsall.

We have been looking to move into the Sutton Coldfield area for some time but just did not find the right house to buy.

Now we are thinking, do we wait and move into the catchment after the results are out, hoping to get visibility of his score and then rent close to the school we want to apply to?

But I am not clear if it is really possible and if there is enough time between the results being out and applying from the local council.

Can someone guide me on this? 

Thank you.

We're you not previously living in Walsall?

[schoolgra]

@schoolgra there is currently no catchment area for QMGS (Walsall) or Bishop Vesey (Sutton Coldfield), so there is no requirement to move into the area within a particular timeframe. Distance from school will only come into play if your DS scores a borderline score and you live further away than the other children achieving the same score.

Catchment areas do apply for the King Edward grammars in Birmingham, but based on the results from the previous three years, you would not need to live in catchment to get a place at KE Aston or Handsworth Boys, and the minimum score required by these two schools has been lower than the priority (catchment) score anyway.

Good points!

I think the main issue with people moving is trying to get into the KECH and KEFW catchments - agree not with Handsworth or Aston.

Thank you very much for you both. This helps. From what you know (if you know ), from a real-world perspective, if the score is moderately above the cutoff, then usually distance is not an issue ? As an example, there are generally not many kids who score moderately but struggled because of distance.

I feel like I would do injustice to DS if his score was indeed borderline and I could not move in the catchment area, so I am trying to get a feel of how significant or insignificant the distance is, and really, if I was to move into catchment, then for Birmingham, there is no one area which is catch all. 

[schoolgra]

Hi all,

My DS is in Year 5. He is currently preparing for the 11+. We are currently out of the catchment area of Birmingham and Walsall.

We have been looking to move into the Sutton Coldfield area for some time but just did not find the right house to buy.

Now we are thinking, do we wait and move into the catchment after the results are out, hoping to get visibility of his score and then rent close to the school we want to apply to?

But I am not clear if it is really possible and if there is enough time between the results being out and applying from the local council.

Can someone guide me on this? 

Thank you.

We're you not previously living in Walsall?

Yes, you're right, but due to financial difficulties, I'd like to rent it out in a cheaper area of Wolverhampton for the time being. We are saving, so again, Sutton Colfield is going to be expensive and I do not qualify for the pupil premium, so it is a rock and a hard place, so fingers crossed.