University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

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muminbrum
Posts: 362
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:14 pm

University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

Post by muminbrum »

Ds2 has a score of 215. He was desperate to join ds1 at KEFW and I am tempted to put KEFW down just in case! He also really liked BV where we may have a chance (off the waiting list?) and ditto KEA. My dilemma is how to rank university school vs HGB. We are 1.8km from Uni school so not sure we have much of a chance but it looks impressive, ds liked the look of it and it would be a short public bus trip. HGS would mean two buses, one into the city and then another out to the school because I don't fancy sending him on the number 11 past George Dixon! Is it madness to pass up a grammar school place for the untested but potentially very good University school?
Bob1892
Posts: 1186
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 10:14 am

Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

Post by Bob1892 »

muminbrum wrote:Ds2 has a score of 215. He was desperate to join ds1 at KEFW and I am tempted to put KEFW down just in case! He also really liked BV where we may have a chance (off the waiting list?) and ditto KEA. My dilemma is how to rank university school vs HGB. We are 1.8km from Uni school so not sure we have much of a chance but it looks impressive, ds liked the look of it and it would be a short public bus trip. HGS would mean two buses, one into the city and then another out to the school because I don't fancy sending him on the number 11 past George Dixon! Is it madness to pass up a grammar school place for the untested but potentially very good University school?
Personally I would place FW,BV,KEA in order of preference.
I know George Dixon very well & I also wouldn't want to send my lad on the 11 past that school :shock:
Our friend Mike Roden (he from CHB) is now the head of UFS - trust me you'll be in good hands there. The trouble is that, due to a VERY high demand, the UFS might be oversubscribed. Give them a call tomorrow - you certainly won't regret it.
muminbrum
Posts: 362
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:14 pm

Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

Post by muminbrum »

My question wasn't really about how good the new University school will be, rather what people would do faced with the choice between a good comp close to home and a grammar some distance away. Handsworth grammar doesn't get mentioned much in here, never quite figured out what people have against it!
Turtlegirl
Posts: 521
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:54 pm

Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

Post by Turtlegirl »

There is an awful lot to be said for not travelling. And Handsworth Grammar has historically been seen as a back up to the KE Foundation schools because its results (and Ofsted rating - currently Good with Outstanding features) have been lower.
Bob1892
Posts: 1186
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 10:14 am

Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

Post by Bob1892 »

muminbrum wrote:My question wasn't really about how good the new University school will be, rather what people would do faced with the choice between a good comp close to home and a grammar some distance away. Handsworth grammar doesn't get mentioned much in here, never quite figured out what people have against it!
Logistics is everything as I've reiterated on numerous occasions.
UmSusu
Posts: 1015
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2011 2:42 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

Post by UmSusu »

HGS has a lot going for it and the current Head has been introducing a lot of improvements in procedures, standards, comminication with parents about progress, sims access to student records, extra curricular provision. Ds1 is very happy there and I am glad I sent him but l think if I had the choice then between it and UBS, I might have picked the latter: only due to the shorter and easier bus journey to a good school (I know we can't say that for sure yet but it is in very good hands).
UmSusu
muminbrum
Posts: 362
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:14 pm

Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

Post by muminbrum »

Thanks umSusu. That is very helpful. Ds2 is all for ranking the University school above KEA too but I think I have to overrule him on that one but then that isn't an easy journey either.....so hard to know what to do for the best. He's happy to get the train to BV though!
muminbrum
Posts: 362
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:14 pm

Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

Post by muminbrum »

I also suspect that we are a bit too far from UBS so all this worry is probably pointless :)
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

Post by mike1880 »

The admissions criteria for the University school are a bit complicated, it isn't distance from the school that matters but distance from one of the "nodes". As far as I remember (I'm working so I'm not going to be sidetracked into looking it up) one of those is in Hall Green, another one is in the Jewellery quarter, can't remember how many others or where. It's on their website somewhere.
muminbrum
Posts: 362
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:14 pm

Re: University Free School vs Handsworth Grammar

Post by muminbrum »

The school itself is a node and gets half the places. At least that's wahat Michael Rosen said at the info evening last month!
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