I though it will be a good idea if parents list down their choice of school in order. Keep aside the distance / logistics factor or sibling in same school etc. Just list down based on your impression on school / faculty / pupil etc.

I saw only 2 schools so my list will be as below ...

Girl

1) FV (head teacher address , student come across confident they know their stuff well. Welcoming)
2)CHGS (Though students are good and welcoming but a great number of teachers were looking to escape early my be just me)
Rest of the school ordered by previous years cutoff marks.
C

King Edward handsworth girls
WGHS
Camp hill girls
KEFW
Queen Mary Girls
Lordswood Girls
Perryfields if desperate (not a GS)
Bristnall Hall if 2 mile wide meteor 99.9999% probability of impacting western europe, within next 6 months
Oldbury academy. Never, meteors or not

Also have a girl

1) Handsworth Girls
2) Five Ways
3) Camp Hill girls

Though (score permitting!) our actual order will be (due to both logistics and DD preference)

1) Five Ways
2) Camp Hill
3) Handsworth

These are the only three grammars we've seen though so not dissing others, just can't comment!

If including state options, next on list is Kings Norton Girls.

PP, I've heard really good things about Lordswood Girls - is that your closest state option?

It is a good school with a good ethos I understand. It is well led and has a strong governing body. It's exam results are quite good. However look a little closer:

There are some worrying emerging variables to think carefully about. The performance trend is downward. It was very high up the league table, now it is just quite high: was top 80 or higher, now down to sort of top 250.

Low achievers do markedly worse at the school in both English and maths.

The head has just taken over the boys, who know's what will happen.

Parents who are more familiar with these things, tell me the school is several orders of magnitude better run, better full stop, than many in the area. It's a dreadful dillema for many to be facing, especially if you have boys. Probably most will send boys over the border into Sandwell rather go to lordswood boys. Or start tutoring as we have seen many do for their yr5s.

For those gamblers out there, in 4 years time once Jane has worked her magic, LBS Academy might well be extremely sought after. We know what a truly inspirational and brilliant head teacher can do for a school in a relatively short period of time, and given Jane Gotschel track record, who is to say its that much of a gamble. I predict a significant uptick in the boys school performance. Let's hope the girls doesn't suffer short term as a result

Agreed, it's never good news when a great head is parachuted off to help another school in trouble.

Can't remember where I read this but apparently the biggest influences on how children do at secondary school are their parents and their peer group. So my plan if grammar school doesn't come off is to remain involved and interested in their education and completely vet their friends

Best of luck and I hope it does come off next week. (For my DD too).

Shame there is not a parent standardisation they could include in the formula, your kids would get extra points for sure.

Could not agree with you more about what happens afterwards, regardless

PP

Cheers PP, best of luck to you and your DD too.

I have a boy. Only looked at 2 due to perceived distance. My ideal as it stands would be:
QMGS
KEFW

Actual is (depending on score):
KEFW (closer/less travel)
QMGS
Local secondary (outstanding Ofsted/nice feel on open eve/dipping results)

great!!!
Any observations / differences betweel handsworth / sutton coldfields / chgs / FW?
somehow i didn't got the wow factor from KEHS

1.KEFW -liked the atmosphere at open evening 2 years ago and DD in year 7 now absolutely loves it.Manageable journey from Smethwick.Ratio of boys to girls has not fazed DD and she thinks it makes the girls' friendships stronger.
2.KE Grammar school for girls.DD sat 11+ there and we visited after that.Really lovely school and only girls school my DD entertained going too.Was our 2nd choice.
3.KE Camp Hill girls.A number of friends DDs attend and I have heard good things.
4. Non grammar-Kings Norten girls.Despite lower Ofsted grading, still a great place say a number of friends with happy DDs there.
5. Non grammar-Perryfields.Despite lower Ofsted grading, also still a great place and in our opinion the best mixed non grammar near us.Boundaries seems to fluctuate a lot year on year.
6.Non grammar-Lordswood Girls' school.Executive Head Mrs Goetschel took over boys 2 years ago and boys still struggling in special measures.Have heard surprisingly that a number of curent year 7 DDs unhappy there due to over strictness and some low achievers struggling.
It is definitely a very difficult choice to make, but as is posted so often on forums here, supportive parents and a good work ethic have seen many DCs do well in a huge range of school even at Lordswood Boys, Harborne Hill and many other schools instantly dismissed by many. Visit as many as you can with an open mind.