King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys 11+ guide
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October 9, 2026
Atom Learning is partnered with King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys. You can read more about our partnership here.
Applying to King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys for September 2028? This guide covers the West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test, the qualifying score, how the 150 Year 7 places are allocated and the key dates for September 2028 entry.
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys 11+ at a glance
School type: boys' grammar school
Location: Handsworth, Birmingham
Number of places in Year 7: 150 (2027-entry figure — King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys confirms each year's admission number in its determined arrangements, published the spring before entry.)
Qualifying score: 205 for 2027 entry, the qualifying score for all the Birmingham grammar schools. A higher priority score (224 for 2027 entry) gives extra priority to children in the catchment area. Both scores for 2028 entry are published before the test.
Catchment or priority area: yes — named electoral wards (see below)
Source: King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys Admission Policy September 2027. Last checked October 2026.
Key dates for September 2028 entry
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys confirms its exact dates in the spring before each cycle. The windows below follow the 2027-entry timetable: registration ran from 5 May 2026 to 4pm on Friday 26 June 2026, the test took place on Saturday 12 September 2026 and results were due on Friday 16 October 2026. We'll update this page as soon as the school publishes its 2028-entry dates.
Key dates for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys 11+ entry in September 2028, with expected windows where the school has not yet confirmed exact dates.
Date
What happens
Early May 2027
Test registration expected to open on the West Midlands Grammar Schools website
Mid-June 2027
Deadline for requesting reasonable adjustments expected
Late June 2027
Test registration expected to close (4pm)
Mid-September 2027
Entrance test, usually on a Saturday
Mid-October 2027
Test results expected
Sunday 31 October 2027
Deadline to apply for secondary school places through your home local authority. This date falls on a Sunday.
Wednesday 1 March 2028
National offer day for secondary school places
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How to apply to King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys is selective, so your child needs to sit the 11+ test to be considered for a place.
Register your child for the test on the West Midlands Grammar Schools website during the registration window.
Once you have your child's result, you apply by naming King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys on your common application form, which goes to your home local authority. For September 2028 entry the deadline is Sunday 31 October 2027. As it falls on a Sunday, you may find it easier to submit your form in the days before.
Reaching the qualifying score makes your child eligible, but it doesn't guarantee a place. If more qualifying children apply than there are places, the school uses its oversubscription criteria, set out further down this page.
What will my child be tested on?
The West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test is shared by 19 grammar schools across Birmingham, Shropshire, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Warwickshire. King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys is one of the King Edward VI grammar schools in Birmingham. Your child only needs to sit the test once to be considered for any of the partnership schools.
The test is provided by GL Assessment. Your child sits two papers, each about 50 to 60 minutes long including instructions and example questions. Each paper covers English comprehension, verbal reasoning, maths and non-verbal or spatial reasoning. All questions are multiple choice, and answers go on a separate answer sheet.
Marks are weighted 50% for English and verbal reasoning, 25% for maths and 25% for non-verbal reasoning. Scores are then standardised for age, so younger children in the year group aren't at a disadvantage.
The test is held on a Saturday in September, with morning and afternoon sessions. If your child can't sit a test on a Saturday for religious reasons, the King Edward VI Academy Trust can arrange another day.
How are places allocated at King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
If more children reach the qualifying standard than there are 150 Year 7 places, King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys offers places in the order below. This order comes from the school's admissions policy for 2027/28. The school sets its 2028-entry policy separately, and we'll update this table if anything changes.
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys oversubscription criteria in priority order, from the 2027/28 admissions policy.
Priority
Who it covers
First
Boys whose education, health and care plan (EHCP) names the school are admitted
1
Looked after and previously looked after boys who reach the qualifying score, ranked by test score and then by distance from the school
2
Boys eligible for Pupil Premium who reach the qualifying score and live in the catchment area, ranked by distance from the school
3
If fewer than 25% of places go to category 2, Pupil Premium boys who reach the qualifying score and live outside the catchment area, ranked by test score, until 25% of places have been offered
4
Boys who reach the higher priority score and live in the catchment area, with those who have an older brother or sister at the school first, then by distance
5
All other boys who reach the qualifying score, ranked by test score
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Pupil Premium places in categories 2 and 3 together make up 25% of places, rounded to the nearest whole number. A child counts as Pupil Premium if they meet the government's criteria and their primary school receives Pupil Premium funding for them at the time of the test. In categories 3 and 5, where scores are equal, a brother or sister at the school comes first, then distance.
Does King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys have a catchment area?
The catchment area is made up of home addresses in these electoral wards. Birmingham: Birchfield, Edgbaston, Handsworth, Handsworth Wood, Holyhead, Kingstanding, Ladywood, Lozells, Newtown, North Edgbaston, Oscott, Perry Barr, Soho & Jewellery Quarter; Sandwell: Smethwick, Soho & Victoria, St Paul's, West Bromwich Central. The school also publishes a catchment area map.
Distance is measured in a straight line from your home to the school's front gates. If two applicants still can't be separated, the local authority uses computerised random selection for the final place.
If you don't live close to the school, it's worth thinking about how your child will get there every day. How long will the journey take? What transport options are available? Will they be travelling independently or with support?
A longer or more complex journey can affect your child's daily routine, including how much time they have for homework, rest and after-school activities. It's a good idea to think about how manageable the school run will be and whether it will work for your family day to day.
How can I help my child prepare for the test?
The West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here's how you can help your son prepare for test day.
Stay on track with a clear plan
One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation is knowing what to focus on, when, and how to make steady progress without it taking over family life.
A clear, structured plan helps your son feel less overwhelmed and more in control. It ensures he builds skills in the right order, covers everything he needs, and avoids last-minute cramming.
Atom's exam plan makes this easier. Enter your son's target schools and exam dates, and we'll create a personalised weekly plan tailored to the topics he'll be tested on. It shows him what to work on and when, adapts as he improves, and helps him build progress in a calm, manageable way — little and often.
That means less guesswork for you, less stress for him, and a clearer path all the way to exam day.
Build smart exam technique
As your son's knowledge grows, practice tests can help him feel more comfortable with the real exam format.
Atom's 11+ practice papers are built to match the format, timing and question styles of real 11+ exams. They're also unlimited — you can download the same paper again and again, and your son will get new questions each time. This helps him practise without repeating the same content.
We've made marking easy for you, too. Simply photograph your son's answer sheets and upload them to Atom. The papers are marked instantly, showing your son's standardised age score (SAS), where he's doing well, and what he should focus on next. You'll also learn how he compares to other children applying to the same school.
Encourage regular reading
Strong reading skills play a big role in 11+ preparation.
Encourage your son to read every day, even for just 10–15 minutes. The key is variety. Mix fiction and non-fiction, different genres, and a range of authors. This helps him become more confident in understanding tone, purpose, and meaning across different texts.
Over time, regular reading will broaden his vocabulary, improve comprehension and inference, and build confidence in tackling unseen texts.
When you're supporting your son through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing he's moving in the right direction — not just how he scored on a single test.
Atom's progress tracking gives you a clear, simple picture of how your son is doing in each topic and the direction he's moving in. You can see where he's on track, where he might need more practice, and spot progress as it happens.
That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady, and focus on what matters most: consistent improvement, not just one-off results.
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Take control of your child’s 11+ preparation.
Not sure if your child is on track for the grammar school 11+? You don’t need to guess what to cover or whether they’re ready. Atom shows you exactly what to practise each week and how they’re performing, so you can stay ahead of the process without the stress.
