Solihull and surrounding Birmingham mums

[wannastartover]

Hi All

I am a mum that is hoping to move to a nice area in Birmingham. I have looked at a few areas and one that interested me was Solihull as its easy and quick for family and grandparents to get to as they are based in Oxfordshire.

Was just looking for opinions on the area and also I am an OFSTED Registered Childminder and was wondering if there any mums out there struggling for childcare in that area or as a childminder would that not be a good move? Also what other nice areas in Birmingham needs childminders. Quite open for all opinions.

Thanks in advance

[wannastartover]

Hi thanks cat64

Thanks for your info. I need to be near primary schools and just local ammenities. no need to go into a city centre as long as essentials are nearby. Need to have playgroups and stuff for kids to do nearby. Oh and I dont drive and dont mind gettng onto bus for things so might need to be near that if no local ammenities nearby.

[TinkerBellesMumandFiFi2]

Solihull also has it's downside (Chelmsley Wood!) Birmingham bordering Solihull tends to be nice. I'd avoid East Birmingham totally but pretty much elsewhere is OK.

[Mumnnanny]

Solihull is a very nice place as I have grew up there for 19 years. I would consider Knowle/Dorridge, Olton/Parts of Shirley. Monkspath and Solihull town centre.

Since moving to the Birmingham area 2 years ago I feel like Im being judged. Im a young mum and everyone in Brum looks at me as though I'm one of 'them' A CHAV! BUT I have had an excellent upbringing in a one of the top 5 schools in th UK.

If you choose BIRMINGHAM go to the places like Sutton Coldfield/Wolverhampton (may be a bit far out though).

I would reccommend St Alphage School (infant & Juniors) in Solihull if you are a family based on morals and the christian/catholic religion. I have worked here and it is such a beautiful school that accept any race/religion but base there values on the catholic one. Or you have Knowle infant & Juniors, Arden Secondary & college.

If you need any more advice please dont hesitate to ask.

[Mumnnanny]

And also Knowle Is attached to the M42 so easy for Grandparents to access, But the motorway does not affect the suburb itself. Its a nice quiet village.

[janeite]

Knowle is lovely but expensive I think.

In Birmingham, places like Bournville, Kings Heath, Harborne, Moseley (all South Brum) are nice: they tend to have lots of young, professional couples and families too.

[EachPeachPearMum]

Harborne and Kings Heath also have extremely easy motorway access...leading to M40 (for Oxfordshire)

What is your family make-up?

There has been a baby boom in many areas, and childcare is very sought after IME. Many people in West and south bham use day nurseries though. I think people are also very demanding of their childcare providers...

When I tried to get childcare for my return to work after dd, (feb 07) I could only get 1 day at any child minder .

What type of schools are you after?

[EachPeachPearMum]

And St Alphege is C of E

[Mumnnanny]

Eachpeachpearmum have you been to st alphages lately?

I wouldnt reccommend harborne or moseley. Knowle is not expensive at all. No where near as Sutton Coldfield and even if you do pay a high prce for a house, you get the best schools to go with. As well as many day nurseries such as Tommies - Excellent. Hampton nursery - very nice private daycare provider. Worked here too.
Childminders all around. I could give you names etc... Schools such as Knowle, Bentley Heath, Dorridge, St George & St theresa's. Arden Secondary school as well as all the nearby colleges in Solihull.

Knowle is quiet, clean and freindly. Its a very calm community with what I could say a small crime rate due to the beat bobbies walking around of a weekend. You never hear sirens unlike moseley, as I witnessed a stabbing not so long ago.
Also Kings heath had a murder not so long ago too. Unlike most places you as adults can either go to the pub and have a good drink with the locals or take the family out for a really good carvery.

It is the home of Jasper Carrott, and we always have an 'important person or celebrity' take part in the fun runs or the turning on of the Christmas lights.

You have everything in knowle within walking distance of your house. Chemist, Newsagents, Post office, Pubs, Florist, Tesco, anything you need.

[janeite]

Oh my goodness: everywhere has had a murder at some point, if you look back! Sorry but you sound a real snob tbh. We frequently take our children out for lovely meals in Kings Heath, Harborne or Moseley. They went to a good primary school and are now in a very good secondary school. Your comments are really quite odd imho.

