Birmingham grammar school priority ranking

[Tranquility]

What happens if 200 kids on pupil premium score 215? Does that mean no places for categories 3 to 5?

I've heard on the grapevine that there are parents who 'fake' pupil premium and hence get their child into the school with a lower score.

There's a real risk of standards falling in these schools if the highest performing children
Are prevented from a place as a result of the priority order and people cheating the system.

I agree that Birmingham grammars should be for Birmingham council tax payers. I also think that pupil premium should be restricted to a maximum of 25% of places.

[hermanmunster]

What happens if 200 kids on pupil premium score 215? Does that mean no places for categories 3 to 5?

That's right - though it is actually 205

I've heard on the grapevine that there are parents who 'fake' pupil premium and hence get their child into the school with a lower score.

If you have the evidence then report them

There's a real risk of standards falling in these schools if the highest performing children
Are prevented from a place as a result of the priority order and people cheating the system.

or the standards could improve - who knows


I agree that Birmingham grammars should be for Birmingham council tax payers. I also think that pupil premium should be restricted to a maximum of 25% of places.

Will you exclude those who don't pay council tax? Though seeing as the funding for the schools comes mainly from central government funding -perhaps any income tax payer should be allowed to have a place?

** it is highly unlikely that there will be no spaces available to category 5

[Wildfuture]

Pupil premium has been a category for quite a few years now and around half of the schools don't seem to fill their 20% quota. I don't see why this year would see a sudden rise in these applicants or a rise in fraudulent applications? Even if one school should see a rise to 25% and beyond, the knock on would ultimately mean more places available at the other schools.

I remember reading in some of the promo material for the new policies something along the lines of those who would have got a grammar place will continue to do so and I can't see any reason why this would not be the case. It may just mean the distribution of those places are a bit different to what had become the norm. Presumably exactly what the foundation is aiming at in terms of a more even distribution of the 'top scorers'.

[Nella]

I do think there is a lot of hysteria around the pupil premium/ catchments. And we will have to wait until next year to find out how this has affected the admission demographics. Yes only a few, if any of the high scoring out of catchment children will get a place; however the revised admission criteria were published before the registration for this year’s test opened.

I personally do not think that a grammar school education is the be all and end all. Able children with good parental support will do well wherever they are educated. If my DC is fortunate enough to be offered a place on distance, that will be great but whatever school they are allocated I will tell my DC that it is my favourite and I’m chuffed. There’s no way I want my DC to start secondary school thinking it’s second best.

[kenyancowgirl]

Brilliant, Nella, and I am sure your child will do well wherever they go with such a supportive, understanding, community minded - and accurate - parent. Good luck to them!

[Tonythetiger]

Hear hear Nella, great to read such a sensible, thoughtful and balanced post. Your child will definitely do well with you as a parent. Wishing all the very best to your and your child.

[khyarenness]

What happens if 200 kids on pupil premium score 215? Does that mean no places for categories 3 to 5?

I've heard on the grapevine that there are parents who 'fake' pupil premium and hence get their child into the school with a lower score.

There's a real risk of standards falling in these schools if the highest performing children
Are prevented from a place as a result of the priority order and people cheating the system.

I agree that Birmingham grammars should be for Birmingham council tax payers. I also think that pupil premium should be restricted to a maximum of 25% of places.

200 pupils is very unlikely to happen I would say. Grammars have always taken a certain percentage of PP pupils (25--- 30%) and the cut-off score for these pupils were always around 205.
I believe that they fixed a qualifying score of 205 because they expect that this way they will have a similar percentage of PP pupils (or slightly different).

[Tranquility]

Well let's see what happens in March.

I have four children, three of which have got into grammar school with scores around 230. If under the new system that score is not good enough, then I don't think I'll be putting the fourth through the process as it could all be for nothing. I'll tutor the fourth just as I have the others but won't bother with test preparation.