Birmingham prep schools

[Wisconsin247]

Partner and I are moving to Birmingham for work (uni). We have a 9 month old and hope to have second baby. Can anyone advise on prep schools in the area? Or other local schools in Edgbaston/Harborne/Selly Park that we could consider. Thank you.

I don't know anything about the ins and outs of the particular schools, but there are plenty in the Harborne / Edgbaston Area
Hallfield
Bluecoat
Priory
West House (Boys)
Edgbaston High (Girls) - ignore the 'High School' bit, it has prep too
Norfolk House
St George's

Not sure that is all of them but it is a start for you.

My opinion for what it’s worth. I’ve lived in the area for a long time and daughters have been through one of the above fairly recently

Bluecoat - big, lovely grounds. Strong in 11 plus for neighbouring King Eds but also in sport, music and drama

Hallfield - less rounded than Bluecoat. Strong 11 plus emphasis. Now offers to 16 so this may have shifted

Priory - all through, Catholic, expensive due to small class sizes. Not very academic

West House - prep only, small, all boys, good pastoral

EHS - all through, nice girls school, very good pastoral

Norfolk House - tiny, don’t hear much about it tbh

StGeorges - all through, good SEN provision and pastoral. Less academic.

Hope this helps!

Thank you. Lots to research! Does anyone have a recent experience? Also, interested to know whether people often use prep schools and then grammar or if most stay in private sector.

A few will go to grammars but ime most stay in the private sector

Interesting, thank you. I have heard in other areas that prep and grammar is quite common.

That’s probably true. Here you’re more likely to find kids at the private schools that have come from the better juniors at 11. Grammars will have a handful from prep but not loads here

I'm not sure that's true.

The impression locally is that the private schools do HUGE amounts of exam prep (from years out) and therefore give their pupils a massive advantage over all the bright dc whose parents can't afford private school.

I was talking to the parent of an 8 year old who was going into school for a week over the school Easter holidays to do 'holiday camp' which involved teaching towards the exams for 1/2 the day, mixed in with sports and activities.

You’re not wrong but usually the prep in those schools is for the private school entrance exams in my experience. Obviously KES and KEHS being the ones that everyone wants places at

Oh wow! That’s so young. Were they at one of the schools mentioned, do you know?

Thanks! This is great