The West Midlands 11+, explained
19 grammar schools. One test. How it works, which schools take part, and the dates to plan around for September 2028 entry.
Last checked: 13 November 2026
If your child is in Year 4 or Year 5, this guide is for you. Every state grammar school in Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Shropshire and Warwickshire uses the same entrance test. Your child sits it once and can then be considered by any of the 19 schools, including our nearest, King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys and King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls. EPS has prepared Birmingham children for the 11+ since 1990, and we check this page against the schools’ own websites.
How the West Midlands 11+ works
The 19 grammar schools form one partnership, West Midlands Grammar Schools, and share one entrance test set by GL Assessment. They sit in three groups, often called consortia:
What this means for you:
- One registration, one test. You register once, in May or June of Year 5, and your child sits the test once, in September of Year 6.
- Share the result. When you register, you tick which groups of schools can see your child’s result. Tick every group you might apply to. Late requests to share are not considered until after offers in March.
- The test is not the application. A result on its own does not give your child a place. You still name your chosen schools on your home council’s secondary school application by 31 October.
- There is no single pass mark. Each school sets its own qualifying score, and the scores change from year to year.
Sources: West Midlands Grammar Schools, King Edward VI Foundation: the test
All 19 grammar schools
All 19 schools use the same test, so one result can count for any of them. Each school name links to its own website, where you will find its admissions policy and open evening dates.
The Grammar Schools in Birmingham 8 schools
| School | Where | Year 7 entry |
|---|---|---|
| Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School | Sutton Coldfield | Boys |
| King Edward VI Aston School | Aston | Boys |
| King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys | Kings Heath | Boys |
| King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls | Kings Heath | Girls |
| King Edward VI Five Ways School | Bartley Green | Boys and girls |
| King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys | Handsworth | Boys |
| King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls | Handsworth | Girls |
| Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls | Sutton Coldfield | Girls |
Shropshire, Walsall and Wolverhampton 5 schools
| School | Where | Year 7 entry |
|---|---|---|
| Haberdashers’ Adams | Newport, Shropshire | Boys and girls (boarding for boys) |
| Newport Girls’ High School | Newport, Shropshire | Girls |
| Queen Mary’s Grammar School | Walsall | Boys |
| Queen Mary’s High School | Walsall | Girls |
| Wolverhampton Girls’ High School | Wolverhampton | Girls |
Warwickshire 6 schools
| School | Where | Year 7 entry |
|---|---|---|
| Alcester Grammar School | Alcester | Boys and girls |
| Ashlawn School | Rugby | Boys and girls (one selective class) |
| King Edward VI School | Stratford‑upon‑Avon | Boys |
| Lawrence Sheriff School | Rugby | Boys |
| Rugby High School | Rugby | Girls |
| Stratford Girls’ Grammar School | Stratford‑upon‑Avon | Girls |
Several boys’ and girls’ schools take both in the sixth form; the column above is for Year 7. Haberdashers’ Adams has taken girls into Year 7 since September 2024.
Sources: West Midlands Grammar Schools: partnership schools, Birmingham City Council, Warwickshire County Council, Haberdashers’ Adams admissions policy 2027 to 2028, King Edward VI Aston admissions policy, King Edward VI Five Ways history
Key dates
Children in Year 5 now (born 1 September 2016 to 31 August 2017) sit the test in September 2027 for a Year 7 place in September 2028. The schools have not published exact dates yet. Going by this year’s timetable, plan around these:
September 2028 entry Expected
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Early May 2027 | Registration opens. Warwickshire opens on 7 May each year. |
| Mid June 2027 | Last day to ask for reasonable adjustments for the test |
| Late June 2027 | Registration closes. Warwickshire closes on 30 June. Birmingham does not allow late registration. |
| September 2027 | The test (exact date to be confirmed) |
| By mid October 2027 | Results |
| 31 October 2027 | Applications to your home council close (national deadline) |
| 1 March 2028 | National offer day |
We will update this table as soon as the schools confirm their dates.
