By Emb Hashmi
It is estimated more then 3,000 bright young Birmingham pupils apply to sit the free schools grammar test every year to win a place at some of the most oversubscribed schools in the city.
2012 saw the grammar tests being moved forward to September, with registrations no later than 13th July 2012.
This year saw the usual hectic scrum at the grammar school gates with eager parents leading their children into the tests, and causing traffic chaos.
Mrs Hussain from Basal Heath said “I have been tutoring my son for over a year, and the whole of his summer break this year I made him study for the grammar test, a lot of my friends did the same with their children who are sitting the test too, I’m desperate for my son to win a place at grammar school, if he doesn’t I don’t know what I’m going to do, I’m terrified of sending him to a state secondary school because of all the scary stories you hear”.
Some parents are so desperate to secure a place for their child at one of Birmingham’s grammar schools that they go to extreme lengths to make sure they’re child has the knowledge to succeed in the examinations, some even booked tutors to start teaching their children as early as 5am in the morning.
One mother from Alum Rock told Asian World that she believes the Consortium of Grammar schools in Birmingham work on a postcode lottery, and if your within the right postcode your child will win a place in one of the highly sought after grammar schools and if not, doesn’t matter how clever your child is they wont be allocated a place.
She went on to say “my son sat the grammar test last year under the old system, and I know a lot of other children in Alum Rock who also sat for the test, however non of them were offered a place, in fact I don’t know anyone who was offered a place from this area last year”.
The battle to secure an offer for a place at Grammar schools nationwide seems to be getting tougher and tougher every year, as more and more potential hopefuls register to sit the tests.
