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King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys 11+ admissions
A boys' grammar school in Birmingham, for ages 11 to 18. What the school, the council and the test organisers have published about getting in.
Take the free West Midlands 11+ check
Which test
GL Assessment
West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test. Last confirmed for September 2027 entry. Not yet confirmed for 2028.
Score to qualify
224
Standardised score. September 2027 entry, Priority score route, Admissions policy
Lowest score offered a place
216
Standardised score. September 2026 entry, 5: other applicants, National Offer Day
Catchment, 2027 entry
Catchment is a list of Birmingham wards (Birchfield, Handsworth, Handsworth Wood, Holyhead, Kingstanding, Lozells, Perry Barr and others) plus Smethwick, Soho & Victoria, St Paul's and West Bromwich Central in Sandwell; a map is on the school website.
Year 7 places
150
September 2027 entry
All 8 Birmingham grammar schools
| School | For | Year 7 places | GCSE Attainment 8, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls | Girls | 150 | 80.4 |
| Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls | Girls | – | 79.4 |
| Bishop Vesey's Grammar School | Boys | 192 | 77.1 |
| King Edward VI Five Ways School | Boys and girls | – | 75.9 |
| King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys | Boys | 120 | 75.7 |
| King Edward VI Handsworth School | Girls | 192 | 74.2 |
| King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys | Boys | 150 | 72 |
| King Edward VI Aston School | Boys | 140 | 71.2 |
Compare Birmingham grammar schools: test, scores and results day
Which 11+ test?
- Test
- West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test
- Written by
- GL Assessment
- Which entry year
- Last confirmed for September 2027 entry. Not yet confirmed for 2028.
Test type: GL Assessment. Area test guide: The King Edward VI and partner schools test.
Scores: qualifying and offered
A qualifying score puts a child in the running. It is not an offer. The lowest score offered shows how far down the list places went that year.
Qualifying scores
| Entry | What | Figure | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2027test 2026 | Priority scoreAdmissions policy | 224 standardised score | Priority score route |
| Sept 2027test 2026 | Qualifying scoreAdmissions policy | 205 standardised score | All applicants |
Scores offered a place
- Sept 2023215
- Sept 2024217
- Sept 2025216
- Sept 2026216
Standardised score.
| Entry | What | Figure | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026test 2025 | Lowest score offered a placeNational Offer Day | 216 standardised score | 5: other applicants |
| Sept 2026test 2025 | Lowest score offered a placeNational Offer Day | 216 standardised score | All other applicants (category 5) |
| Sept 2026test 2025 | Lowest score offered a placeNational Offer Day | 211 standardised score | Pupil Premium outside catchment (category 3) |
| Sept 2025test 2024 | Lowest score offered a placeNational Offer Day | 216 standardised score | 5: other applicants |
| Sept 2025test 2024 | Lowest score offered a placeSeptember, after the waiting list | 212 standardised score | 5: other applicants |
| Sept 2024test 2023 | Lowest score offered a placeNational Offer Day | 217 standardised score | 5: other applicants |
| Sept 2024test 2023 | Lowest score offered a placeSeptember, after the waiting list | 213 standardised score | 5: other applicants |
| Sept 2023test 2022 | Lowest score offered a placeNational Offer Day | 215 standardised score | 5: other applicants |
| Sept 2023test 2022 | Lowest score offered a placeSeptember, after the waiting list | 209 standardised score | 5: other applicants |
To see how age changes a standardised score, try the age standardisation calculator.
Catchment and distance
Many grammar schools give priority by where you live. Always check your address against the official policy or map.
- What the policy says
- Catchment is a list of Birmingham wards (Birchfield, Handsworth, Handsworth Wood, Holyhead, Kingstanding, Lozells, Perry Barr and others) plus Smethwick, Soho & Victoria, St Paul's and West Bromwich Central in Sandwell; a map is on the school website.
- Official map or policy
- handsworth.bham.sch.uk
Places and demand
How many Year 7 places there are, and how many children applied or sat the test, as published.
Places
| Entry | What | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 2027 | Published admission number (Year 7 places) | 150 |
Ofsted and GCSE results
- Last graded inspection
- Good, 16 April 2024
- Latest ungraded inspection
- 23 March 2022School remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next
- Reports
- Read the Ofsted reports
GCSE results (DfE)
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | Grade 5+ in English and maths | EBacc average point score | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 to 2025 | 149 | 72 | 96.6% | 6.59 | Not available |
| 2023 to 2024 | 150 | 72 | 93.3% | 6.35 | 0.78 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 149 | 71.4 | 97.3% | 6.34 | 0.61 |
Appeals
A refused school place can be appealed to an independent panel; follow the decision letter and admission authority procedure. An admission appeal is different from asking for a test to be re-marked or for a selection review.
The appeal deadline will be in the offer letter.
Questions parents ask
What 11+ test does King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys use?
GL Assessment. West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test. Last confirmed for September 2027 entry. Not yet confirmed for 2028.
What score do you need for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
Priority score for September 2027 entry (priority score route): 224 standardised score. Lowest score offered a place for September 2026 entry (5: other applicants): 216 standardised score. Past scores do not predict the 2028 score, and a score on the boundary did not always get a place.
How many Year 7 places does King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys have?
Published admission number (Year 7 places): 150 (September 2027 entry).
Does King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys have a catchment area?
Catchment is a list of Birmingham wards (Birchfield, Handsworth, Handsworth Wood, Holyhead, Kingstanding, Lozells, Perry Barr and others) plus Smethwick, Soho & Victoria, St Paul's and West Bromwich Central in Sandwell; a map is on the school website. Always check the full admissions policy before you apply.
Can I appeal if my child is not offered a place at King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
Yes. A refused school place can be appealed to an independent panel; follow the decision letter and admission authority procedure. The deadline is in your offer letter. An appeal about a place is different from asking for a test to be re-marked or reviewed.
Sources
Where each figure on this page comes from.
- ea-edubase-api-prod.azurewebsites.net · School name, address, age range and type (DfE Get Information about Schools) · checked 27 September 2026
- westmidlandsgrammarschools.co.uk · Test provider and format · checked 27 September 2026
- kingedwardvifoundation.co.uk · Qualifying scores, Scores offered a place, Priority score, Qualifying score, Lowest score offered a place · checked 30 October 2026
- kingedwardvifoundation.co.uk · Catchment or priority area, Places, Published admission number (Year 7 places) · checked 30 October 2026
- assets.publishing.service.gov.uk · Ofsted inspections (as at 31 August 2026) · checked 27 September 2026
- explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk · GCSE results 2024 to 2025 (DfE), GCSE results 2023 to 2024 (DfE), GCSE results 2022 to 2023 (DfE) · checked 27 September 2026
- gov.uk · How school admission appeals work · checked 27 September 2026
For anything not shown here, the school's admissions page is the source to trust.