Moving to Chadwich - advice about primary schools and catchments

[wantstobewiser]

Hi everyone we are moving to Chadwich (near the A38) from South London and need to find a primary school for my eldest (soon to be 4 y o) from Sept (we move in Aug). It seems the nearest schools to our intended house are:

Holywell Primary (0.8 miles)
Beaconside Primary (0.9 miles)
Lickey Hills primary (1.23 miles)

However Bromsgrove have told us that we will prob get a place at Catshill (1.56)

Anyone have any idea regarding these schools? I have read the ofsted reports but always take them with a big pinch of salt! Any information regarding the area and schools will be highly appreciated. Feeling very anxious as giving up my career to relocate my family to Birmingham (DH job) and need to make the right decisions!

Thanks in advance to any advice!
PS any advice on nurseries for a 2 year old would be great too..

Hi wantstobewiser. I've just moved house myself and know how stressful it can be - and we just moved 200m. (can give you helpful suggestions about removals companies though!)

Hopefully someone will be along v soon with first-hand advice, but if you want some stats to help you compare, do look at our shiny new Schools section (above).

Good luck with the move, and welcome to the area. I've a friend who just bought the most gorgeous house near Lickey Hills - it's really lovely there. I'm !

Thanks MNEd. It seems there are waiting lists for all of those schools and the nearest one is St Peters catholic in Bromsgrove.

Anyone have any idea what happens if you don't get a school from Sept? Do they remain in a preschool or defer till the following year. My LO is 4 in Aug.

By the way where was the MN schools section you mentioned?
The area is beautiful which is why we loved it- Maybe your friend in Lickey Hills might have an idea about the area and schools?

Thanks!

Click on "Childcare and Education" above - all schools in Birmingham are listed, with lots of stats to make comparisons and decision-making a bit easier. As you're on the border, have a look at MN Worcestershire too.

I have no idea about what happens if they don't get a place, I'm afraid - but the LEA has to provide every child with schooling, doesn't it? It may be worth putting in a call to the council to see - they were pretty helpful with my enquiries about primary places at the start of the year.

Good luck!

Thanks Ed. Tab was very useful. But don't think I will get much of a choice. Seems he will get a place SOMEwhere there is a vacancy but it will prob be at least 4 miles away. We can however go on a waiting list - but have no idea what the wait times are like in the midlands - in London it can be years!

Does anyone have any idea about nurseries in the area or recommend a good childminder?

Also does anyone have any idea how easy it is to get an au pair that knows how to drive?!

Sorry for the multiple questions!