Home›Schools›King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys Know exactly where your child stands for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys
Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
Thousands of practice questions and up to 6 mock papers, all in the exact King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys 11+ format, on one simple plan. It starts with a free diagnostic.
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys is a boys' grammar school in the West Midlands. Entry is via the GL 11+ entrance test, and there is no interview stage. The school has a designated catchment area, which is applied as part of the oversubscription criteria.
If your son is the sort who likes to know where he stands and who's watching out for him, Handsworth is a grammar where staff make a point of knowing each boy well. Parents tend to call it the most supportive of the Birmingham grammars, with the form tutor at the centre of how that works in practice. The Good Schools Guide describes a high-achieving, caring school with a strong community feel, the kind of place that draws experienced, kind staff and keeps them. Community, aspiration, respect, endeavour and service sit at the front of everything it does.
The history runs deep, and the boys carry it with some pride. Founded in 1862, it is the oldest surviving selective school in Birmingham, and one boy was quick to point that out. It joined the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in 2017 and took its present name then, teaching boys from 11 to 16 with a co-educational sixth form in Handsworth. Music is a genuine strength, with three concerts a year and a busy round of orchestra, choir, jazz band and ensembles. For an inner-city grammar it is surprisingly sporty too, with a strong football heritage and recent county cricket honours.
Now led by headteacher Mr Tim Johnson, Handsworth suits a scholarly, motivated boy who will enjoy a close community where staff know him by name and expect a lot of him. It rewards a family that wants warm pastoral care sitting right alongside strong academics, and a grammar where a boy can feel both stretched and looked after.
Key facts
Admissions
Admissions contact
enquiry@hgs.kevibham.org
Admissions phone
0121 554 2794
Registration form
https://westmidlandsgrammarschools.co.uk/
Sibling policy
What this school tests
West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test
English
- Reading Comprehension - Comparison
- Reading Comprehension - Evaluation
- Reading Comprehension - Grammar and punctuation
- Reading Comprehension - Inference and Deduction
- Reading Comprehension - Information Retrieval
- Reading Comprehension - Language Techniques and Imagery
- Reading Comprehension - Sentence-level Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension - Sequencing
- Reading Comprehension - Structure, Form, Voice and Tone
- Reading Comprehension - Summarising
- Reading Comprehension - Text Classification and Purpose
- Reading Comprehension - Types of Words and Phrases
- Reading Comprehension - Word Meaning / Choice
Maths
- Algebra
- Angles and Degrees
- BIDMAS
- Coordinate Grids
- Estimation and Rounding
- Factors and Multiples
- Fractions, Decimals and Percentages
- Magic squares
- Measurement
- Money
- Number and Place Value
- Number Walls
- Operations
- Perimeter, Area and Volume
- Position and Direction
- Properties of Shapes
- Ratio and Proportion
- Reflection, Rotation and Symmetry
- Sequences
- Special Numbers
- Speed, Distance and Time
- Statistics
- Time
Non-verbal Reasoning
- Extended Figure Series
- Figure Analogies
- Figure Matrices
- Figure Operations
- Figure Series
- Grid Matrices
- Horizontal Codes
- Most Like Three Figures
- Most Like Two Figures
- Odd Figure Out
- Star Matrices
- Triangle Matrices
- Triangle Series
- Vertical Codes
Spatial Reasoning
- 2D Rotations
- Block Counting
- Combining Shapes
- Fold and Punch
- Folding Cubes
- Hidden Shapes
- Missing Face of Cube
- Shape Completion
Verbal Reasoning
- Anagrams
- Compound Words
- Embedded Words
- Form a Word
- Insert a Letter
- Letter Analogies
- Letter Calculations
- Letter Codes
- Letter Grids
- Letter Sequences
- Move 1 / 2 Letters
- Number Analogies
- Number Calculations
- Number Sequences
- Related Words
- Rhyming Synonyms
- Shuffled Sentences
- Synonyms
- Word / Logic Puzzles
- Word Analogies
- Word Completion
- Word Match
- Word Opposites
- Word Pairs
- Word Relationships
- Words and Codes
Catchment area
Does King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys have a catchment area?
Yes, it has a designated catchment area covering wards across Birmingham and Sandwell. Entry is by the 11+ entrance test score first; the catchment is used as part of the oversubscription criteria.
Selection review and safety net
Previous exam results
GCSE results
In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 72 across their GCSEs. 96.6% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 51% achieved the English Baccalaureate at grade 5 or above.
Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
A-level results
In 2025 students achieved a B average grade per A-Level entry. 31.3% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects.
Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
Frequently asked questions
What exam board does King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys use for the 11+?
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys uses the GL exam board for its 11+ entrance test.
Does King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys interview 11+ applicants?
No, there is no interview stage as part of the 11+ admissions process for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys.
What is the gender intake for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys is a single-sex school for boys.
Does King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys have a catchment area?
Yes, the school has a designated catchment area covering wards across Birmingham and Sandwell. This is used as part of the oversubscription criteria after the 11+ test score.
What is the official website for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
The official website for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys is https://www.handsworth.bham.sch.uk/.
What type of school is King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys is a grammar school.
How do you get a place at King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
Your son first needs to reach the required standard in the King Edward VI Foundation entrance test, which covers verbal, numerical and non-verbal reasoning. Places are then offered in priority order: looked-after and previously looked-after boys first, then boys on Pupil Premium in catchment (up to a quarter of places, extending outside catchment if needed), then boys in catchment who reach the priority score, with siblings given preference, then all remaining boys by test score. A boy with an EHCP naming the school is admitted first. There's no fixed pass mark; it depends on demand each year.
What happens if my child is ill on 11+ test day at King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
If your son has a disability or specific need, you can request reasonable adjustments such as extra time. Complete the additional form by 12 June 2026 with medical evidence and information from his primary school; an independent panel then decides. The entrance test is run by the King Edward VI Foundation across its grammar schools, and the policy doesn't set out a separate procedure for a boy who is ill on the test day itself. If that happens, contact the Foundation's admissions department as early as you can.
Location
https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2428.5922157349128!2d-1.9333883999999995!3d52.5046208!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x4870bd27f0778929%3A0x5b37f4e4928e9442!2sKing%20Edward%20VI%20Handsworth%20Grammar%20School%20For%20Boys!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1780592674111!5m2!1sen!2suk
