DS is preparing for the impending Sep Test and have a bit of a query if someone can please help resolve. Is KES a paying selective grammar school or not? I have been reading this forum for some time, and have also gone through the KES website. From what I have read, I have no shadow of doubt that KES is a ‘paying’ selective grammar school and that there are assisted places on offer based on your annual earnings.

However I keep meeting parents who keep referring to this outstanding King Edwards Boys school in Stratford upon Avon/Warwick which operates in exactly the same way as any other free KE school in Birmingham and all you need is to score its cut-off and no fees involved. Have failed in convincing those parents that is not the case. Maybe they are talking about apples and me oranges?

You are talkiing about 2 diffrent King Edwards schools. One is in Birmingham and is both selective and fee paying.
KES in Startford Upon Avon is indeed outstanding, is a free selective grammar school.
I'm not sure though that you'd say "all you need to do is achieve cut off and you're in", LOL, it has an intake of 84 boys per year and its qualification score is generally 10-15 points more than the other GS around because it is so popular. Thats not meant to be a dig, just funny that you said it. But yes, two different schools.

Many thanks for clarifying Yamin151.
So the KES fee paying is the one at Edgbaston right?
Sorry I understand that it's not just the cut-off that is required to secure a place at Stratford upon Avon or for that matter at any GS. You definitely need much more than that. Fully aware of that

Yes, of course, I know that.

Yes, the fee paying one is in Edgbaston

Talking about Stratford as well - you are probably aware that the GS in warwickshire operate a strict catchment area. Offers are made above the cut off score in March to those within catchment first of all. When all offers have been made, if there are any spaces left only then will tehy offer to the highest rank outside the catchment area.

http://www.schoolsofkingedwardvi.co.uk/ ... emy-trust/

I am assuming you live in the Birmingham area.

If you are preparing for the exams in September your child will be preparing for the state grammars in the KE foundation and for the schools in the consortium which include Bishops Vesey, Handsworth Grammar and Sutton Coldfield Girls.

King Edwards Boys and King Edward the Sixth High School for Girls in Edgbaston although part of the KE Foundation are independent fee paying schools but offer a number of scholarships and assisted places dependent on income based on the performance in their exams.These exams are around January or February.The exact dates will need to be checked.

Looking at it objectively all of them are excellent schools.I am not sure about Sheldon Heath Academy knowing too little about it.Entrance to it is not from the Consortiums 11 plus exams.

_________________
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KES (Stratford) is in the Southern Priority circle, which is a 17 mile radius from the water fountain in the centre of Stratford.

The lowest offered score on offers day this year was 232.

The Warwickshire waiting lists do not seem to have as much movement as the Birmingham ones.

KES (Birmingham) is fee paying and I believe the selection test for this is January.

The Birmingham GS and Warwickshire GS are one combined test now.

Birmingham GS are:- KE Camp Hill Boys, KE Camp Hill Girls, KE Five Ways (mixed), KE Handsworth Girls, KE Aston (boys) , Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls & Bishop Veasy (boys - Sutton Coldfield.

Warwickshire - Southern Circle - KES, Stratford Grammar School for Girls and Alcester Grammar School (mixed)

Warwickshire - Eastern Circle - another 3 schools here too.

There are also the Wolverhampton/Shropshire GS too, which are a separate test, usually taken in July, but the talk seems to be this will be combined with Birmingham & Warwickshire test .

...And just to be absolutely clear about KES Stratford...it is not just getting above the cut off score...The school sets a MINIMUM score (known as the Automatic Qualifying Score - AQS) which is the lowest they will consider on offers day...the candidates are then ranked by score and the 81 places offered are then made to the top 81 scoring (by rank) boys. Often, the last offer made on offers day is above the AQS due to the popularity of the school - that is, getting the AQS is no guarantee of an offer. This system is also true for Shottery Girls GS and Alcester GS, although the number of places in these schools obviously differs!

On top of the 81 places, there are up to 3 places on appeal (making the 84 Yamin referred to). Yamin is also correct in referring to the "catchment area" (although this is referred to as the Priority Area, to avoid confusion!)

crossed with nervous mom

Many thanks to you all for such detailed and crystal clear explanations to my query. Really appreciate that.

Can I please ask for one more help? How do I go about finding if we fall within the 17 mile priority area? Have tried looking for an interactive map on the Warwick council website, but not much success. We live in Shirley in Solihull.

16.834 miles according to website

/www.freemaptools.com/how-far-is-it-between.htm

But obviously thats not your actual address, but it is KES stratford address. SO depending on your address you might just nip in!

Fantastic! Looks like we are in the priority area after all Now the ball is in the little man's court
Special Thanks Yamin151 for such wonderful and prompt help.