Birmingham's boys' grammar schools come mostly in pairs, one boys' school and one girls' school sharing a name and a vicinity, with two exceptions: King Edward VI Aston stands alone, and King Edward VI Five Ways is co-educational.
Understanding that structure matters, because in one part of the city it gives a boy two genuine offers to choose between.
How the schools are paired
| Boys' school | Paired girls' school | Area |
|---|---|---|
| King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys | Camp Hill School for Girls | South Birmingham |
| King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys | Handsworth School for Girls | North west Birmingham |
| Bishop Vesey's Grammar School | Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls | Sutton Coldfield |
| King Edward VI Aston | None, it stands alone | North Birmingham |
| King Edward VI Five Ways is co-educational | South west Birmingham | |
The same pattern repeats outside the city. Walsall has Queen Mary's Grammar School for boys and Queen Mary's High School for girls, two separate schools with separate governors and separate admissions.
The north Birmingham advantage: two schools, one score
Here is the part worth knowing, and it is specific to one corner of the city.
A boy living in the vicinity of King Edward VI Aston and King Edward VI Handsworth can be in catchment for both. On a solid score, say in the 220s, that can mean being in genuine contention at two schools rather than one, with the choice between them coming down to the family rather than to the admissions process.
That degree of flexibility does not exist everywhere. In much of the city a boy has one realistic school in catchment, and the decision is made for him. If you are in the north, it is worth understanding that you may be choosing rather than hoping.
The condition, as always, is living in catchment for both. That is the first thing to check, not the last.
Five Ways, and why mixed makes it harder
Five Ways takes boys and girls together, and it is the main co-educational grammar school in Birmingham.
For a lot of families that is exactly what they want, especially those with a son and a daughter who would rather not run two different school runs, two uniforms and two sets of term dates for the next seven years. The predictable consequence is that Five Ways is heavily oversubscribed. Treat it as a competitive choice, not a comfortable one.
What the scores actually mean
All of these schools sit behind one test. the King Edward VI Foundation set a qualifying score of 205 and a priority score of 224 for 2026 entry across its Birmingham schools, and resets both annually.
Clearing 205 means being considered. Where a boy sits in the ranked list, and which catchments his address falls in, decide the rest. Bishop Vesey's sits outside the Foundation and sets its own arrangements, so check that one separately.
Building the list
- Check catchment for every school, by ward. In the north you may be in two.
- Lay the score against it and see what both open together.
- If you are in contention at two, decide on the school, not on the admissions odds.
- Look outside the city. Walsall and Wolverhampton set their own, lower, thresholds.
- Rank truthfully. Under equal preference, order only decides between offers you would have received anyway.
See our catchment guide and our guide to King Edward VI Aston.
See where your child stands today
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In the north, a boy may be choosing rather than hoping
The structure here is worth understanding properly. Most of the grammar schools come as a pair, a boys' school and a girls' school in the same vicinity. Camp Hill has its boys' school and its girls' school separately. Handsworth is the same, two schools, same area. Sutton Coldfield has Bishop Vesey's for boys and Sutton Coldfield Girls. Walsall does exactly the same thing with Queen Mary's. Five Ways is different again, because that is a mixed school, boys and girls together.
Then you have King Edward VI Aston, which is more of a standalone.
And here is the useful part. For a student who lives in that vicinity, Aston and Handsworth are both on the table. Say a boy gets 222. He may have the offer of going to Handsworth or to Aston, and it is entirely his family's choice between them. They have that degree of flexibility, provided they live in the catchment. Not every family in the city has that, and the ones who do often do not realise it.
Mushtaque Ahmed, Founder of GrammarPath and Bright Mentors
Frequently asked questions
Which boys' grammar schools are there in Birmingham?
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys, King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys, King Edward VI Aston and Bishop Vesey's Grammar School in Sutton Coldfield. King Edward VI Five Ways is co-educational and admits boys as well.
Can a boy be in catchment for two Birmingham grammar schools?
Yes, and it is most common in the north of the city. A boy living in the vicinity of King Edward VI Aston and King Edward VI Handsworth can be in catchment for both, which on a solid score can mean being in contention at two schools and choosing between them on their merits.
Is King Edward VI Five Ways mixed?
Yes. Five Ways is co-educational and is the main mixed grammar school in Birmingham, while Camp Hill, Handsworth and Sutton Coldfield run separate boys' and girls' schools. That is part of why Five Ways is so heavily oversubscribed.
Is King Edward VI Aston a standalone school?
Yes. Unlike Camp Hill and Handsworth, which each have a paired girls' school in the same vicinity, King Edward VI Aston has no paired school. It sits in the north of the city and its catchment overlaps usefully with Handsworth's.
What score does a boy need for a Birmingham grammar school?
The King Edward VI Foundation set a qualifying score of 205 and a priority score of 224 for 2026 entry across its Birmingham schools, and resets them annually. Clearing the qualifying score means being considered; catchment and rank order then decide who is actually offered a place. Bishop Vesey's sits outside the Foundation and should be checked separately.