West Midlands grammar schools are state schools. There are no fees, and the running costs are the same as any other state secondary.
Two things surprise families: there is no such thing as a scholarship, and there is more support available than most people ask about.
They are state schools
All nineteen partnership schools are maintained or academy state schools, funded publicly and overseen by their local authority or trust. Selection is by ability, not by payment.
So if you are weighing a grammar school against an independent school, you are comparing a free place with one costing over £22,000 a year. See our guide to independent school fees.
What you will actually pay for
| Cost | Roughly | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Uniform | Low hundreds to start | Blazer, tie, PE kit. Same as any state school |
| Travel | Varies enormously | The biggest variable, see below |
| School meals | Daily | Or packed lunch |
| Equipment | Modest, annual | Calculator, stationery, perhaps a device |
| Trips | Occasional | Curriculum trips are often cheap, residentials are not |
Nothing in that list is specific to a grammar school. It is the ordinary cost of secondary school.
There are no scholarships, and none are needed
Families ask about scholarships regularly, usually having read something about independent schools and assumed it transfers.
It does not. There are no scholarships at these grammar schools because the place itself is free. There are no fees to reduce. A high score wins a place, not a discount.
Scholarships and bursaries belong to the independent sector, where King Edward's School offers means-tested assisted places with an income threshold.
The support nobody asks about
This is the part worth acting on, and it is quietly significant.
Families on lower incomes, and pupil premium children in particular, are often entitled to help that is not advertised. Schools commonly offer some combination of:
- Free school meals, where eligible.
- A uniform grant or allowance.
- Technology, a laptop or tablet for schoolwork.
- Help with travel costs.
- Support with trips, sometimes covering them entirely.
It varies by school and it is rarely volunteered, so ask. Ask the school office directly what support exists for a pupil premium family. The worst answer is none, and very often it is not none.
See our guide to pupil premium.
Travel is the real variable
Everything above is broadly fixed. Travel is not, and it is where the genuine cost sits.
A child walking to a local comprehensive costs nothing. A child taking two buses to Walsall costs money every day for five years, and hours a week besides.
Before accepting an out-of-area place, price the journey for a full year and do it once at the right time of morning. That number, and that experience, matter more than anything else on this page.
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Ask about the support. It is rarely offered
Most of these grammar schools are maintained schools, maintained by the council, like the King Edward schools. So yes there are costs for uniform, just like any other state school or comprehensive. The cost is pretty much the same as a normal state school.
And there are no special scholarships for students going to a grant maintained grammar school. People ask about that a lot and the answer is no, because there is nothing to pay in the first place.
What does exist, and what families do not ask about, is the support for those on a lower threshold or for a pupil premium child. The school normally covers something: meals, technology or a gadget for their work, sometimes uniform. They do get an allowance of some sort. So ask, because nobody is going to come and tell you.
Mushtaque Ahmed, Founder of GrammarPath and Bright Mentors
Frequently asked questions
Do you pay fees for a grammar school?
No. West Midlands grammar schools are state schools, so there are no fees. Selection is by ability rather than payment, and the running costs are the same as any other state secondary.
Are there scholarships for grammar schools?
No, and none are needed, because the place itself is free and there are no fees to reduce. Scholarships and bursaries belong to the independent sector, where King Edward's School offers means-tested assisted places.
What does a grammar school place actually cost?
Uniform in the low hundreds to start, school meals, modest equipment, occasional trips, and travel. None of that is specific to a grammar school: it is the ordinary cost of secondary school, with travel as the main variable.
Is there financial help for grammar school costs?
Often, particularly for pupil premium families, and it is rarely advertised. Schools commonly help with meals, a uniform grant, technology for schoolwork, travel and trips. Ask the school office directly, because the support is seldom volunteered.
What is the biggest cost of a grammar school place?
Travel, by a distance. Everything else is broadly fixed, but a daily journey to an out-of-area school costs money every day for five years plus hours a week. Price a full year of it before accepting a place.