WHERE SHOULD I MOVE?? - advice on school catchment area please

[lezzaaa22]

Ok so I currently live in pype hayes b24, my daughter is 8....secondary schools around this area are very very poor so I am looking to relocate to get within a decent catchment area for secondary schools.

I would really love her to go to streetly academy or barr beacon secondary, but I cant afford the prices within these areas, bearing this in mind, a house in kingstanding b44 9 on the border of great barr/streetly has come up. It is less than a mile in catchments for linden primary, streetly and barr beacon...more than guaranteed to get in - downside this house needs work and kingstanding itself has high crime rates - I am not to keen on moving here but should I overlook this as my daughter can get into the good schools?

SECOND option - an affordable house in Shenstone ws14 0 has came up (nearer little aston), lovely house, lovely area and neighbours with very low crime rates. it is like a little village and is far from convenience stores etc.
There are various options for outstanding and good primary schools here, but it leaves me in limbo with secondary schools, the nearest secondary showing is Arthur terry, but we would be 1.2 miles away and I know that this is out of their catchment with it being a highly sought after school.

any advice on what I should do?
anyone who currently lives in Shenstone could shed light on which secondary schools are applicable since it is out of all secondary catchments?

Thankyou!!

I'd repost with the area in the title for traffic.

Repost in Birmingham local, but you will not get Arthur Terry, for sure. The circle is about 700m max.

Whereabouts do you/do have to get to for work? Would you consider a move to completely different area? What's your budget for home?

Kingstanding really isn't a fab area...

I don’t know any of the schools you mention. You need to remember that, unless these schools have fixed catchment areas, the admissions distance can vary a lot from year to year. The performance and reputation of schools can change a lot, too, so you need to be very careful in making a decision about where to move to, so far in advance.

Re primary school catchments it really matters not if you are in or out of catchment, if there is no free places they cannot accept your daughter and she will given a place at the nearest school with a free place which may not be a feeder school (if your area has them) for a preferred secondary.

I’m the one in 1000 people that will click on this link and will actually have some local knowledge! (am normally very irritated at these specific questions hiding behind a general title)

As others have said, being in the catchment for a primary is irrelevant as you will just have to pick between those in the region that have places. I have always heard that all of the Great Barr primaries are good, as are Lindens, Manor, New Oscott, Boldmere… you won’t have much choice of primary as there is a shortage of places but you will probably be ok.

I’m no expert on house prices round here but am surprised that everything within the catchment of Barr Beacon are out of budget if you can afford something nice in Shenstone (which I always think of as lovely, and close to Little Aston, SC, Lichfield, A38, M6 Toll etc). Maybe the secondary blackspot is the reason Shenstone is more affordable? Anyway, I’d certainly suggest a closer look at houses in the Barr Beacon catchment, even if you have to compromise on size/condition. Streetly is certainly more expensive.

Have you looked at Aldridge? I’ve heard that that secondary school is good, although I believe house prices are going up accordingly.

Regarding the Kingstanding house, I agree Kingstanding is not a nice area, but if the house is on the edge of Kingstanding and you’d be using amenities in Great Barr / Streetly you might be ok? It’s so difficult to judge, but in these big conurbations the nice and not so nice areas flow into each other, and there is often some degree of compromise in making your choice.

You won't get into AT from Shenstone.

If you did get a Streetly feeder primary then its admissions policy prioritises feeder schools over distance. Pupils from Walsall, Great Barr and Kingstanding travel to feeder primaries, then they get into the comp. But if you don't get a feeder school and are a mile or so out you will struggle, as only around 40 or so.places seem to be awarded on distance (after feeder, siblings and staff children's places).

Streetly Academy is not comparable with AT. Its comparators would be Great Barr and Barr Beacon (with BB the highest performing of those I believe).

Lichfield has a lower birth rate to school ratio so moving nearer would open up the potential of King Edwards. I can't imagine Shenstone being cheaper than Streetly though. Some Streetly prices are comparable with some Kingstanding prices anyway if you are not buying the Streetly Village side for example.

You should also consider Fairfax but check catchments as I assume you do not want JWS (I have lived in B23, B24 and B74 postcodes!)

Catchment areas / admission policy's / ofstead ratings can change - find an area & house you like and go there