Birmingham grammar schools: a complete 2026 guide

Birmingham has one of the strongest concentrations of grammar schools in England. This guide covers every selective state school in and around the city — admissions process, 11+ format, qualifying scores, catchment areas — to help you choose the right options for your child.

The King Edward VI consortium (5 schools)

The King Edward VI consortium operates five grammar schools in inner Birmingham, all sharing a single 11+ test (the KE Consortium 11+, sat in September of Year 6):

• King Edward VI Aston (boys)
• King Edward VI Camp Hill for Boys
• King Edward VI Camp Hill for Girls
• King Edward VI Handsworth (girls)
• King Edward VI Five Ways (co-educational)

Bishop Vesey's & Sutton Coldfield Grammar (Sutton)

On the northern edge of Birmingham, in Sutton Coldfield, sit two more grammars:

• Bishop Vesey's Grammar School (boys)
• Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls

Adjacent selective schools

Just outside Birmingham, families also commonly target:

• Queen Mary's Grammar School (Walsall) — boys
• Queen Mary's High School (Walsall) — girls
• King Edward VI Stourbridge — sixth form entry

The KE Consortium 11+ format

All five King Edward VI schools share one GL Assessment 11+ test, sat in September of Year 6. Papers cover English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Scores are age-standardised and combined.

Qualifying scores vary year to year. Typical recent qualifying scores: 220+ for Camp Hill Girls and Five Ways, 215+ for Camp Hill Boys, 210+ for Aston and Handsworth. Even with a qualifying score, distance-based tie-breaks apply for oversubscribed schools.

Catchment realities

Birmingham grammars are heavily oversubscribed. Distance-based catchment kicks in after qualifying score — meaning a high-scoring child outside the priority catchment may not get a place, while a borderline-scoring child inside catchment might. Check the previous year's admissions report for your target schools.

How to prepare

A 12–18 month programme from Year 5 autumn is the comfortable timeline. Our pillar guide on when to start 11+ preparation walks through year-by-year. For format-specific work see our King Edward's Birmingham 11+ guide and Bishop Vesey's & Sutton Coldfield guide.

Independent alternatives

Many Birmingham families apply for both grammar and independent entry as a hedge. The leading independents are King Edward's School (independent — distinct from the KE consortium grammars), Edgbaston High School for Girls, and Solihull School. Each sets its own entrance papers and interviews.