What are the admission criteria for King Edward VI Schools in Birmingham?

To be considered for a King Edward VI grammar school in Birmingham, a child must sit the shared entrance test and reach the qualifying score of 205 for 2027 entry. If a school has more qualifying children than places, it uses its oversubscription criteria. These usually give priority to looked after children first, then Pupil Premium children, then children who live in the catchment area and reach the priority score of 224, and finally everyone else who qualified, ranked by score and by how far they live from the school. 

Getting into a King Edward VI grammar school is about more than one test score. Here is a simple guide to the King Edward VI schools admission criteria for 2027 entry, covering the qualifying score, the priority score, catchment areas, Pupil Premium and exactly how places are offered. 

Which King Edward VI Schools does this cover?

The King Edward VI Foundation runs a wide range of schools in Birmingham, including comprehensive, grammar and independent schools, and each one has its own admissions policy. This guide focuses on the grammar schools, since these are the ones that use the shared entrance test.

The Foundation arranges the entrance test for eight grammar schools in Birmingham. Six of them are part of the King Edward VI Academy Trust:

• King Edward VI Aston School (boys)

• King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys

• King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls

• King Edward VI Five Ways School (co-educational)

• King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys

• King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls

The other two, Bishop Vesey's Grammar School (boys) and Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls, share the same test and the same qualifying score, but they are not part of the Academy Trust and use a slightly simpler set of categories, which we explain below.

Step 1: The entrance test

Every child must sit the entrance test to be eligible for a place. You register when your child is in Year 5, using the West Midlands Grammar Schools website, and your child sits the test in Year 6. For 2027 entry, registration closed on 26th June 2026, and the test was held on 12th September 2026. Late registrations are not accepted, and a child cannot sit the test more than once.

The test is provided by GL Assessment. Children sit two papers, each around 60 minutes long, including time for instructions and example questions. Each paper is split into smaller timed sections covering English comprehension, verbal reasoning, maths and non-verbal or spatial reasoning. All questions are multiple choice, and there is no writing.

50%: English and verbal reasoning

25%: Non-verbal reasoning

25%: Maths

Scores for each section are standardised for age, so younger children are not at a disadvantage compared with children who are almost a year older. The answer sheets are scanned and marked by computer, and the schools do not re-mark them.

Step 2: Reaching the qualifying score

The first admission criterion is simple. Your child must reach the qualifying score. For 2027 entry, the qualifying score for all of the Birmingham grammar schools is 205.

This is the minimum standard for eligibility, and it does not guarantee a place. Think of it as the door to the process, not the finish line. A child who reaches 205 can be considered, and a child who does not reach it will not be considered at all.

Step 3: The oversubscription criteria explained

Most King Edward VI grammar schools receive far more qualifying applicants than they have places. When that happens, each school uses its published oversubscription criteria to decide who is offered a place. For the six Academy Trust grammar schools, the categories work in this order:

1. Looked after and previously looked after children

Children who are, or have been, in care and who score 205 or above come first.

2. Pupil Premium children living in the catchment area

Children who are eligible for the Pupil Premium, score 205 or above, and live inside the school's catchment area.

3. Pupil Premium children living outside the catchment area

Children who are eligible for the Pupil Premium and score 205 or above, but live outside the catchment area.

4. Catchment children who reach the priority score

Children who score 224 or above and live inside the catchment area. Within this group, places are usually separated by distance from the school.

5. All other qualifying children

Everyone else who reached the qualifying score is ranked, generally by test score and then by distance from home to school.

Bishop Vesey's and Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls use three simpler categories instead: looked after children, then Pupil Premium children who score 205 or above, then everyone else, ranked by score.

King Edward VI Grammar Schools catchment areas and Pupil Premium priority

How catchment areas work

Catchment areas at the King Edward VI grammar schools are made up of named wards, and each school has its own map on its website. Living inside the catchment area does not give you a place by itself. Your child must still reach the required score, but being in the catchment moves them into a higher priority category once the looked after and Pupil Premium places are filled.

