Secondary school waiting lists Solihull and Birmingham

To previous posters: don't think moving towards Warwick will help. Warwickshire schools are without exception oversubscribed. Once the new one kicks in from 2024 there will be more scope but right now the schools are all full.

As for Grammar schools, Blythe Valley is out of priority catchment for the Birmingham schools and South Warwickshire schools. Unless they're going to get a stellar score for South Warwickshire to get into KES etc they will be at bottom of priority list behind those closer to the schools.

You're right, I meant the current year 7s, so that would be last years admissions.

To the poster who asked, personally having seen friends kids go to both TG & Arden, I'd say Arden is a much better school.

I can feel your pain.

Since last year, the new build in Blythe Valley line in front of hockley heath and taken a lot of TG spaces. Blythe Valley is a huge development and the council should plan in advance about the schooling and catchment arrangement.

Next year, TG school admission criteria will change and include HHTG primary as feeder school. I think all parents in HH (with year 6 pupil in this year) should be well informed about their risk by the primary school. At this moment, I think what you can do is

1. wait for the good news from grammar school
2. make stronger voice together with other HH pupils, appeal to Solihull council and TG trust, just like last year, TG absorbed all HH pupils (over the usual yr7 admission number)

Good luck to those hoping.

I'm watching this thread with interest as my DD got into Arden. She might see some of yours there!!

I knew that about next year and last year! I have a friend who moved from TG to Arden and says it’s better. I’d be happy with either and have always felt that way.

I know it doesn’t help you but the admissions are changing for next year to include TG hockley as a higher priority.
On a side note - in your opinions which school is better - TG or Arden?

That was last year. Not much visibility on any of it. But this year, it’s tough luck

Not 100% sure but I think that was last year

I thought everyone appealed this year @Carmella9 and they all got in as the rejection had been an error - was that not the case? I mean that they contacted Solihull Council & the decision was reversed, not a full on appeal.

@Carmella9 I thought so! I always though HH was a TG remote catchment area

The allocations seem completely bizarre! (And worrying!)

No! I had never heard of it. It’s 9 miles away. Tudor Grange is but this year no one in hh unless they have a sibling got it. It’s been in catchment over 40 years before this.

@Carmella9

So is HofE your catchment school or not? I didn't think Hockley Heath was even catchment for that school?

It’s not insane snobbery. The thing we care about a lot is education. We make sacrifices so our kids get the best values and education. I don’t care how much people have or what car you drive or where you live but for personal reasons education is really a strong value for us. I am going on the comparative academic progress between the schools.

Have NC for this. Unsure on school. We can go private. But we live in Arden catchment and have an offer of a place.

what are people’s experiences of Arden? It seems so run down, but the quality of education is good.

Exactly, the story about the school calling home because the child was in the toilets sounds like it could happen anywhere. Also surely it's a good thing they called home when the child couldnt be located, and why was the child in the toilets in lesson time without telling anyone anyway?! Honestly the behaviour people are talking about will just be normal secondary school behaviour, it's different from primary, they're not cossetted any more and it will be the same at almost every mixed intake comprehensive in the country. The school wouldn't be rated Good if the behaviour was so awful and unmanaged. However I do agree it's bad that PPs child is expected to travel to HofE all the way across the borough.

There is some insane snobbery on this thread. Heart of England is a good school. Rated good and I have heard lots of positive feedback from parents sending their children there. The open day was great and much more positive than another local school
we visited.

No it doesn’t have the facilities of a private school but that is why you aren’t paying £15k a year.

I know plenty of people who have chosen HofE over private or grammar school. Me included! Your DC will be absolutely fine.

I don’t understand why they didn’t create new classes instead of sending children to schools 9 miles away. I don’t think anyone in Hockley Heath will voluntarily go to HofE!

@Gothambutnotahamster but a space needs to come up. As the school less children arrive, why wouldn't they get a place in whatever school has spaces at that point

No, not necessarily closer but have moved into catchment and don't have a school, whereas those on the waitlist in catchment are at a school already, so get leapfrogged.

Have any of you looked at the BOA digital school in Birmingham? We were offered a place there for our son but turned it down to go private. It sounded very good!

I don't understand how there would be 'school less' children then taking places above wait list. Surely they must just have moved closer than wait list children?

I have friends with children at H of E and they don't rate it at all. They're thinking of moving their children. Mostly, due to teaching standards and pupil behaviour issues

@Hunter2501 thank you for your reply that's appreciated.

i would say Smiths wood is horrific, I think Heart of England is ok, real mix of children from the affluent village kids to the more disadvantaged Coventry kids due to the wide catchment

@Hunter2501 which school do you feel is horrific? Please dm me if you don't feel you can say publically. We are Solihull but DD is only year 4 so I'm not sure much about the local high school but heart of England would likely be our catchment school. I'm considering moving towards Warwick if I my gut feeling about this school is proven, not hearing much good about it