September 2027 entry Confirmedfor reference
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 5 May 2026 | Registration opened (Warwickshire: Thursday 7 May) |
| Friday 12 June 2026, 4pm | Deadline for reasonable adjustments requests |
| Friday 26 June 2026, 4pm | Registration closed (Warwickshire: Tuesday 30 June, 4pm) |
| Saturday 12 September 2026 | The test, in morning and afternoon sessions. Warwickshire also tested on Sunday 13 September, and some centres, including Newport Girls’ High School, on Monday 14 September. |
| Friday 16 October 2026 | Results |
| Saturday 31 October 2026 | Council applications closed |
| Monday 1 March 2027 | National offer day |
Sources: King Edward VI Foundation timeline, Birmingham City Council, Warwickshire County Council, Stratford Girls’ Grammar School, Rugby High School, Newport Girls’ High School, Queen Mary’s High School
From Year 3 to offer day: when to do what
The 11+ is a two year run up, and the busiest months are May to September of Year 5 into Year 6. Here is the order, with where EPS fits in.
- With EPS
Years 3 and 4: build the foundations.
Maths, English and reasoning skills grow steadily with weekly practice. Most EPS pupils start with us in Year 3, in the same GL style the real test uses.
- With EPS
Year 5, autumn to spring: full 11+ preparation.
Children joining EPS in Year 5 sit our assessment first, so we know where to start.
Spring and early summer of Year 5: visit schools.
Schools hold open events in this window. Check each school’s website from the table above.
May to June of Year 5: register for the test.
Register on time, tick every group of schools you might apply to, and ask for any reasonable adjustments before the earlier deadline in June.
- With EPS
May to August of Year 5: mock exams.
Mocks under real exam conditions get children used to the timing, the answer sheet and the exam hall. EPS mock exams run on nine Sundays from 9 May to 22 August 2027 in Walsall.
September of Year 6: the test.
Keep the whole day free until you know your session.
October of Year 6: results, then apply.
Results arrive by mid October. Name your schools on your home council’s application by 31 October.
1 March of Year 6: offers.
Your home council tells you which school has offered a place.
How to register, step by step
Registration is done online. Miss the June deadline and your child may not be able to sit the test with everyone else.
Go to the West Midlands Grammar Schools website while registration is open.
Enter your home postcode and whether your child is a boy or a girl.
The site sends you to the right registration form for where you live. Warwickshire families register through Warwickshire County Council. You cannot choose your test centre.
Have a photo ready.
A recent colour head and shoulders photo of your child is uploaded with the form. It does not need to be a passport photo.
Tick every group of schools you might apply to.
This shares your child’s result with Birmingham, Shropshire, Walsall and Wolverhampton, and Warwickshire schools as you choose.
Ask for adjustments early.
If your child needs reasonable adjustments, the deadline comes about two weeks before registration closes. If you need a different test day for religious reasons, send a letter from your religious leader before registration closes.
Wait for your test details.
You will be told your child’s test centre and session over the summer.
Sources: King Edward VI Foundation: the test, Queen Mary’s Grammar School, Warwickshire County Council
What is in the test
The test is two multiple choice papers set by GL Assessment, each about 50 to 60 minutes including instructions and example questions. Each paper is split into short, separately timed sections.
- Answers go on a separate answer sheet. There is no written or creative writing task in this test. If you are also applying to an independent school, its own exam may include one: see below.
- Scores are adjusted for age, so a child born in August is not at a disadvantage against one born in September. Standardised scores sit around a middle score of 200.
- There is no fixed pass mark. Each school or group sets its qualifying score, and it can change each year. For example, the King Edward VI schools in Birmingham set a qualifying score of 205 and a priority score of 224 for 2025 entry, and Wolverhampton Girls’ High School offered all 180 places for 2026 entry to girls scoring 208 or above.
- Free practice material: the familiarisation guide on the West Midlands Grammar Schools website shows the question styles.
EPS mock exams follow this format: two 55 minute GL style papers, answered on a separate multiple choice answer sheet, in an exam hall.
See our mock examsSources: West Midlands Grammar Schools: the entrance test, Queen Mary’s High School, King Edward VI Five Ways admissions, Wolverhampton Girls’ High School
Applying to an independent school as well?
The grammar school test has no writing. Independent schools set their own entrance exams, though, and several near Birmingham include a piece of writing in the English paper. If your child is sitting one of these as well, writing practice matters.
| School | What the exam includes | Exam for 2027 entry |
|---|---|---|
| King Edward VI High School for GirlsGirls, Edgbaston | One English and one maths paper. The English paper tests reading and writing, and past papers have included creative writing. | Friday 2 October 2026 |
| King Edward’s SchoolBoys, Edgbaston | Two one hour papers, English and maths. The English paper has a comprehension and a piece of continuous writing. | Saturday 3 October 2026 |
| King Henry VIII SchoolBoys and girls, Coventry | Papers in English comprehension, English composition and maths. | Saturday 17 October 2026 |
| Solihull SchoolBoys and girls, Solihull | English, maths, and verbal and non‑verbal reasoning, then an interview. The English paper ends with a creative, descriptive or original piece of writing, from a choice of titles. | Saturday 7 November 2026 |
| Wolverhampton Grammar SchoolBoys and girls, Wolverhampton | Online English, maths and verbal reasoning tests, plus a creative writing task. | Saturday 28 November 2026 or Saturday 16 January 2027 |
Each independent school has its own application, separate from grammar school registration, and several close in September of Year 6, a couple of weeks after the grammar school test. The dates above are for September 2027 entry; check each school’s website for September 2028 dates.
