Free practice test

Tests

Driving testsCitizenship testsSchool and university admissionsNursing, medicine and healthEnglish and French testsTeachingMoney, law and insuranceTrades and work licencesPilots, drones, boats and radio

Countries

United StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustraliaNew Zealand

United Kingdom · Entrance test

The Birmingham 11 plus

Birmingham's eight grammar schools use one GL Assessment test, arranged by the King Edward VI Foundation and shared with the rest of the West Midlands, so one sitting covers 19 schools. For 2027 entry it was on Saturday 12 September 2026, with results by 16 October. A score of 205 qualifies for every Birmingham grammar school, and 224 or more, for children living in the catchment area, gets priority at the six King Edward VI schools. The grammar schools pay all the costs of the Birmingham 11 plus, including the test itself.

Free practice test

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

When is the Birmingham 11 plus?

You register in Year 5 on the West Midlands Grammar Schools website. Children born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 sit the 2026 test, and each child can sit it only once. The venue is set by your home address.

DateWhat happens
5 May 2026Registration opens
12 June 2026, 4pmDeadline for reasonable adjustments
26 June 2026, 4pmRegistration closes
12 September 2026Entrance test (morning and afternoon sessions)
16 October 2026Results
31 October 2026Preference form deadline
1 March 2027School offers

The schools

  • Bishop Vesey's Grammar School for Boys
  • King Edward VI Aston School
  • King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys
  • King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
  • King Edward VI Five Ways School
  • King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls
  • King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys
  • Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls

To share results with schools in Shropshire, Walsall, Warwickshire or Wolverhampton, tick them when you register.

Warwickshire 11+ →

What's in the test

Two papers of about 60 minutes each, with a short break. Between them they cover English comprehension, verbal reasoning, maths and non-verbal or spatial reasoning. Every question is multiple choice on a separate answer sheet, and there's no writing section. English and verbal reasoning make up 50% of the score, and non-verbal and maths 25% each, standardised for age.

Instructions come from an audio recording. Children can only work on the current section and can't go back or skip ahead.

Test day rules

  • Bring two HB pencils, an eraser and a sharpener in a clear pencil case or bag. No rulers or highlighters.
  • No watches, phones, calculators or timers. There's a clock in the room.
  • No rough paper: working out goes in the question booklet.
  • Snacks for the break can't contain nuts, and no chewing gum or fizzy drinks.
  • School uniform isn't needed, and parents can't wait on site.

Scores, offers and Pupil Premium

Below 205, your child won't be considered, so the Foundation says not to list a Birmingham grammar school. Answer sheets are machine-marked and aren't re-marked. The council offers a place at the highest school on your form that your child qualifies for, and the schools' offer tables show separate categories for Pupil Premium children scoring 205 or more, with rules that vary by school.

Pass marks in other areas →
Sources: King Edward VI Foundation and 2 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

OverviewPractice testWhere to learnStudy plannerPass markScoringOnline practiceFree papersResultsRegistrationMathsEnglishReasoning and vocabularyGL and CEMBuckinghamshireWarwickshireEssexMedwayRedbridgeWirral