Where to live in Birmingham for good primary schools?

[Bananaalarm]

We are relocating to Birmingham for work in the Edgbaston area (Uni) with two pre-school age children. Proximity to a good school is our main priority, but ideally would like a nice local community feel and proximity to work too.

Does anyone have any advice? Or experience of the local schools eg. Harborne, Chad Vale, Moseley CofE, Bournville? All seem well regarded but very oversubscribed. It’s a bit overwhelming as I know we might make a move based on a school and then fail to get a place.

Harborne. Sutton Coldfield. Edgbaston schools if you'd go private.

Harborne has great primary schools - harborne primary, st peters, st Mary's etc. Also blue coat (private).
If you want to consider great secondary schools - Sutton.

Thank you!

I’ve heard good things about Harborne, and the location would be ideal as close to work and family, but the results seem to be kind of average (I’ve fallen into a locrating hole, what has become of me?!). No idea whether this is something to prioritise, or whether to look at Ofsted, or just to go and visit the schools to get a feel?

Blue Coat looks amazing but I don’t think we can afford private for primary and secondary, and we’re thinking to prioritise secondary if needed.

Bumping...

Moseley c of e is good, my niece is there atm, and the older one was until last year,.now at KEHS. Many kids pass the eleven plus and they have a good rate for the KE independents too

My sisters and I were also there back in the day!

Parking in Harbourne is an absolute nightmare unless you're right on the outskirts.
I'd probably look a bit further out - Halesowen has great schools and is only 15 to 20 mins from Harbourne and Edgbaston. Much greener too.
I have friends who have done state primary in Halesowen then private secondary (Blue Coats, Edgbaston Girls, St George's) or Grammar schools.

Oh that’s so lovely that your nieces are at your old school! Do you know whether you have to be very religious to get into Moseley? It looks like regular church attendance is a must, so I’m worried about moving to Moseley and ending up with no school!

Thanks! I’ll check it out.

Reply to @murasaki ! Sorry I’m new to this 😂

And reply to @WithASpider

Apart from KE(H)S, the private secondaries are generally used for kids who didn't get into the grammar schools. A lot of kids leave for the grammar schools at 6th form but don't tend to do very well because they're not used to being in an academically competitive environment. I wouldn't search based on private provision because that will be your fallback option.

It’s really easy to get to the university for work on the cross city line. If schools are the priority, I would look at Sutton.

@Bananaalarm not terribly, although my sis and the girls do go to st Mary's as the girls are in the choir. The school does some services there, but overall it's not a hugely religious school. Lots of Muslim kids there too.

I'm sure rocking up to church for a bit is what a lot of parents do! Whether that's ethical or not is open to question....

Hopeful bump of this thread this evening. Still feeling stuck so hoping someone from South Brum is around to comment on the schools!

I live north of the city centre, but have a number of friends with children in the Harborne area. As far as I could tell, all were happy with their primary schools, and all entered the rat race for grammars at secondary, though I understand the comprehensives have improved so I wouldn't be too concerned. There are good private schools on the doorstep as a fall-back. I agree with a PP that parking is an issue. Nice area to live.

I also know a few people living in/near Sutton Coldfield, and have not heard anything bad about the primaries or secondaries. Another nice area to live - a little further from the city centre, but good bus and train services.

Moseley has quite a different vibe - a bit 'edgy' and trendy. I don't know about the schools as my friends that live their send their children to private schools, but I'd advise choosing your exact location carefully, as some of the nearby areas and therefore probably schools might be less appealing.

Demand for housing in all of these areas is high, with price tags that reflect that.

There are plenty of other nice enough (but less fashionable) areas with good schools within the Birmingham conurbation, but you'd have to look at specific roads and schools. Harborne and Sutton Coldfield are the areas that most readily spring to mind when looking for plenty of 'nice'.

Another vote for Sutton Coldfield, DH grew up there and from what I can gather the Primaries and Secondaries are all highly regarded. It is a really nice area for us to visit too. Good links to Birmingham, Lichfield, the M6 etc and Sutton Park is beautiful.

Moseley has quite a different vibe - a bit 'edgy' and trendy. I don't know about the schools as my friends that live their send their children to private schools, but I'd advise choosing your exact location carefully, as some of the nearby areas and therefore probably schools might be less appealing.

Totally agree with this. It is edgy and trendy and the pubs and restaurants/cafes etc are cool, but I am not sure it is a family community type place, I know one of our friends had real trouble selling their house as they were in an area of Moseley which 'wasn't popular' lets just say! It may have changed in the last decade but as PP has said - pick your area carefully

Thanks so much all - just noticed the more recent replies. Interested what has been said about Moseley, I got that sort of impression when I’ve visited, so leaning more towards Harborne or Bournville.

Northfield/Shenley/Woeley castle area here.

Primaries are generally alright but not the best. Bournville primary isn’t great. The others are average. Bournville is a nice area to live but make sure you get in the catchment for Bournville Village primary NOT Bournville primary. Green meadow is also considered dodgy (not that I think it would even cross your radar as I doubt you would choose this area) but our DS went there and has done alright, he’s at secondary now, however, if I was choosing somewhere to live as well I would make sure I chose somewhere with a better school. As others have mentioned Harborne has some good primaries and so does Halesowen. Kings Norton area is good. I don’t know Moseley.

My honest advice for south brum would be to look for a good secondary school and the primary will follow. Secondaries in south brum can be very hit and miss. The good ones are very oversubscribed and you must live on the door step, the bad ones are bad - to the point I didn’t even name out local one for DS.

I would also consider girl or boy as we still have girls and boys schools here.

If you would like some names of good secondaries, just ask.