Birmingham / Birmingham 11+
Rose Hill Road, Birmingham, B21 9AR
King Edward VI Handsworth School
1
A selective girls grammar school in Birmingham, West Midlands, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,324 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective girls grammar school in Birmingham, West Midlands, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,324 pupils on roll. Families looking at Birmingham, West Midlands will usually see King Edward VI Handsworth School as a selective option for girls aged 11-18, with sixth form continuing the academic journey on the same site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,324 pupils on roll and 192 Year 7 places.
For parents thinking about the 11+, the admissions picture is one of the clearest differentiators here. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 192 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks high by grammar-school standards. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
On current official measures, the school offers a clear academic profile for parents to weigh up. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.80 and Attainment 8 at 77.3. 100% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 33.7% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 72% moving into higher education.
The wider offer currently includes Drama. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. King Edward VI Handsworth School is likely to appeal most to families who want strong academic expectations but also need the practical details, culture, and selective route to line up sensibly.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Birmingham and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Birmingham and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Birmingham and England.
For 2027 entry Handsworth School offers 192 Year 7 places through the shared King Edward VI Foundation entrance test. Catchment and pupil premium status affect priority, but girls outside catchment can still be offered on score.
The catchment is defined by named Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull wards. Pupil premium applicants in catchment are prioritised, followed by the priority-score catchment category, and applicants outside catchment can still be ranked by score.
Children with an EHCP naming Handsworth School
Girls whose Education, Health and Care Plan names the school are admitted first.
Looked after and previously looked after girls
Looked after, previously looked after, and internationally adopted previously looked after girls who achieve the qualifying score are considered next.
Pupil premium girls in catchment
Girls attracting pupil premium who achieve the qualifying score and live within the published catchment area are ranked next.
Pupil premium girls outside catchment
If fewer than 25% of places have been filled by in-catchment pupil premium applicants, further pupil premium girls outside catchment who meet the qualifying score can be offered.
Catchment girls at the priority score
Girls living in catchment who achieve at least the annual priority score are then ranked by score.
All other qualifying girls
Remaining places go to other girls who meet the qualifying score, ranked by score under the Foundation's tie-break rules.
Structured exam detail is still being reviewed.
This school uses the shared West Midlands consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open West Midlands guidePaper 1
English, VR
English and verbal reasoning paper
One paper contributes to the English and verbal reasoning part of the Birmingham and Warwickshire entrance test.
Paper 2
Maths, NVR
Mathematics and non-verbal reasoning paper
One paper contributes to the mathematics and non-verbal reasoning part of the Birmingham and Warwickshire entrance test.
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
One paper contributes to the English and verbal reasoning part of the Birmingham and Warwickshire entrance test.
Non-verbal reasoning
One paper contributes to the mathematics and non-verbal reasoning part of the Birmingham and Warwickshire entrance test.
Science
Creative writing
Test registration opens
5 May 2026
Reasonable adjustments deadline
12 June 2026
Test registration closes
26 June 2026
Entrance test
12 September 2026
Results issued
16 October 2026
CAF deadline
31 October 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Read the 2027 admissions policy
Check the policy for the catchment list, pupil premium rules, and the difference between the qualifying and priority scores.
Open admissions policyRegister for the grammar schools test
Complete the Foundation test registration between 5 May 2026 and 26 June 2026 so your daughter can sit the shared Birmingham grammar entrance test.
Check the timetableSubmit your home local authority preference form
Add Handsworth School on your Common Application Form by 31 October 2026. Test registration and the school preference form are separate steps.
See results and offersLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 78 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 75.2 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 77.3 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 74.2 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | B+ average (43.6 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B average (39.1 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B average (39.9 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B average (40.8 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 99% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 95% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 95% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 5 February 2014
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Birmingham area and similar girls' selective route
Same Birmingham area and similar girls' selective route
Nearby West Midlands option with a similar admissions route
Nearby West Midlands option with a similar admissions route
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Birmingham
Compare the best grammar schools in Birmingham for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Birmingham sits within the West Midlands route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Girls' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best girls grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools in Birmingham
Compare the best grammar schools in Birmingham for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Birmingham sits within the West Midlands route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Girls' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best girls grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
King Edward VI Handsworth School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Read the 2027 admissions policy: Check the policy for the catchment list, pupil premium rules, and the difference between the qualifying and priority scores. 2. Register for the grammar schools test: Complete the Foundation test registration between 5 May 2026 and 26 June 2026 so your daughter can sit the shared Birmingham grammar entrance test. 3. Submit your home local authority preference form: Add Handsworth School on your Common Application Form by 31 October 2026. Test registration and the school preference form are separate steps.
Test registration opens: 5 May 2026. Reasonable adjustments deadline: 12 June 2026. Test registration closes: 26 June 2026. Entrance test: 12 September 2026. Results issued: 16 October 2026. CAF deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
King Edward VI Handsworth School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 5 February 2014.