Birmingham and West Midlands 11 Plus Guide
If you are looking at grammar schools in Birmingham, one entrance test covers all of them. The same test is also used by a group of grammar schools in Warwickshire, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Telford and Wrekin. This guide explains how the test works and how the process runs from registration to a school place.
One entrance test for Birmingham and West Midlands grammar schools
The entrance test is run by the West Midlands Grammar Schools group, and the papers are provided by GL Assessment. Your child sits the test once, and the result is used by every member school you apply to.
Grammar schools in Birmingham
- Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
- King Edward VI Aston School
- King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys
- King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
- King Edward VI Five Ways School
- King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys
- King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls
- Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls
Other West Midlands grammar schools that use the same test
- Shropshire, Walsall and Wolverhampton: Haberdashers' Adams, Newport Girls' High School, Queen Mary's Grammar School, Queen Mary's High School and Wolverhampton Girls' High School
- Warwickshire: King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, Lawrence Sheriff School, Rugby High School and Stratford Girls' Grammar School. Alcester Grammar School and Ashlawn School also belong to the group.
Other areas with grammar schools that are not part of the group may have different tests and dates, so check with the relevant local council.
How the Birmingham and West Midlands 11 plus process works
- Register for the test. Registration is online. For the 2026 test it closed at 4pm on Friday 26 June 2026, and late registrations are not accepted. Only children born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 could take the test in 2026, for entry in September 2027.
- Your child sits the test in September. Your allocated test centre sends the details by post.
- The results arrive before 31 October. The West Midlands Grammar Schools group sends them before the national closing date, which is Saturday 31 October 2026.
- Apply on your home council's form. Sitting the test is not the same as asking for a school place. You must also name the school on the application you submit to the council where you pay your council tax. Birmingham City Council advises waiting for your child's result before naming a grammar school as one of your six preferences, because a grammar school that your child cannot get into still takes up one of those six.
- Offers are made on 1 March 2027. A good result does not guarantee a place.
Two tick boxes on the registration form matter. If your child is taking the test for schools in Shropshire, Walsall, Warwickshire or Wolverhampton, you must tick the data-sharing box for the relevant council, or your child will not be offered a place at that school. And if your child is registered for Pupil Premium, you must tick that box when you register, because it cannot be added later.
What is in the Birmingham and West Midlands entrance test?
The test is two papers, each about 50 to 60 minutes long, including time for instructions and example questions. Each paper is divided into short, individually timed sections covering:
- English comprehension
- verbal reasoning
- mathematics
- non-verbal and spatial reasoning
Every question is multiple choice, and children record answers on a separate answer sheet. There is no writing section. Instructions and timings are played from an audio recording, and children cannot go back to an earlier section. Calculators, watches and phones are not allowed.
The results are weighted 50% for English and verbal reasoning, 25% for non-verbal reasoning and 25% for mathematics, and every section is standardised for age, so that younger children are not disadvantaged.
How to prepare for the Birmingham and West Midlands entrance test
- Familiarise your child with each section and the multiple-choice answer sheet. The West Midlands Grammar Schools website includes familiarisation questions.
- Include English comprehension, verbal reasoning and maths in your practice, and non-verbal reasoning if you can, because it carries a quarter of the weighting.
- Keep practice calm and regular, and go through the answers together.
- Birmingham City Council's policy is that primary schools should not coach for the test, so families who want to prepare usually do so at home.
Birmingham and West Midlands practice papers at Meritfy
We offer GL-style practice papers in Maths, English and Verbal Reasoning, with answers. We do not yet offer Non-Verbal or Spatial Reasoning papers, so you may wish to use another resource for that part of the test. See our guide to Birmingham and West Midlands 11 plus practice papers, or browse our practice papers.
Official Birmingham and West Midlands information
For the latest dates, registration and the schools in the group, see:
- West Midlands Grammar Schools: the entrance test
- West Midlands Grammar Schools: partnership schools
- West Midlands Grammar Schools: registration and test centres
- Birmingham City Council: grammar schools in Birmingham
Birmingham and West Midlands 11 plus FAQs
Is there one test for all Birmingham grammar schools? Yes. One entrance test covers all of Birmingham's grammar schools and the member schools outside Birmingham.
Does the test include reasoning? Yes. It includes verbal reasoning and non-verbal and spatial reasoning, as well as English comprehension and maths.
When should I name a grammar school on my application? Birmingham City Council advises waiting for your child's result first. The national closing date is 31 October.
Does a good result guarantee a place? No. Places depend on each school's admissions criteria.