[EachPeachPearMum]

mumnnanny- yes I have, actually- St Alphege's may be 'high anglican' but that does not alter the fact that the schools (and church) are C of E not catholic.
Infants and Juniors and church.

I would love to know which of the 'top 5 schools in the UK' you went to- spelling and RE were obviously deficient.

Also- a 'really good carvery' doesn't exactly compare to Harborne's Michelin starred restaurant, does it?

Of course, Solihull does have Solihull School.

[janeite]

EachPeach- I thought that but didn't say it! South Birminghamers Of The World Unite!

[EachPeachPearMum]

I was a little grumpy when I posted... DS kept waking up when I was trying to put him down...

I am quite amused that Knowle's selling points are a chemist, Newsagents, Post office, Pubs, Florist, Tesco within walking distance... just like most of Britain then!

[Mumnnanny]

So janeite what school is it that your children now go to?

performance.

SOLIHULL AGAINST THE NATIONAL AVERAGE: GCSE-level
Solihull = 54.6%
Rest of Nation = 47.6%

By the way wannastartover...

The people in Solihull are all 'snobs'
and all the people in Birmingham are 'Bullies!'

[EachPeachPearMum]

pmsl. erm- significantly higher than average, national or Solihull's!

For your information, 2008 GCSE National rate is actually 65% and Birmingham's was 66.6%- higher than any of it's statistical neighbours.

[Mumnnanny]

I think you need to check your statistics again.

Birminghams local authority % is 45.5% for pupils passing a GCSE higher than a C grade.

Where as Solihull's comes in at 54.6%.

[Mumnnanny]

Where as the school I went to had 100% of it's pupils pass a GCSE, not like a lot of Birmingham's schools.

86& higher than a C grade. The 4th highest school in the borough. Up against St Martins, an all girls school, and Solihull School, all boys. The only higher ranking school that is mixed is Alderbrook, reaching in at a 1% higher averge for GCSE above a C grade,than my school.
But.. 1% of its pupils failed to even get 1 GCSE.

[Mumnnanny]

Wannastartover....

Childminding is a really great career to have both in Solihull and Birmingham.

Depending on what your rate of pay is?

Childminders in Solihull tend to charge about £3.50 - £ 6.50 an hour. You can always talk to other childminders in both areas by getting info from the NCMA website.
National Childminding Association.
It gives you a list of childminders in certain areas, you can then choose where the least amount of childminders are and see what that place is like for other daycare.

[EachPeachPearMum]

What measure are you using exactly?
The national standard is 5 A*-C grades, not one.
Figures for Birmingham are here.

Of course some pupils fail to get 1 GCSE- it is not an appropriate assessment for all children.

[Mumnnanny]

The ofsted website do a great list of child minders in all areas

[EachPeachPearMum]

I would also like to know what criteria you are using to judge your school (Arden I assume) as '1 of the top 5 schools in the UK' please?

[Mumnnanny]

Each Local Authorities National Standard.

And I take it you read this bit too...

That saw Birmingham plummet from 50th to 91st, followed by a further drop in 2007 to 101st. But today?s results show the city is now heading back in the right direction, with a rise to 94th.

The proportion of Birmingham pupils getting five A*-Cs, including English and maths, rose from 41.8 per cent in 2007 to 45.5 per cent last year ? but that still leaves the city behind the national average of 47.6 per cent.

[Mumnnanny]

And you read this from the same paper right?

MORE than half of GCSE pupils in Solihull are achieving five or more grade A*-Cs including English and maths.

Key Stage 4 results show that 54.6 per cent of pupils achieved the top grades in topics including the two key subjects, a rise of 1.6 per cent on the previous year. That retains Solihull?s national ranking of 26th among all local authorities.

In addition, 73.7 per cent of pupils achieved five or more grade A*-Cs in any subject ? up on the 2007 figure of 69.1 per cent.

Using this guide, Solihull has risen five places in the national rankings to sixth.

Solihull Council leader Coun Ken Meeson, said: "Year after year, young people in Solihull do us proud."

[Mumnnanny]

And I used Ofsted's Criteria for The Top schools in the UK. Yes Arden was No 5 in UK when I was there over 5 years ago.

Take a look

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article753915.ece