How Pupil Premium works

Every King Edward VI grammar school gives some priority to Pupil Premium applicants. A child is generally eligible if they have been entitled to free school meals at any point in the last six years. Families must submit the Pupil Premium eligibility form before the day of the entrance test, and evidence sent in after that date is treated as late and considered only after the main round of offers in March.

At some schools, up to a quarter of places are set aside for Pupil Premium children, so the number of places open to other applicants reduces accordingly. Children eligible for the Pupil Premium can also receive early access to an online practice platform, and this needs to be verified by their primary school.

King Edward VI Schools cut-off scores from last year (2026 entry)

The King Edward VI Foundation publishes the scores that were needed for a place on offer day each year, for every category. These figures change every year, but they give a very useful picture of how competitive each school is. Here are the final categories for 2026 entry, as published by the Foundation.

Two things stand out. First, schools such as Camp Hill Boys and Camp Hill Girls needed scores well above the priority score for children outside the catchment, so the qualifying score alone is far from enough. Second, at Five Ways, catchment children who reached the priority score were ranked by distance, which shows how much home location can matter even with a strong score.

How King Edward VI Schools make offers in Birmingham 

Your child's test score arrives by post by 16 October, before you complete your Local Authority preference form. Parents must then complete this form by 31st October, and it is a separate step from registering for the test. If a school is not listed on your form, it cannot offer your child a place.

1. Rank your schools honestly

You can name up to six schools in order of preference. All Local Authorities use an equal preference system, so ranking a grammar school first does not reduce your chances at your other choices.

2. The Local Authority makes one offer

If your child meets the criteria for more than one school, they are offered the school you ranked highest. Parents receive only one offer.

3. Waiting lists are automatic

If your child reached the qualifying score, they are automatically placed on the waiting list for any school ranked higher than the one they were offered.

4. Offers arrive on 1st March

For 2027 entry, offers are made by your Local Authority on 1st March 2027, and appeals are handled through the Foundation Office if a place is not offered.

How to prepare your child for King Edward VI Schools entry 

Because the test carries most of the weight in the admission criteria, steady preparation across English, verbal reasoning, maths and non-verbal reasoning makes a real difference. It is also worth being honest about what the schools say. They do not keep past papers, and they state that intensive coaching is not in a child's best long term interest, and that they do not endorse any tuition provider. We agree that pressure and last-minute cramming do not help. Our approach is calm, regular practice that builds real understanding and confidence.

• Practise all four areas evenly, since English and verbal reasoning together make up half of the score

• Get used to multiple choice and separate answer sheets, since children mark their answers by shading boxes

• Practise timed sections, since children cannot go back to an earlier section during the real test

• Keep practice relaxed, and remember the schools ask parents not to put pressure on children

Our free 11+ practice papers are a gentle way to see where your child stands. Since the schools do not release real past papers, our 11+ past papers are exam-style papers built around the same GL Assessment style of questions your child will meet on the day.

How Pass 11 Plus Grammar helps students for King Edward VI Grammar School Admissions 

With so many scores, categories and deadlines to keep track of, many Birmingham families like having an experienced team beside them.

1. Build a proper, steady plan

Our 11 plus tuition programmes cover all four areas of the test evenly, so your child builds real confidence rather than relying on last minute cramming.

2. Get local, experienced guidance

Our 11 plus tutors in Birmingham know how the King Edward VI grammar schools admit children, and can help you understand scores, catchments and realistic options for your family.

3. Practise in realistic conditions

Our 11 plus mocks recreate the timing and format of the real test, so nothing feels strange on the day.

Our 11 plus intensive summer course gives focused, well-structured practice during the school holidays, ideal for a calm and concentrated boost.

Final thoughts

The King Edward VI schools admission criteria can look complicated, but they follow a clear order. Reach the qualifying score of 205, understand which category your child falls into, check the school's own catchment map and Pupil Premium rules, and rank your schools honestly on your Local Authority form. Because policies, scores and dates change every year, always check each school's own website and the Foundation's official pages before making decisions.

Whatever your child's starting point, we would love to help them prepare with calm, steady confidence. Get in touch with us today.