King Edward's Birmingham 11+: a parent's guide

The five King Edward VI grammar schools — Aston, Camp Hill (Boys), Camp Hill (Girls), Five Ways, and Handsworth — together with Handsworth Grammar and King Edward VI Sheldon Heath sit at the centre of Birmingham's selective entry. The KE Consortium 11+ is one of the most competitive in the country, and the route in deserves clear-eyed parental planning.

Here's how the King Edward's Birmingham 11+ actually works, what the papers test, and how to prepare in a way that's effective and kind.

What the test contains

The KE Consortium uses GL Assessment papers across English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Tests run as a single sitting in September of Year 6.

• English — comprehension, grammar, vocabulary
• Maths — arithmetic, problem-solving, basic geometry
• Verbal Reasoning — analogies, codes, word manipulation
• Non-Verbal Reasoning — pattern, rotation, sequence

Qualifying scores and standardisation

Raw scores are age-standardised so younger Year 6 children are not disadvantaged. The qualifying score varies year-on-year but typically sits around 220 (out of 280) for places at the most competitive schools (Camp Hill Girls, Five Ways).

Many children qualify for the consortium but miss out on their first-choice school because catchment and sibling priority kick in. Decide your preference order carefully on the application form.

How to prepare

A structured 12–18 month plan from Year 5 autumn is the comfortable timeline. Start with English and Maths fluency, then introduce VR and NVR question types in Year 5 spring, then mock-paper drilling from January of Year 6.

Avoid two extremes: starting too early (Year 3 burnout) or leaving it to the spring of Year 6 (panic). Our full 11+ preparation timeline explains the realistic schedule.

Honest expectations

Roughly 12–13 children compete for each KE place. Strong preparation puts your child in a position to qualify; it cannot guarantee a specific school. We mark mocks honestly against current cut-offs so families know where they stand.