Only as a tie-breaker, and only at some schools. A sibling at the school will never get your child in on a lower score.
This is one of the biggest differences between grammar school admissions and the non-selective system most families are used to, and it surprises almost everyone.
What the policy actually says
King Edward VI Handsworth's determined admissions policy separates places into categories, and siblings appear inside those categories rather than above them.
- In the pupil premium out-of-catchment category, applicants are ranked by test score, and "where scores are equal, priority will be given to those with a sibling at the school", then by distance.
- In the qualifying score category, the same rule applies: ranked by test score, siblings used to separate equal scores, then distance.
- In the priority score and catchment category, applicants "will be given priority if they have an older sibling at the school", then ranked by distance.
So in most categories a sibling only separates children who are already tied. In the in-catchment priority score category it does a little more, ranking ahead of distance. In none of them does it substitute for the score.
It is not the same at every school
| School | Sibling provision |
|---|---|
| King Edward VI schools | Tie-break on equal scores; ranks ahead of distance in one category |
| Bishop Vesey's Grammar School | Tie-breaker only |
| Newport Girls' High School | No sibling provision at all |
Newport Girls' High School is the clearest case. Its policy states there is no provision for the admittance of siblings. The only exception is narrow: where twins or triplets hold the same standardised score and one would miss out because the admission number has been reached, the school will admit above its number to keep them together.
Who counts as a sibling
The definition is tighter than families assume, and it is worth checking before you rely on it.
At the King Edward VI schools, siblings are children who live at the same address and either have one or both natural parents in common, are related by a parent's marriage, or are adopted or fostered by a common parent.
Two conditions there. Same address, and a qualifying relationship. A cousin does not count, and nor does a half-sibling living elsewhere.
What to expect, honestly
If you have an older child at a grammar school and a younger one sitting the test, plan as though the sibling link counts for nothing. Then treat it as a small bonus if two children end up tied.
Families who assume otherwise make two mistakes. They aim lower in preparation than they should, and they rank the sibling's school first on the form out of a sense of entitlement rather than preference. Neither helps.
What actually decides it is the score and the catchment, in that order, exactly as it did for the first child. See our guide to catchment and our guide to ranking preferences.
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Plan as though it counts for nothing
This is one of the biggest surprises for families coming into the grammar system, because everywhere else in state admissions a sibling is a powerful criterion. Here it is usually just a tie-break, and at some schools it does not exist at all.
The reason is that selection comes first. The score and the catchment sort children into categories, and the sibling link only does any work once two children are already level. It cannot move a child between categories, and it cannot make up marks.
What I would say to a family with a second child coming through is this. Prepare exactly as hard as you did for the first one, and rank the form on what you actually want rather than on where the older one already goes. I have seen families ease off because they assumed the second place was more or less secured, and that is a painful thing to discover in March.
Mushtaque Ahmed, Founder of GrammarPath and Bright Mentors
Frequently asked questions
Does having an older sibling help with grammar school admission?
Only as a tie-breaker at most schools, and at some not at all. At the King Edward VI schools, where test scores are equal, priority goes to applicants with a sibling at the school. A sibling never allows a child in on a lower score.
Do all West Midlands grammar schools give sibling priority?
No. Newport Girls' High School states there is no provision for the admittance of siblings at all, with a narrow exception for twins or triplets holding the same standardised score. Bishop Vesey's treats sibling status as a tie-breaker. Check each school's own policy.
Who counts as a sibling for school admissions?
At the King Edward VI schools, children who live at the same address and either have one or both natural parents in common, are related by a parent's marriage, or are adopted or fostered by a common parent. Both conditions matter: a half-sibling living elsewhere does not qualify.
Why is sibling priority weaker at grammar schools?
Because selection by ability comes first. Places are allocated on test score within oversubscription categories defined largely by the qualifying or priority score and by catchment, so a sibling link can only separate children who are already equal on those measures.
Should I rank my older child's school first for a younger sibling?
Only if it is genuinely your preference. Under equal preference the order decides between offers you would have received anyway, and a sibling link will not secure a place on a lower score, so ranking out of a sense of entitlement rather than preference does not help.