Does anyone in the group know anyone who is traveling to CHB? We are considering CHB as our first priority.

There are isolated children who do travel.I know of one boy in year 9.He has no interest in sports.He is happy.I recall similarly a girl on this forum talking of travel from Aldridge to the girls school.I also see two little boys walking past my house in the evening who I think from their badges are CHB.

Personally I think anyone who allows their children to do it is mad as the commute in rush hour to the centre of Birmingham and back can be bad.I should know I have sat in it at times over the last 30 years. This involves in going over to the other side of Birmingham. But its a personal decision.Who am I to talk when my youngest commutes to WGHS when there is QM girls in Walsall. Albeit in a full school coach.

Are you planning to move ?

What was your sons Walsall score ? Are you also looking at KES ? There is no longer a school bus from Walsall .The green bus now goes from Hamstead or there is the X51 bus to the centre and a different bus from there. CHB will involve a commute of 3 to 4 hours a day from Walsall unless you are planning to pick up and drop off.The difference between schooling locally and in Kings heath is a saving in time of about 20 hours a week for about 40 weeks a year over a seven year period.Ignoring any other visits to a school,accidents and road works.A quick look at the Highways England programme for the motorway network might be a good idea.There is always one programme after another.The building works in and around Birmingham involve constant delays.Paradise circus for one.
http://roads.highways.gov.uk/projects/m ... 6-repairs/

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In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln

Thanks for your kind words. We have moved in Walsall a year ago so there is no way we can move again. My DS has scored 369 in QMGS test. Which I think is sufficient for admission however since we visited CHB, DS wants to go to CHB. QMGS is two minutes walk from home.
I have checked online and yes x51 is an option. I am really confused.

Quasi knows your area very well, and I ahve no doubt if he says it is a nightmare journey across town, it is.

You are the parent. The local school to you QMGS is very well respected and having it two minutes away means your DS can fully embrace every aspect of school life, after lessons are over. He can get himself to and from school independently and you can easily access it for parents evenings and evening events.

The marginal "perceived" gains of CHB over QMGS in the context of the distance and difficulty of travel are completely wiped out. Stick local - QMGS is an excellent school, by all accounts.

Let me assist you in this way.i could point out countless extended family members who have attended the school over the last 30 years including my eldest dd in the sixth form.I have only been in the area 30 years but I wont.Part of the schools foundation is the prep school next door and parents pay fees on behalf of their children.The schools destination for 2016 are up on their web page.You will see how many parents reject on behalf of their children places at KES in Edgbaston to send them to QM boys and how many went to KECHB.
These are generally all local parents.Parents are very happy to send their boys to QM boys but not to QM girls.I haven't seen a single girl go in the last ten years from the school.

https://www.mayfieldprep.co.uk/wp-conte ... s-2016.pdf

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In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln

I am nearer than you in great barr and I dismissed it immediately for my son's. Even the school bus from hamstead leaves at 6.45 which I personally would not consider.
I do know a boy whose parents would only consider kes or camp hill from great barr but the walsall end. He is in year 8 now. I think they decided on Camp hill in yhevend but he is an only child and they were going to drive him every day.
Bvgs is also an option for you. DS goes there and loves it but he is very sporty. I also know boys who are exceptionally bright who go to QM who love it and are being pushed academically. Why don't you take you DS on the route over the next few days so that he knows what the commute will be like. Wake up at the time he will need to and go together. This may put him off knowing what lies ahead when the weather is wet and cold.

Thanks for more information. I am planning to do journey early in the morning with my DS to get feeling for it. I have put CHB on first and QM in second. Do I get a chance in March to decide which one to go to? Or I need to decide before 31st October?

You need to decide before the 31st October. If you put CHB first and meet the entry requirements, that is where you will be allocated a place, your application to QM in second will be withdrawn immediately. If you then decide you really wanted QM, you would have to apply to go on the waiting list there and hope that a place came up, which is by no means certain.

Hi Kartik,

Thanks for your pm. Although I am local sadly I am unable to meet for a drink to discuss the matter further.I would prefer to remain anonymous.Should you have any further questions I am happy to try and answer them for your or anyone elses benefit.

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In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln

Thanks Quasimodo and others. This is very useful conversation for me.