Moving to bham or Solihull from London overwhelmed with council response regarding school places

[where2now]

Hey everyone
So we are moving to either Birmingham (Moseley, Harborne or nearby area) or Solihull. Aiming to move by the end of the year, so whilst checking for houses on Rightmove all the schools seem to be oversubscribed. I called Birmingham council today and they confirmed that most schools are oversubscribed and it's probably not going to be possible for my 2 younger children ( going into year 5 and reception) to get in the same school and I have another daughter going into year 8. So I'm panicking a little now. My children are all in outstanding schools here and I hate the thought of moving them to I assume not so good schools as I'm sure the good ones are very oversubscribed, and I don't want them in separate schools. I absolutely don't mind going further out the catchment area.
Has anyone recently been in this situation? How did it work out? I'm really feeling worried. I'm assuming Solihull is the same situation as the schools show oversubscribed but I couldn't get through to their council.
Any words of advice would be welcome x

Bump

Solihull schools (the good ones) are generally oversubscribed.

I don't know what you want to hear. They've told you the situation , you need to plan accordingly. You're not going to be able to get them into the same school unless it's a not so good one.

Are you moving for work? Would it be possible to move a bit further out where there is a good village school?

I don't know that area at all, but I know here your best chance at getting siblings into a good school is the one near a military base, as there is regular movement of families creating spaces.

Your year 5 child is on the cusp of being able to get to school themselves or at least being dropped nearby rather than having to be in clubs.

I live in Knowle (a village 5 mins outside Solihull) and most schools are over subscribed here. It is a lovely place to live (I used to live in Moseley and personally much prefer bring up a family in Solihull). There are a couple of Village schools just outside Solihull that may have places as they are usually undersubscribed - Lady Catherine Levison in Hampton in Arden, or Lapworth School might be worth investigating. For secondary the best schools are Arden in Knowle & Tudor Grange in Solihull. Are you in a position to afford private education as that may be an option and they are much more used to relocation so may have spaces! Saint Martin's in Solihull is excellent (girls School), and there is Solihull School too. Hope that helps but give me a shout if you want any further info! Good luck! x

Excitedforbavy2 thank you so much, I'll have a look into those schools, I'm not sure what I want to hear, maybe an are which has good schools and isn't very oversubscribed? I can't afford private schools but obviously want good schools. Are most schools oversubscribed in Solihull? I really don't mind travelling further afield for good schools

Birmingham is a very 'young' city, which has also had MASSIVE budget cuts over the last 8 years, so it doesn't have schools sitting there with empty places I'm afraid. That's not to say there is never movement of course - people move house out of schools just as people come in to the City.
I would focus on your catchment for secondary school, tbh. Most Primaries are fine.

Urban we are moving basically just to get out of London, bigger house affordability, better life but my husband will probably be travelling into bham centre for work, but he's ok with the travelling. We reallly likes the areas we mentioned Solihull in particular but the school situation is putting me off moving which is rather annoying for this to be the only reason not to move argh

Have a look at Kenilworth

If you're looking at Harborne maybe look towards Halesowen ? You would be out of the Birmingham area but close enough to get to Birmingham.

Backforgood thanks I will look more in to secondary schools

Strawberry ill have a look into kenworth, I'll see how far it is from
Solihull I don't really know the area much thanks

numbmum that sounds good I'll research that now thanks

Kenilworth is oversubscribed, as is Heart of England in Balsall Common, Solihull.

It's a bit of a hard one as Kenilworth falls into Warwickshire which has 11+ and grammar schools. Kenilworth BN is a fantastic school, with a very good reputation. It's worth a call.

That said, be very, very careful buying around these areas as they are where the HS2 line is going.

If DH is going into Birmingham, you could look at Warwick/Leamington and Bicester too. Both are under an hour (Warwick 36 mins) into Birmingham.

I taught in Solihull secondaries until recently, ask away.

Harborne and Moseley are both a bit crap secondary wise. But I will say, getting school places in Brum is ever more difficult. We have friends who waited nearly six months for spaces at Colmore (four form entry) and their new house is literally next to the school gate. The places they left in their old schools were filled by the Monday.