independent schools near at Birmingham

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twinsmom11
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 3:09 pm
Location: Birmingham

independent schools near at Birmingham

Post by twinsmom11 »

Hi memebers

My two DS's will be sitting for this year's grammers in the next couple of months time. I also wish them to sit on some of the indie schools within this region after going through the 11+ exams. I like to know where can I find the information about the choice of indie schools (either mixed or exclusive) in Birmingham area. Even if it is little far off, we don't mind as can move close by once the school starts.
I am already considering both Solihull school and King Edwards school whose exam dates fall in the first quarter of 2012 and like to apply few more whose exams also be in that time.

I am also in the opinion that we do not need to show these schools on the LA form but only need to mention the present school address on the application form. As we are only allowed to put 6 options in the LA form, most of places are going to KE schools (4 of them) and other one likely go to Handsworth school and the remaining to the local comp.

Your advice on this is much appreciated!

Thanks
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: independent schools near at Birmingham

Post by mike1880 »

I can't see how you've managed to put down 4 KEs unless you're planning some unorthodox uniform choices. I assume you mean 3 KEs plus either Bishop Vesey or Queen Mary's?

Indies around Birmingham: off the top of my head, St George's (at Five Ways), Priory (only goes to 16), Highclare (Erdington) - I don't think any of these is as academic as the grammars or KES - Bromsgrove (more expensive, probably stronger academically than the first two).

Mike
hermanmunster
Posts: 12818
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: independent schools near at Birmingham

Post by hermanmunster »

Warwick and Kings if you want to go a bit further afield.

St Martin's in Solihull (for Girls)
twinsmom11
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 3:09 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: independent schools near at Birmingham

Post by twinsmom11 »

Hi mike1880,

Yes you rightly pointed the minor blip in my earlier post, I do mean 3 KE's+BV+HS which makes 5 choices. And many thanks for sharing the indies information. I also got the prospectus for OSH but I should mention that in the LA form which eats away one of my top choices but after going thro it, I have little apprehension if my kids can fare well in their online test and then get through their tough selection criteria :( I am not looking at full boarding option yet.
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: independent schools near at Birmingham

Post by mike1880 »

I thought about mentioning OSH but decided that suggesting yet another fairly challenging selection test (as well as the financial complications) wasn't going to be helpful! Plus as you say it uses up another slot on your LEA form (full board and day-only count as separate choices on your LEA form, by the way :( ).

If you're already thinking about OSH though, I wouldn't rule out the full boarding option as your last (and perhaps very slightly cheaper - not feeding two boys five days of the week!) alternative to an unacceptable comp. If you're faced with having to pay to get a decent education, OSH is stronger academically than most of the indies I've mentioned and it's much easier to get a boarding place than one of their selective places (the latter are somewhere between Camp Hill Boys and Five Ways in terms of degree of difficulty - i.e. very difficult).

Mike
rachag
Posts: 209
Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 9:27 pm

Re: independent schools near at Birmingham

Post by rachag »

It depends on where you are - many Barnt Green children do the Worcester indies - RGSAO and Kings - by train.
twinsmom11
Posts: 57
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 3:09 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: independent schools near at Birmingham

Post by twinsmom11 »

Mike
(full board and day-only count as separate choices on your LEA form, by the way ).
This is totally unexpected by me as surely this is crazy as long is it just one school :oops:

Anyway my choce will be like this, if you can agree with me.

1. Old Swinford Hospital ( Full board if it is easy to get!)
2. KE-Aston (not decided 2nd or 3rd)
3. BV (same as above)
4. QM-Boys
5. HGS
6. Local comp

Note: I've taken off KECH and KEFW as we feel my kids may not achieve the qualifying score and since we are prepared to send them to any good indie, we will make our DS's to sit for atleast 3 in january to try their luck.
1. KES
2. Solihull
3. Warwick

Any other suggestions pleasssse!
um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: independent schools near at Birmingham

Post by um »

I would say one thing:

Your children may make CH or FW.
My dh didn't want to put CH down as he was convinced that ds1 wouldn't make it. He did and is there now.

Aston and BV require almost identical scores for entry. If they don't get Aston you can pretty much bet they haven't made BV either...

PS. I regretted paying £50 for Solihull's exam as we wouldn't have sent him there anyway as it is just too expensive.
So I would think (lol it is £100 in your case!) about whether you would genuinely send them both there if offered a place.
no_ball

Re: independent schools near at Birmingham

Post by no_ball »

Personally I would put Warwick above solihull
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: independent schools near at Birmingham

Post by mike1880 »

I agree – but for indies I don’t think it’s necessary to have a priority order (other than whether or not they’re worth paying to register for the exam – good point there um!). Decide which you’d seriously consider if offered, do the exams and see what turns up in the post – because bursary/scholarship offers etc. might make you reassess, even if you don’t change your mind in the end.

Now, I’m curious as to why OSH has become first choice. If you had the pick of KEA (or CH) and OSH, which would you choose? Remember that if you’re offered OSH at c.£10k each you won’t get a sniff of the £0 places at KE no matter how well they score. (By the way, I think there’s roughly a 40% chance of a full board place at OSH, which is reasonable odds compared to GS.)

As to BV/KEA – I'm guessing, but I think it may turn out to be unusual for BV's qualifying score to be close to KEA's. You’d expect BV to be about 20% easier to get into just on admission numbers, quite apart from the difference in popularity levels.

Mike
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