Open evenings

[hipp]

There was a recent post on some thread here mentioning that the experience on some of the open evenings in Birmingham/Walsall have been very contrasting - some schools felt that they were very warm and approachable while others (the top ones) were not.

I can't find that post or thread - Can someone help me find that please. I saw it yesterday and can't find it now.

Also, I would be grateful if I can get some advice here:

My DS scored 240 in B'ham and 373 in Walsall.

We are not very near to the area but are willing to relocate - as our area doesn't have any grammars.

We have been to QMGS open afternoon recently and found the school very good, but our preference would be to be in Birmingham because of job opportunities for myself and my partner. We plan to buy a property near to whichever school my DS gets in.

We plan to keep CHB as our first choice and KEFW & QMGS as 2nd or 3rd.

However, we couldn't make it to any open evenings in B'ham and none of the schools would allow a visit now. So, we are trying to make our decision based on league tables and information from the forum.

I tried to call all schools in B'ham and tried to book a visit - but none would allow that now. In addition to this, I felt some of them gave a very dry response to my request. Did anyone else have the same experience?

The other choices we have are the Boys Grammar in Aylesbury, they operate on distance but we should get in. My DS also has made it to the top 150 at Pate's Grammar, Cheltenham - so we have a very difficult decision to make here.

I have lived and worked in B'ham before so know the city a little bit (not much).

Any advice would be very helpful.

[crazycrofter]

It's very difficult to choose a school without seeing it! Why don't you visit Birmingham (if this is your first choice of location over Cheltenham) over half term and drive round different areas and look at the schools from the outside.

Do you need to consider commuting times to the city centre? Will you be buying or renting? Do you have younger children too?

There's lots to consider. I might be inclined to live in Sutton Coldfield near a train station and send your son to Bishop Vesey's. It's a nice area and you can get into the city easily on the train. Kings Heath is fine but it gets very congested and there's no train. Or you could live somewhere on the south side near a station - Selly Park, Northfield etc - several schools would be easily commutable from there by bus or train. All the grammar schools are good so I'd say other considerations come into play too. What sort of area do you like and where do your family live? Also do you want co-ed or boys?

I personally wouldn't choose to live in Walsall, having lived there for seven years but I'm sure some people would disagree!

[quasimodo]

My DS scored 240 in B'ham and 373 in Walsall.
We plan to keep CHB as our first choice and KEFW & QMGS as 2nd or 3rd.

I think you have answered your own question.If these are your top three preferences irrespective of your other choices I think your son will be offered one of these schools in March next year.Which one will depend on the cut offs and the order you put them in.I suspect he has the marks for each of them either in March or from the waiting lists.

I would wait till a school is confirmed which I think is your intention before looking at where you will relocate.