Birmingham 11+ Scores: What 205 and 224 Mean for a Grammar School Place

Birmingham 11+ scores for September 2027 entry arrive by Friday 16 October 2026, two weeks before the council application deadline of 31 October. Two numbers decide almost everything: 205, the qualifying score, and 224, the priority score. This post explains what each one means and what scores won places last year.

One test, eight schools

The King Edward VI Foundation runs one test for all eight Birmingham grammar schools: the five King Edward VI schools at Aston, Camp Hill (boys and girls), Five Ways and Handsworth (boys and girls), plus Bishop Vesey's Grammar School and Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls.

The test is set by GL Assessment. It is two papers of about an hour each, all multiple choice, and the marks are weighted 50% English and verbal reasoning, 25% non-verbal reasoning and 25% maths. Scores are age standardised, so a younger child is not at a disadvantage, and raw marks are not released.

What 205 and 224 mean

205 is the qualifying score for all eight schools. Below it, a child is not considered, and the council advises not to list the schools on the application form.

224 is the priority score, and it applies to the six King Edward VI schools only. At those schools, places go in this order.

1. Looked after children. Children who are or were in care, with a score of 205 or more.
2. Pupil Premium children in the catchment area. With 205 or more, ranked by distance.
3. Pupil Premium children from outside the catchment. Until Pupil Premium places reach a quarter of the school, ranked by score.
4. Children in the catchment area scoring 224 or more. Brothers and sisters first, then distance.
5. Everyone else scoring 205 or more. Ranked by score, then siblings, then distance.

Each King Edward VI school has its own catchment, made up of council wards. Bishop Vesey's and Sutton Coldfield Girls work differently. Neither has a catchment or a priority score. After looked after and Pupil Premium places, both rank children mainly by score, with Bishop Vesey's also using distance zones.

The scores that won places in 2026

The Foundation publishes the last child offered a place at each school. These are the figures for March 2026, for children outside the priority groups.

Two things stand out. Camp Hill needed a score over 250 for anyone outside the priority groups, far above the qualifying score. And at Five Ways, every place went to children in the catchment scoring 224 or more, so a child outside the catchment had no route in on score alone. Places also move between March and September as families accept other offers, which is why waiting lists matter.

What to do with your child's score

• Below 205. The grammar schools are not an option this year. Put your effort into the strongest non-selective choices, and keep an eye on later entry routes and independent schools.
• 205 to 223. The King Edward VI schools will look at your child after the priority groups, by score. Compare the score with last year's table, and include Bishop Vesey's or Sutton Coldfield Girls if they suit you, since they rank more on score.
• 224 or more. If you live in a school's catchment, your child is in a strong position there. Check your address against each school's catchment wards before you rank them.

Whatever the score, list schools in your real order of preference. Councils treat every choice equally, so putting a grammar school first does not harm your other choices, and children scoring 205 or more go on the waiting lists automatically for schools ranked above the one they are offered. Offers arrive on Monday 1 March 2027.

For families in Year 5 now

Dates for September 2028 entry have not been published yet. Last year, registration opened on 5 May and closed on 26 June, with no late registrations, and the test was on the second Saturday of September. Expect a similar pattern, and check the Foundation's timetable in the spring.

The Foundation does not publish past papers, but it does provide a familiarisation guide, and GL Assessment has free sample material. Because non-verbal and spatial reasoning carry a quarter of the marks, it is worth practising them early. Our free Shape Sleuth and spatial reasoning trainer cover those question types, and the 11+ verbal reasoning game covers the vocabulary side of the English half.

If you are also considering the independent schools, King Edward's School and King Edward VI High School for Girls set their own written English and maths papers in early October, with results in December.

Our Birmingham tuition page explains how we prepare children for this test. For the wider picture after results, read our guide to 11+ results and what to do next, or book a free consultation to talk through your child's options.

Aadam, SHLC Tutors