Birmingham Secondary Schools

[happynuts]

Hi,

My husband has accepted the job in University of Birmingham and we will move to Birmingham in the summer from abroad. We have a Y5 boy and he is now preparing for the 11+ exam, which will be held in September and October. Our first choice is King Edward School, the second choice is KEVI foundations Grammar schools, the third choice is other private secondary schools if he fails the 11+ exam. The last choice is the state secondary schools. We need to find an area to live with good schools. Which area of Birmingham both has good private secondary schools and good state secondary schools? Do we need an address before we apply for the grammar schools? Will the distance between home and schools be counted when applying for the grammar schools? Thank you.

Marmalade, how recently are you talking? Presumably you’re talking about one school in particular? I’m not sure you can generalise.

You do realise, marmalade, that children in all types of schools are under tremendous pressure these days? Being sectioned is fairly rare, but it happens to children in comprehensive schools too.

In my family one of the girls went to a local comprehensive and another to a grammar school. Certainly not everyone at the comprehensive was well and happy all of the time. I'm aware of there being eating disorders and self-harm.

But I think the whole thing was ratcheted up a few notches when you go to a selective school were a B grade is regarded not as a good mark but as a sign of failure. I think parental ambition, schools that care more about reputation than about the individual and adolescent insecurity can be a toxic cocktail for some....

Do you have to live in Birmingham?

DH commutes in on the train.

I'd be looking at Worcester and sending kids to Kings if I was going the private route. Worcester a nice small city with all the green space.

Yes, I suppose it was a generalisation and maybe not a particularly helpful one. But it is grounded in truth, from personal experience of both Camp Hill schools. They simply do not put a premium on pastoral care, because (to some extent) they can still rely upon the children with mental illnesses to achieve. Anxiety disorders and eating disorders are so common in high achievers, who face an incredibly competitive and pressured environment in grammar schools. There is less of a need to tackle the issue if students with such problems are “high functioning” and continue to achieve exceptional grades. It is not an isolated issue. But my local knowledge suggests that the well regarded comprehensives would be a much better option for those who want a more holistic approach to learning.

But the KE schools have bought into Headstart through BEP so are clearly showing a desire to offer more support with mental health and resilience...

Again my own experience of Birmingham grammar schools indicated they had rather a box-ticking approach to such things as Headstart. If it meant that a) you got extra money and b) it would look good with Ofsted and/or parents they'd sign up for a scheme. However, that isn't the same thing as actually caring for students as individuals.

(Would be interested to share experiences with you Marmalade.)

The Camp Hill schools do seem to have a bad reputation in that regard. One of my siblings had a similar experience. But I’m not sure all the teammates and KE independents are the same.

My children go to KEHS and Handsworth Grammar (which is now a KE school!) and both have been great so far from a pastoral perspective.

I’m not sure where the word teammates came from! I meant grammars !

A friend had DC at Fiveways. She was annoyed that, all through KS3 & 4, they were leant on heavily for 'donations' towards the rebuilding of the sixth form centre but there was no guarantee that the DC would get into said sixth form - they had the same (stiff) entry criteria as any outsider.

But my local knowledge suggests that the well regarded comprehensives would be a much better option for those who want a more holistic approach to learning.

Could you be specific about which comprehensive schools offer a broad range of extra-curricular activities to deliver a holistic, broad-based education? For boys? (My youngest will be applying soon)
The schools we have looked at so far just don't have the opportunities the grammars and independent schools do. Shabbier facilities are not an issue for us as a family, experiences are.

I think in Kings Heath itself, a friend who was very dubious about Wheelers Lane - having hoped her son would get a grammar school place - was actually very happy about the support and encouragement her son received there. The reputation of Queensbridge also seems to have improved steadily. (But I don't have a very detailed knowledge of either school.)

Yes, I know many students from Queensbridge have really enjoyed their time and thrives academically. Its reputation has definitely improved from back in the early 2000s. Hall Green School also seems to take a really positive attitude towards the arts and emphasising creativity alongside academia.

I used to work at UoB and live in the Sutton area so I know the route well.

The trainline is direct. You would actually need to live in Four Oaks/Mere Green to make both Bishop Vesey and Arthur Terry work. AT has a tight catchment and it is the top performing comp in the area (not country).

There are two train stations - Butlers Lane stn which goes to UoB is opposite Arthur Terry. Vesey is easily accessible.

Alternatively, your DH and DC could travel in together if you were to include KES.
Highclare (non selective inde) is also on that route at Erdington.

FWIW my sons are at grammars in Bham and Walsall and pastoral care has been excellent.

Sorry- please don't be fooled by the username! We no longer live in KH
Yes, Wheeler's Lane is doing really well atm, I agree, but we're about 3 miles out of catchment now (unless we defraud the system, not actually prepared to do that!).
QB, whilst doing fine for progress, does not have enough higher prior attainers for us to consider, though we are not in catchment for them either.

Ha! My friends would probably beg to differ. Most of them went to Queensbridge and came out with a string of A/A* grades at both gcse and later A-Level. They all ended up at red brick unis too.

Obviously that was a while ago, when the school’s reputation was still iffy. But they’re bright people, and bright people often do well despite the circumstances.

Yes- that was a while ago, and schools change very quickly! I know they currently have very small proportions of HPA.