The best grammar schools in Birmingham

What are grammar schools?

A grammar school is a secondary school in the UK that admits pupils based on their academic ability. All children applying for a place at a grammar school will need to sit an entrance exam in Year 6 – the pupils with the highest scores are then eligible for a place in Year 7.

You do not need to pay school fees if your child attends a grammar school. Grammar schools are funded by the state (government) and are the only state-funded secondary schools in England that can select their pupils based on their academic ability.

Children applying for a grammar school in Birmingham take the 11 plus test. All of the grammar schools in the area use the same exam, which is set by a consortium called the Grammar Schools in Birmingham.

Guide to the Birmingham 11 plus

1. King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys

©crowdfunder.co.uk

King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys was founded in 1883 close to the city centre, and moved to the popular suburb of Kings Heath in 1956 because the original site was proving too small for a growing school. Ranked the 18th best state secondary school in the UK, it has been consistently judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, who recognised the school for its ‘relentless pursuit of excellence in all aspects’. The Sunday Times has named it the ‘West Midlands State Secondary School of the Decade’.

Headteacher Russell Bowen states the school’s vision is one of a caring and inclusive community where everyone can do and be their best. As well as high-quality teaching and impressive exam results, the school boasts an extensive range of extracurricular activities and careers opportunities related to architecture, engineering, law and medicine.

• Town: Birmingham

• Local council: Birmingham City Council

• Gender: boys 11–18

• Number of pupils: 1,000+

• GCSE results (2022): 92.3% A*/A/9/8/7

• A level results (2022): 88.6% A*–B

• National rank for state secondary schools: 18

How to apply to King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys

2. Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls

©suttcold.bham.sch.uk

Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls is a selective state grammar school with academy status, northeast of Birmingham. Founded in 1929, it is a partner school to Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, a local boys’ grammar school. The school’s vision is for all pupils to have a love of learning, a positive, independent and resilient approach with a strong sense of community.

There is an excellent programme of pastoral care, underpinning the school’s welcoming and supportive atmosphere. The headteacher, Dr Barbara Minards, emphasises a growth mindset where students are encouraged to see the value of effort, overcome difficulties, and take responsibility for their learning. Students are encouraged to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities including STEM opportunities, sports competitions and arts experiences.

• Town: Birmingham

• Local council: Birmingham City Council

• Gender: girls 11–18

• Number of pupils: 1,200+

• GCSE results (2022): 87.3% A*/A/9/8/7

• A level results (2022): 90% A*–B

• National rank for state secondary schools: 22

How to apply to Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls

3. King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls

©kechg.org.uk

The third-highest rated state secondary school in Birmingham is the equivalent girls’ school, which shares a campus with the boys’ school above. Rated as the 27th overall state secondary school in the UK, Camp Hill Girls is described as a forward-thinking, selective state grammar school with academy status. In 2021, Ofsted rated the school ‘outstanding’, and described it as an ‘inspirational’ and ‘exceptional’ environment where pupils flourish.

The headteacher, Karen Stevens, emphasises the level of pastoral care at this culturally rich and diverse school. Camp Hill Girls specialises in languages, mathematics and computing, and boasts fantastic specialist facilities, including eleven science labs, dedicated computer suites, an environmental geography hub, an art and design centre, fitness suite and swimming pool.

• Town: Birmingham

• Local council: Birmingham City Council

• Gender: girls 11–18

• Number of pupils: 1,000+

• GCSE results (2022): 90.3% A*/A/9/8/7

• A level results (2022): 84.9% A*–B

• National rank for state secondary schools: 27

How to apply to King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls

4. King Edward VI Five Ways School

©kefw.org

King Edward VI Five Ways School, founded in 1883, is the highest-ranked co-educational grammar school in Birmingham and is rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted. The school is located on the southwestern edge of the city and offers outstanding facilities following a major building programme. The latest additions to the 32-acre site include specialist rooms for the humanities, creative arts and food technology, a multi-purpose sports complex including dance studios and a swimming pool, and a new music school complete with recording facilities.

The school's vision is to educate able young people from all backgrounds and prepare them for life within a friendly, caring and stimulating community. There is a clearly defined family ethos, underpinned by a strong student leadership team who lead the student body and act as ambassadors for the school.

• Town: Birmingham

• Local council: Birmingham City Council

• Gender: boys and girls 11–18

• Number of pupils: 1,100+

• GCSE results (2022): 85% A*/A/9/8/7

• A level results (2022): 84% A*–B

• National rank for state secondary schools: 42

5. Bishop Vesey's Grammar School

©wikipedia.org

Bishop Vesey's Grammar School was founded in 1527 and provides an academically-selective education to boys aged 11–18, and girls aged 16–18, in Sutton Coldfield. The school celebrates its multi-ethnic student body and, as a UNICEF Rights Respecting School working towards a Silver Equality Award, is committed to ensuring equality of experience in every aspect of school life.

The school aspires to provide inspiration and excellence to able boys and girls from across the West Midlands. There is a vibrant extracurricular offering, with activities including botany, creative writing, stock market exchange, astrophysics, coding, sports, music and drama. Academic results are consistently high and the school has an excellent record of university success, with around 70% of leavers going to study at Russell Group universities and a few to Oxbridge and Ivy League colleges.

• Town: Sutton Coldfield

• Local council: Birmingham City Council

• Gender: boys 11–18, mixed sixth form

• Number of pupils: 1,300+

• GCSE results (2022): 75% A*/A/9/8/7

• A level results (2022): 86.9% A*–B

• National rank for state secondary schools: 49

How to get into a grammar school in Birmingham

If you would like your child to be considered for a place in Year 7 at a Birmingham grammar school, they will need to pass the 11 plus test. All of the grammar schools in Birmingham use the same test, administered by GL Assessment – which means that your child will only need to take the test once, regardless of how many grammar schools in the area they are applying for.

The 11 plus exam is taken in September when your child is in Year 6. Children sit two papers which assess English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning.

Birmingham 11 plus