schools in The Wirral

[saffy85]

Me and my DP want to move to Merseyside later this year after DC2 is born. We're really excited about the move although don't much about the area, other than people seem really friendly there

We are specifically looking south of the river, Wirral etc and I was wondering what areas in particular to aim for wrt to schools as DD will start in September 2012. I'm very lacking in knowlege about this stuff as it is. At the moment I live in Hertfordshire and all the schools are oversubscribed, every year loads of children find themselves without a place at all, aleast in the town I live in.

Is it the same in Merseyside? Are there any areas to just avoid completely? Either because the schools aren't great or because there just wouldn't be much chance of getting into any local ones (I don't drive and DP will be out the house 12 hours a day 5-6 days a week so wont be doing the school run)? How does the faith school system work? I know they take their own faith first obviously but does being in the catchment area have any bearing at all? My DD is baptised CofE although I haven't been to church for a while (fell out with a couple of people a while back at the church I attended to since I was a child). Does it go by catchment area in The Wirral?

Sorry for all the questions (and the long post) I freely admit to being ignorant about all this stuff. Hope someone can help

It does go by carchment areas and faith schools will insist on you having a card stamped to prove attendance. The three I know that are excellent are St Bridgets west kirby, St Saviours in Oxon and another in bebington I will find out the name of for you.
Mine went to St Bridgets and we currently live in WK but are relocating down south soon.

First thing to say is make sure that you have moved in time to put in your application form. For this year the cut off date was the 15th January. You will be able to get the absolutely correct date for sept2012 admissions in September when the LA publish the new admission documents.

You need to think carefully not only about where your child might go to school at primary level but at secondary level. Wirral still has single sex grammar schools, which may fill you with dread or may be a massive boost. They all take not only from the Wirral but also some pupils from surrounding areas like Chester. The main criteria other than making the pass grade is distance so the nearer the school the more chance of getting a place.

There are grammar schools in West Kirby (separate boys and girls) and in Bebington (wirral grammar for boys and separate girls) plus two catholic grammar schools, which presumably would not interest you.

Wirral LA does not go all the way down the peninsular, so when you get to Neston and Ellesmere Port you have moved into Cheshire West and Chester LA which does not have grammar schools.

Yes the popular schools are oversubscribed, so you do need to choose with care where you are going to live. Do you have any feel for where you are going to be living on the Wirral?

Actually that's not true about the grammar schools, Wirral grammar has a carchment area to stop people from Chester sneaking in and I'd imagine wk and caldy will become academys soon so they might be less popular in years to come anyway. Having a girl means you'd have the choice of upton convent too which is excellent.

Wirral Girls Grammar hasn't managed to fill its places this year and is doing a "second round" of 11+ tests. Upton is RC but I know quite a few non-RC families with girls there because the surplus of places seems to have meant that in recent years anyone who makes the 11+ pass mark and puts it as first choice is in. There is a massive surplus of school places on the Wirral so lots of gossip about what will happen and panic.

Birkenhead High School Academy is a GDST school that has opted back into the state sctor (as did its sister school, Belvedere in Liverpool) but after a bit of an exodus of the original fee paying pupils seems to be holding up and goes from nursery-18 years.

We moved from the Wirral a while ago so this info is from friends still up there.

A second round of 11+ ? that's news to me and we are going through the process at the moment, Wirral grammar wasn't my choice at all but I know of at least 2 boys on the waiting list so that sounds very positive news.

Wirral grammar for Girls admission appeals were last week. Under the admission code grammar schools do not have to fill up to the admission number if they have not got sufficient appealants who met the required standard.
Whilst there is a mechanism for pupils who did not meet the required standard to be considered by an independant assessment board there is no formal mechanism for a second set of tests. In fact in the admission criteria for the school it says "if a girl took the 11+ assessment in year6 and did not achieve the standard for grammar school, it is not possible for the school to re-assess until the spring term of year7, twelve months on."
However some naughty things have happened in the past on admissions so i am not saying it might not happen, but it should not.

Ishani, neither of the Wirral grammars have any catchment zone and there is nothing in the admission criteria to stop anybody from getting in other than distance from anywhere in the country.

That's certainly not my understanding and I have that from the head teacher who is in charge of a Wirral school. There aren't any naughty things going on people appeal and if they are lucky they get in despite not actually passing that's been happening for years on caldy and the results show. Hence the popularity of the local private school despite 4 grammars and not enough children to fill them.

I am planning to relocate to the Wirral with my family. I have three daughters- 2 in primary and one will be going to secondary school. Can anybody recommend good secondary schools that are not grammar schools in the Wirral?? I am trying to keep options open in case she does not make the 11+.

Thank you

Birkenhead High School in Oxton? Used to be selective fee-paying but is now a non-selective state academy. I think a % of places are reserved for girls with particular aptitude in music but the rest are available to anyone (although I don't know on what basis). If it's anything like it used to be, it values academic standards but also places great emphasis on music, drama, D of E and sport.

(Disclaimer: Although I went to the school years ago, I don't live on the Wirral now so have only second-hand info on what the school is like now.)

Pensy girls also has a good reputation. I live on the wirral with a daughter in year 4 who is borderline for 11+ so am starting to research the options. If you look at the offsted site it gives you the recent gradings. any idea where abouts in the wirral you will be?

Do your best to get her to pass the 11+ Babilla as there are plenty of good schools if she does, really can't say anything positive about the non selectives although they might have improved since I lived in the Wirral.

For Primaries St Bridget's West Kirby or Pensby primary is OK.

I went to Great Meols Primary, years ago - don't know if it still exists!

www.greatmeols.wirral.sch.uk/

Ah thanks Wasuup! Still exists and is outstanding apparently!

I love ON the Wirral and its lovely! I'm in Wallasey which is quite a small village but we have a great choice of schools - especially when you get to secondary! I went to a small village primary school but there is also a bigger primary and the option of faith as well - apart from schools though the Wirral is a great place to raise kids, it has the right mix of city and country living - 15 minutes from Liverpool and 2 minutes from the beach! Plus the transport links are great - there are oodles of libraries, swimming baths and play areas which can keep the fiddlers occupied and some great new places in New Brighton for the adults (cinema, grill, swanky new casino!)

Babilla - Saint Mary's has a good reputation, especially with post 16 learning and I've heard that Wetherhead has bucked its ideas up! It depends where you are looking though - we are pretty big for such a small peninsula!

In summary - I bloomin love the Wirral!

Could I also suggest that you consider the bottom end of the Wirral, some of which is actually in Cheshire West and Chester LA.
An alternative for secondary education is Neston High School, which is a big secondary school but has an outstanding record of pastoral care for their pupils. Something like 40% of their pupils come from the Wirral, Heswall, Pensby, Bebington and Bromborough and actually they are nearer by straight line distance (which is the admission criteria) than other parts of Cheshire West and Chester (Ellesmere Port and Chester). Many parents consider Neston as an alternative to the grammar schools.
As far as primaries are concerned, it very much depends on where you decide to live. St Bridgets has been mentioned a few times and it is a fabulous school, but it is a faith school and unless you live right by the school (and have the money to do so) then you will struggle to get a place, it is so popular.