Moving to Birmingham with a 10 year old

[apillow]

Hi All,
I am new to the forum and seeking help. Currently I live in Northern Ireland, but planning to relocate to Birmingham by September 2017. My DD1 is 10 years(Primary 5 if in England, but here she is in P6) and currently preparing for 11+ here in Northern Ireland. I understand if she wish to get in to grammar school in England she need to sit similar test there as well. Could someone please advise me on how to register for the 11+ etc. Does each grammar conduct their own test?
I am all new to this so panicking. I read there is a catchment area over in England , even if the child have good score for 11+, does the catchment area still apply?The move itself is a stress, finding house, schools etc... and on top exam stress for my kid too. We are thinking about moving to Sutton Cold Field area. Please help.

[hermanmunster]

Hi apillow and welcome

Yes the exam for the Birmingham Grammars is taken at the beginning of the academic year, there is no catchment for these schools the admissions are based on score

This the Bishop Vesey info but it includes info for all http://www.bvgs.co.uk/bvgs/year-7/25-ad ... sions-2017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and

https://www.birminghamgrammarschools.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One of the issues to consider is what school would be available if your child did not pass the exam ie local comprehensives - Solihull is worth a look from this point of view though house prices can be expensive

[um]

If moving to Sutton Coldfield you may also want to check whether your house fits into the Arthur Terry catchment as this is a very good comprehensive.

[KenR]

Welcome to the Forum

Can I just check what NI 11+ exam your DD was preparing for? Was this PPTC or AQE?
The reason I ask is that I understand that the PPTC exam is a similar format to GL (the old NFER) whereas I believe the AQE exam is probably closer to the CEM exam taken by the B/Ham Consortium Grammar Schools.
You should contact the Consortium Foundation Office https://www.birminghamgrammarschools.org and register for the exam.
Also check out some of the "stickies" on this site regarding the exam type and exam feedback we have received -
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/schoo ... ll-11-plus
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... 11&t=14423
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... 70&t=38525
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... 70&t=37330

Question - Is there any particular reason for you prefer the Sutton Coldfield area? It's a very nice area but only the Sutton Grammars are very close - the other King Edward VI Grammar Schools are in other parts of B/Ham and would require travel (KE Handsworth Girls isn't too bad)

If you do wish to move to Sutton Coldfield then please also consider Queen Mary High School Walsall which isn't too bad a journey. This school is part of the Shropshire, Wrekin and Walsall consortium and has a separate exam (although still based on Durham CEM)

Hope this helps

[JaneEyre]

Question - Is there any particular reason for you prefer the Sutton Coldfield area? It's a very nice area but only the Sutton Grammars are very close - the other King Edward VI Grammar Schools are in other parts of B/Ham and would require travel (KE Handsworth Girls isn't too bad)

I think KenR is asking a very important question here. If, as adults needing to go to work , you are able to commute with the intention to avoid your child doing long journeys to go to school, a possible handling of your situation could be to rent a house/flat near an excellent comprehensive school in Sutton Coldfield - Arthur Terry as um mentioned – or, if not possible, Fairfax -. On your CAF, you put the GS in the order you prefer, leaving the comprehensive as your last choice.
Having rent, you could relocate after the 11+ results. Such an approach would give you more choices of grammar schools and prevent your child of having to do long journeys to school for several years.

N.B. I used to live in Sutton Coldfield but I relocated in order to live near my DC’s school

[booellesmum]

The grammar schools in Birmingham do not have catchment areas (There are grammars in other parts of the country that do.)
The only time distance from school is considered is if there are several children on the last score admitted and then the closest child to the school would gain a place.
There is one test for the Birmingham schools as already posted and one for Walsall.

http://www.qmhs.org.uk/admissions/year-7-admissions" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. - Girls school

http://www.qmgs.walsall.sch.uk/index.ph ... Itemid=216" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - Boys school

You need to check when the closing dates for registration are.

[apillow]

Hi apillow and welcome

Yes the exam for the Birmingham Grammars is taken at the beginning of the academic year, there is no catchment for these schools the admissions are based on score

This the Bishop Vesey info but it includes info for all http://www.bvgs.co.uk/bvgs/year-7/25-ad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... sions-2017

and

https://www.birminghamgrammarschools.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One of the issues to consider is what school would be available if your child did not pass the exam ie local comprehensives - Solihull is worth a look from this point of view though house prices can be expensive

Thank you for the warm welcome, I did not visit the forum since I posted the question. Sorry folks, but I am overwhelmed by the responses I received. And yes my DD sat for 11+ at the weekend at KEFW in Bartley Green. She said she did ok, so fingers crossed. My other half lives in Walsall and hence was worried if there is a catchment area for grammar schools in Birmingham.

[apillow]

Welcome to the Forum

Can I just check what NI 11+ exam your DD was preparing for? Was this PPTC or AQE?
The reason I ask is that I understand that the PPTC exam is a similar format to GL (the old NFER) whereas I believe the AQE exam is probably closer to the CEM exam taken by the B/Ham Consortium Grammar Schools.
You should contact the Consortium Foundation Office https://www.birminghamgrammarschools.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and register for the exam.
Also check out some of the "stickies" on this site regarding the exam type and exam feedback we have received -
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/schoo ... ll-11-plus" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... 11&t=14423" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... 70&t=38525" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum ... 70&t=37330" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Question - Is there any particular reason for you prefer the Sutton Coldfield area? It's a very nice area but only the Sutton Grammars are very close - the other King Edward VI Grammar Schools are in other parts of B/Ham and would require travel (KE Handsworth Girls isn't too bad)

If you do wish to move to Sutton Coldfield then please also consider Queen Mary High School Walsall which isn't too bad a journey. This school is part of the Shropshire, Wrekin and Walsall consortium and has a separate exam (although still based on Durham CEM)

Hope this helps

Thank you KenR for the reply. She is preparing for both PPTC and AQE, both syllabus are same, just AQE is more detailed answering and PPTC(GL) is multiple choice. B'ham test is different that it has both verbal and non-verbal reasoning which none of the NI test has. My daughter sat for the B'ham test at the weekend and she said it was ok. Now the waiting game.

[apillow]

Question - Is there any particular reason for you prefer the Sutton Coldfield area? It's a very nice area but only the Sutton Grammars are very close - the other King Edward VI Grammar Schools are in other parts of B/Ham and would require travel (KE Handsworth Girls isn't too bad)

I think KenR is asking a very important question here. If, as adults needing to go to work , you are able to commute with the intention to avoid your child doing long journeys to go to school, a possible handling of your situation could be to rent a house/flat near an excellent comprehensive school in Sutton Coldfield - Arthur Terry as um mentioned – or, if not possible, Fairfax -. On your CAF, you put the GS in the order you prefer, leaving the comprehensive as your last choice.
Having rent, you could relocate after the 11+ results. Such an approach would give you more choices of grammar schools and prevent your child of having to do long journeys to school for several years.

N.B. I used to live in Sutton Coldfield but I relocated in order to live near my DC’s school

Thanks for the reply. We havent chosen to like in sutton, just that in my husbands office someone mentioned sutton coldfield is a good area. Honestly we do not know where to move to. My husband currently lives in Walsall in a shared accommodation and we are still in Ireland. Just visited over the weekend as daughter had 11plus. Do not even know which school to choose. I need to make a decision by the results come. She said she did well, but fingers crossed.