Birmingham catchment issue

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MrMZ
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:47 pm

Birmingham catchment issue

Post by MrMZ »

Hello. My friend suggest to me I ask for help on this website. I would really appreciate your advice because I am thinking to appeal.My son scored above 250 in the 11 plus exam and we live in catchment for Camp Hill Grammar School. We were so shocked to get our 2nd choice Aston Grammar School. 1st choice Camp Hill was refused.

We live near Small Heath. I am worried because my friend told me he read about other boys living in catchment who qualified they too are shocked to be refused Camp Hill. I am scared, what if we never get a place off the waiting list? Because from the waiting list they will first give to the boys who live nearer.  Even 224 will get a place before us. I am scared our distance is too much. Can I appeal now or they will say keep waiting the list can still move for many months? I dont understand, all the grammars have spaces for low scores I heard 213 score got a  place at Aston School, but Camp Hill School we can't even get in with 250plus.

My son is very upset he worked so hard to get into his dream school. I didn't push him he pushed himself to work hard. We didn't have much extra help he is a hard working boy he loves to read. He is saying it's unfair. Why our family friend with 226 score he has been accepted by Camp Hill but he with 250 refused ? I explained its new system and new rules living near comes before high score. Please help me with what I should say in the appeal for Camp Hill School.

I'm scared they will say Aston isn't very far you can travel, you have a grammar place at Aston School you take it. Can I say they made this new rule with catchment area and said you will qualify if you get 224, so we are in catchment with 250+ but refused. Please advise me im scared they will say you cant appeal for this you just wait on waiting list.Too much stress. I thought the stress was over when he got his good score. Thank you.
Last edited by MrMZ on Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:49 pm, edited 3 times in total.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12815
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Birmingham catchment issue

Post by hermanmunster »

Hi Mr MZ and welcome to the forum

I am sorry to hear that your son has not got a place at Camp Hill but congrats to him on a very good score. As you gather the situation is that Camp Hill can't offer to all the children who have the priority score of 224 + in their catchment on March 1st . However more places do become available off the waiting list as time goes on.

Do you know how far you are from the school ? I think you can do a check using your postcode and that of the school. It will give you an idea of how far out you are from the last place offered. On March 1st, the last place offered was 4353m from the school

You can appeal on the basis of "oversubscription" - the details are in our FAQ https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appea ... bed-school" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; however B'ham appeals are hard to win and you may have more chance from the waiting list (you can do both of course)
MrMZ
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:47 pm

Re: Birmingham catchment issue

Post by MrMZ »

Thank you for your reply. I checked our distance is about 5 miles. This is my worry that we are at the end of the catchment.

Thank you for your confirming we can do appeal while being on waiting list. I will start looking at appeal information and wait and see on 22 March how many people ahead of us.
Thank you.
KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Birmingham catchment issue

Post by KenR »

I'm sorry to hear that your son did not get a place in his catchment grammar of KHB. Checking the published KE Foundation figures the last place offered for Cat 4 (Non PP Catchment) was circa 4.5km. As you have noted Small Heath is at the extremity of the CHB catchment so maybe circa 7+km. As you have found out, scores for those in catchment are irrelevant so long as the child achieves this year's priority score of 224. Even for a high score of 250 that your child achieved.

The same situation occurred last year at KEFW where a number of Cat 4 catchment applicants achieving the priority score were not offered a place on the 1st March, although all were eventually offered a place via the waiting list before Sept. That was one of the reasons why the KE Foundation increased the priority score to 224 this year! Looks as though they have really screwed up again.

I would not recommend pursuing the Appeal route at this stage. The KE Foundation will be hugely embarrassed and will do all in their power to try to find a place at CHB for a high scoring child in catchment. Phone up the KE Foundation Offices and explain your problem, they will be very sympathetic. Find out where he is currently on the waiting list and, most importantly, how much movement there was on the waiting list last year. You (and the KE Foundation) will then be able to assess the likelihood of gaining a place via the waiting list. If appears unlikely, the KE Foundation may also be supportive about an oversubscription Appeal in your case, but let them take the lead and solve a problem of their making. After all it was the KE Foundation that stated that they had set the catchments and priority scores such that they met their stated objected of offering a place in the catchment grammar to all children who achieve the priority score with even a few places for high performing Cat 5 OOC children.
Nella
Posts: 231
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2019 8:56 am

Re: Birmingham catchment issue

Post by Nella »

Hi MrMZ

I’m sorry to hear of your son’s situation. It was similar for my child last year for KEFW. Fortunately we didn’t have to wait too long (3 weeks until the waiting lists were released). Other friends had to wait a few weeks longer, but their children were eventually allocated places.

I looked back to last year and someone had posted on the 22nd July that an offer had been made for a child who lived out of the CHB catchment area- I know this seems like ages away but it does illustrate that places come up all through the summer right up until September.

I think KenR is right- wait for the waiting list position. There is always some movement when parents decide to accept private school places. You will have a clearer picture when the lists are released but don’t lose hope.
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