Birmingham schools

[Frogletmamma]

Hello. wondered if any of you can offer some help. My daughter is on the waiting list for an assisted place at kehs, maybe in at five ways. Otherwise local comp. Really dont know whether to try and pay full fees at kehs.

Do you have a full fees offer? If she's got a chance at Five Ways then she must be guaranteed Sutton Girls or KE Handsworth? Both are brilliant schools. We were in that position but dd got an assisted place at KEHS and we went with that as it was her favourite. We really liked both the grammar options though.

Really try for Kehs. The difference in quality of education will be enormous. You can't tell these things until you get in, but I have been inside both outstanding bhm states and Kehs for extended periods. No comparison.

What do you think is the difference Mijkl? I have one in KEHS and one in a grammar and I've been really impressed by the education at the grammar so far. As far as I can see the big difference is extra curricular but maybe I'm missing something!?

Yes she has a full fees offer for kehs but will only get AP if others pull out. Based on last year she would get five ways...but none of her friends are going...its tough being ten!

If Five Ways is your "fall back" option then she is in a lovely position! Grab it with both hands as we turned down a grammar place that I now bitterly regret

My other son went to grammar in September without any friends and is flying!

I agree, don't worry about the no friends issue - both mine started without anyone from primary and settled really quickly. Does she have friends going to KEHS? I would think if you applied for AP it would be a big stretch for you to pay full fees. Maybe worth it if your only other option is a poor comprehensive but not if you have a grammar offer. KEHS is lovely though - my daughter is very happy there.

Thanks-I think we will go five ways unless scores seriously different to last year. Don't really want to be skint and five ways is a very good school and really local. If scores have moved and she goes to local comp its not too bad as her two best friends are going there and it has a pretty decent reputation. Of course if KEHS comes back with an assisted place....oh well. Wait and see.

If you can pay the fees, why do you need the assisted place? Friends have had DDs at bith schools. Difference between KEHS and Five Ways is huge in terms of amount of support given to the DCs. To achieve potential at Five Ways need to be very self-sufficient and independent as not much support. Lots of dissatisfaction in 6th form application - having to chase teachers for feedback on personal statemenets in time for deadlines etc.

I think it depends entirely on what type of child she is. My DD is hugely competitive and fiercely independent and is absolutely loving FW. Her middle-of-the-road school friends have mainly gone to KEHS, and whilst it suits them, we really didn't feel it was the best option for DD.

KEHS is a very good school with lots of sports and activities and academic rigour it's great for the right child and very diverse. Heard good things about it.

Really, really don't worry about the friends thing! All the girls make new and different friends when they go up to secondary school, even if they've moved with most of their primary school. Secondaries are larger, and a bigger pool to find like-minded friends. Even if they go up with their best friend from primary, they often make completely new friends (even new best friend in most areas).

Re extra-curricular, FW has a decent provision, obviously not quite as wide a range as KEHS, but DD does extra-curricular of two music ensembles, 3 sports, art club, chess, and drama. She would do more if she could fit it in- as it is she has packed lunch every day as she cannot manage to go to the canteen. She also has out of school music and sport though, on top.

We cant easily afford fees for kehs. My daughter is fairly independant. Think she would get on well at 5 ways

If you can't afford it, you can't afford it.
What are your DD's wishes?
A bright 11yo is perfectly capable of understanding the implications of fees for a family.

my dd is being a sweetheart and will go wherever she lands. just feeling a bit of a failure as she passed the kehs test but we can't afford really

Update to thread. My daughter is no longer on waiting list for KEHS. She got offered an assisted place so we bit their hands off. AWOOOGA!

Ooh, well done! That’s fantastic. She’ll love it there I’m sure; it’s such a supportive and lovely environment. My son is at a grammar school and the teaching is great but KEHS is definitely ‘nicer’ all round!

Great news for your DD. Well done.

@Frogletmamma I've sent you a PM! Hope you're still here

Has anyone any experience of waiting lists for KEHS? My daughter is on the list and I’m worried!

I’ve spent a few years perusing the 11plus forum and I think there’s been times when girls got in off the waiting list and times they didn’t - I’m not sure you can really know what will happen.

Does your daughter have other options?

Yes she does have options; faired well in grammar and has an academic scholarship elsewhere.
Kehs is our no. 1 choice. On the day I think she just had a bad day.

That’s good that there are other options! KEHS is good but so are the grammars - I’ve got one in each and to be honest, the teaching in the grammar is possibly better so far. KEHS has the benefit of smaller classes and better extra curricular. I imagine a bright girl would do just as well at any of these schools to be honest.