West Midlands 11 Plus Registration 2026: Key Dates and How to Prepare

The West Midlands 11 plus registration for 2027 entry opens on Tuesday 5th May 2026 and closes on Friday 26th June 2026. The exam takes place over three days in September 2026 (12th, 13th and 14th September). Results are sent on Friday 16th October 2026. There are 19 grammar schools in the West Midlands, all using the same test, so your child only registers and sits the exam once. 

If you are planning to apply to a grammar school in the West Midlands, this guide covers everything your family needs to know about the West Midlands 11 plus, the 2026 registration window, all 19 grammar schools across three consortiums, what the exam involves, how it is scored, what the pass mark is and how to prepare your child with confidence. 

West Midlands 11 plus 2026 dates - the complete timeline

• 5th May 2026: West Midlands 11 plus registration opens on the West Midlands Grammar Schools website 

• 26th June 2026: Registration closes. All registrations must be submitted before this date 

• 12th September 2026: West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test - Day 1

• 13th September 2026: West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test - Day 2

• 14th September 2026: West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test - Day 3   

• 16th October 2026: Parents receive test results 

• 31st October 2026: Deadline to apply for secondary school places on Common Application Form 

• 1st March 2027: National secondary school offers day 

Children eligible for September 2026 entry

Children born between 1st September 2015 and 31st August 2016 are eligible to sit the West Midlands 11 plus exam in September 2026 for entry to Year 7 in September 2027. This covers children who will be in Year 6 during the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

All 19 West Midlands grammar schools

There are 19 selective grammar schools in the West Midlands, grouped into three consortiums. All 19 use the same entrance test, the West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test, so your child only needs to register and sit the exam once, regardless of how many schools they are applying to.

This is one of the real advantages of the West Midlands system. A single registration covers all 19 schools across all three consortiums. Once you have the result, you decide which schools to list on your Common Application Form.

Grammar schools in Birmingham

• Bishop Vesey's Grammar School 

• King Edward VI Aston School  

• King Edward VI Camp Hill Boys 

• King Edward VI Camp Hill Girls 

• King Edward VI Five Ways School 

• King Edward VI Handsworth Boys 

• King Edward VI Handsworth Girls 

• Sutton Coldfield Grammar (Girls)

Shropshire, Walsall and Wolverhampton

• Haberdashers' Adams 

• Newport Girls' High School 

• Queen Mary's Grammar School 

• Queen Mary's High School 

• Wolverhampton Girls' High School 

Warwickshire Consortium

• Alcester Grammar School 

• Ashlawn School 

• King Edward VI School, Stratford 

• Lawrence Sheriff School 

• Rugby High School 

• Stratford Girls' Grammar School

What does the West Midlands 11 plus exam cover?

The West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test consists of two multiple-choice papers, both provided by GL Assessment. Both papers are sat on the same day with a short break between them. Each paper lasts approximately one hour, including time for instructions and practice examples at the start.

All questions are multiple-choice. Your child uses a separate pre-printed answer sheet for each paper, which is marked electronically using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) technology after the test.

Paper 1 (Approx. 60 minutes - multiple-choice)

• English comprehension: Reading an unseen passage and answering questions to demonstrate understanding, vocabulary and inference

• Verbal reasoning: Using logic to solve problems with words, letters, symbols and numbers

Paper 2 (Approx. 60 minutes - multiple-choice)

• Maths: Key Stage 2 national curriculum content including all four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, geometry and problem-solving

• Non-verbal reasoning: Using logic to solve problems with shapes, diagrams and visual sequences

• Spatial reasoning: Manipulating shapes and spaces mentally, including 2D views of 3D shapes and folded nets

Why does the test include reasoning subjects?

Verbal, non-verbal and spatial reasoning are included because they test a child's ability to think logically and solve new types of problems, not just what they have been taught at school. These questions are included specifically to assess potential rather than learned knowledge.

Because none of the reasoning subjects are taught in primary school, most children encounter these question types for the first time through preparation. This is exactly why starting early and working through every question type systematically makes a measurable difference to scores. Our free 11 plus practice papers cover all five tested areas in GL Assessment format.

How is the West Midlands 11 plus scored?

The West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test uses a three-step scoring process. Understanding it helps you know where to focus your child's preparation time.

Step 1: Marking

After the test, answer sheets are scanned using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) technology. This produces a raw score for each section.

Step 2: Weighted scoring

The raw scores are combined using a specific weighting formula. This is what makes the West Midlands test different from many other 11 plus exams, the four tested areas do not carry equal weight.

Step 3: Age standardisation

After weighting, scores are age-standardised using your child's exact date of birth. This ensures that younger children in the year group are not disadvantaged compared to older classmates. A child born in August will receive a small automatic adjustment compared to a child born in September; this is built into the scoring system and happens automatically. You do not need to request it.