King Edward’s School and King Edward VI High School for Girls belong to the same foundation as the King Edward VI grammar schools, but they set their own exam and are not part of the grammar school test. Wolverhampton Grammar School is also independent, despite its name.
Register your interest for 2027
This year we ran a creative writing course close to exam time for pupils sitting these exams. We will run it again in 2027. Leave your details and we will be in touch before classes start.
Prefer email? Write to info@epstutorialservices.com with the subject “Creative writing course 2027”.
We only use these details to contact you about this course, and you can ask us to remove them at any time. See our privacy policy.
After the test
The result tells you whether your child qualifies; the place comes through your council’s application and offer day.
- Results: sent by mid October. A result is not an offer of a place.
- Apply by 31 October: complete your home council’s secondary school application (the council you pay Council Tax to) and name the grammar schools you want, in order of preference.
- Offers: your council writes to you on 1 March, or the next working day.
- Waiting lists and appeals: if your child qualifies but is not offered a place, ask to join the school’s waiting list. Each school runs its own, and you have the right to appeal.
- Missed registration? Birmingham does not take late registrations. Some other schools accept late applications in certain circumstances and run a late test; Queen Mary’s High School, for example, holds one on Tuesday 2 March 2027. A late result may not count at other schools, so ask each school directly.
Sources: King Edward VI Foundation timeline, Birmingham City Council, Queen Mary’s High School, Newport Girls’ High School
Questions parents ask
Is the test different for Birmingham, Walsall and Warwickshire?
No. All 19 schools use the same test, so one result can be shared with every group you tick when you register.
Do we have to live near the school?
Any child in the right year group can register, wherever you live. Many schools give priority to families inside a set area, though, so read each school’s admissions policy before you choose.
Can we choose where our child sits the test?
No. The test centre is allocated from your home address.
Can my child sit the test more than once?
No. Each child sits the entrance test once.
What score does my child need?
There is no fixed pass mark. Each school sets its own qualifying score, some before the test and some after, and it can change each year. The section above gives recent examples.
When should we start preparing?
Most EPS pupils start with us in Year 3, which gives time to build skills without rushing. Children who join in Year 5 can still do well; the pace is simply quicker.
Are mock exams worth it?
The real test is timed, multiple choice and sat in an unfamiliar room. Mocks let children practise all three before the day that counts, and the results show where to focus.
Sources: Warwickshire County Council, King Edward VI Foundation: the test, Stratford Girls’ Grammar School
Getting ready for the 11+?
Weekly classes from Year 3 at our centre in Handsworth Wood, and mock exams in real exam conditions in Walsall.
Where this information comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the schools’ and councils’ own websites. Last checked 13 November 2026.
- West Midlands Grammar Schools: home and registration
- West Midlands Grammar Schools: partnership schools
- West Midlands Grammar Schools: the entrance test
- King Edward VI Foundation: the test
- King Edward VI Foundation: timeline for 2027 entry
- Birmingham City Council: grammar schools
- Birmingham City Council: apply for a grammar school entry test
- Warwickshire County Council: grammar schools
- Warwickshire County Council: the 11+ test
- Warwickshire County Council: registering
- Queen Mary’s Grammar School: September 2027 entry
- Queen Mary’s High School: September 2027 entry
- Newport Girls’ High School: entrance test
- Wolverhampton Girls’ High School: 2026 entry
- Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls: Year 7 admissions
- Stratford Girls’ Grammar School: admissions
- Rugby High School: 11+
- Haberdashers’ Adams: admissions policy 2027 to 2028
- Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School: proposed admissions 2027
- King Edward VI Five Ways: admissions
- King Edward VI High School for Girls: entrance exams
- King Edward’s School: entrance exams
- King Henry VIII School: how to apply
- Solihull School: entrance exams
- Solihull School: application dates
- Wolverhampton Grammar School: entrance tests