Results are sent to parents on 16th October 2026.

What is the pass mark for the West Midlands 11 plus?

There is no single fixed pass mark for the West Midlands 11 plus exam. Unlike Buckinghamshire, which has a fixed qualifying score of 121, the West Midlands qualifying threshold is set after the test has taken place, varies between schools and consortiums, and can change slightly from year to year.

Each school or consortium sets its own qualifying score based on the performance of the cohort that sat the test. You will find out whether your child has met the qualifying standard for your target school when results are released on 16 October 2026.

What score should my child aim for?

As a general guide, aim for the highest score possible rather than a specific target. The most competitive schools in the West Midlands, including King Edward VI Camp Hill and King Edward VI Five Ways, attract very high-scoring candidates. A score that is comfortably above the qualifying threshold gives your child options across more schools rather than putting their chances in doubt at each individual school.

How to apply to West Midlands grammar schools

Speak to your child's teacher first

Before registering, it is worth having a conversation with your child's class teacher. Grammar schools select children working towards the top of their year group academically. Your child's teacher can give you an honest assessment of whether a grammar school environment is likely to suit them and what level they are working at across the key subjects. 

Register for the entrance test (5th May to 26th June 2026)

Visit the West Midlands Grammar Schools website and complete the online registration form. Have a photo of your child ready to upload as part of the process. Registration is free. Your child's test day (one of the three September dates) will be allocated to you after registration; you do not choose the day yourself. 

Sit the West Midlands 11 plus exam (12th, 13th or 14th September 2026)

Your child sits both papers on the allocated test day. Bring confirmation of the test booking, any required documentation and appropriate stationery. The test takes place at a designated test centre. 

Receive results and complete your application (October 2026)

Results are sent on 16th October 2026. Check whether your child has met the qualifying score for your target schools. Then list your preferred schools on your secondary school common application form and submit it to your home local authority by 31st October 2026. Check each school's admissions policy before listing. 

Receive your school offer (1st March 2027)

National school offers day is 1st March 2027. You will be informed which school your child has been offered. If your preferred school is not offered, you will receive information about how to appeal and your child will be offered a place at an alternative school.

How to prepare your child for the West Midlands 11 plus

The West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test covers five subject areas across two papers. Because English and verbal reasoning together carry 50% of the weighted score, these areas deserve the most preparation time. Here is how to approach the process effectively.

Start in Year 5 and build daily habits

Begin preparation at least 12 months before the September exam. Short daily sessions of 20 to 30 minutes every day are far more effective than long, infrequent sessions. Our 11 plus tuition is structured around this gradual, consistent approach from the very beginning.

Prioritise English and verbal reasoning

These two areas together account for 50% of the weighted score. Strong English comprehension and a broad vocabulary give your child a significant advantage. Make sure these are the first areas to reach a solid level before moving on to maths and reasoning practice.

Read every single day

Daily reading is the most effective preparation for English comprehension and verbal reasoning. Aim for 15 to 20 minutes every day across different genres. Discussing what your child reads builds the analytical and inference skills the comprehension section directly rewards. This is the single highest-return habit you can build.

Practise all five subject areas systematically

Neither verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning nor spatial reasoning is taught at primary school. Your child needs to encounter and practise every question type before the exam. Our free 11 plus practice papers cover all five areas in GL Assessment format and help build the systematic familiarity that improves scores.

Use realistic timed mock exams

Once your child is confident with the content, introduce full-length timed practice under exam conditions. Our 11 plus mock exams replicate the West Midlands exam format closely and give you a subject-by-subject breakdown of results so you always know what to focus on next.

Use the summer for a focused final push

With the exam taking place in September, the summer before Year 6 is a critical preparation window. Our 11 plus intensive summer course gives your child a structured, expert-led boost in the final weeks before the exam, combining content revision, timed practice and exam technique in one focused programme.

For personalised support from tutors who know the West Midlands exam format and the GL Assessment question types inside out, our 11 plus tutors begin with a diagnostic assessment, identify your child's specific gaps and build a targeted preparation plan from there. 

Final thoughts

The West Midlands 11 plus is one of the largest and most well-organised grammar school selection systems in England. One test, 19 schools, three consortiums and a registration window that opens in May and closes in June. If you are planning to apply, saving those dates and registering promptly is the single most important action you can take right now.

At Pass 11 Plus Grammar, we have been helping children prepare for the West Midlands 11 plus and grammar school entry across the country. Whether your child is in Year 4 and just getting started or in Year 6 and needs a focused final push before September, we have a programme built around exactly where they are right now.