Teaching Success prepares Birmingham families for the grammar school 11+ — covering all four GL Assessment sections with qualified teachers. We serve families across Smethwick, Bearwood, Oldbury, West Bromwich, Cape Hill, Harborne and Edgbaston, in person and online.
Birmingham has more grammar schools than almost any other city in England. All use the GL Assessment format — meaning the preparation is consistent across schools, though entry benchmarks and competition levels vary. Here is an overview of each school Teaching Success prepares children for.
One of the most competitive grammar schools in the country. Primarily for boys aiming at the very top band. Boys from across Birmingham and Sandwell apply. Typically requires performance in the top 3–5% nationally.
High-achieving girls' grammar. Equivalent academic standard to King Edward's Boys. Strong arts and sciences tradition. Girls from Smethwick, Bearwood and Cape Hill regularly sit this entrance exam.
Mixed grammar school in Bartley Green. One of the most accessible KE schools geographically for families in the west of Birmingham, Smethwick and Bearwood. Academically excellent with a strong local reputation.
Two separate schools — boys and girls — in Kings Heath. Very popular with families from Harborne, Edgbaston and south Birmingham. Both are highly competitive and academically demanding.
Located in Aston, accessible for families from the north and east of Birmingham. Boys' grammar with strong STEM tradition. Often a target school for families across north Birmingham and Sandwell.
Girls' grammar in Handsworth Wood. Popular with families from Smethwick, Handsworth, Perry Barr and north-west Birmingham. Consistently strong GCSE and A-Level results.
Girls' grammar in Sutton Coldfield, part of Walsall Grammar School Trust. Some Birmingham families target this alongside KE schools. Same GL Assessment format applies.
Boys' grammar in Handsworth. Separate from the KE foundation. Serves boys from Smethwick, Handsworth, West Bromwich and north Birmingham. A popular first or second-choice school.
Both are selective schools in the Birmingham/Sandwell area. Lordswood is girls-only in Harborne; Q3 Academy Langley takes children from the Sandwell area. Both use selective entry via the 11+ process.
All Birmingham grammar schools use GL Assessment papers. There are four timed sections, all multiple-choice. Teaching Success covers every section with a subject-specialist teacher.
Multi-step problems, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, shape and measurement. Kevin covers this as a qualified secondary maths teacher. Fast mental arithmetic is essential.
Unseen passage with inference, synonym, cloze and grammar questions. Serena covers this as a qualified primary teacher with specialist English knowledge.
Verbal reasoning tests language and logic together — codes, word relationships, analogies. Non-verbal reasoning uses pattern sequences without language. Both require systematic practice to improve rapidly.
Our Smethwick base puts us within easy reach of much of the west and south-west of Birmingham. For families further afield, online sessions are just as effective — we use the same materials, same timed practice and same feedback approach.
One-to-one sessions at our Smethwick centre. Easy access from Bearwood, Oldbury, West Bromwich, Cape Hill, Harborne and Edgbaston. Timed papers completed in the physical environment that best replicates exam conditions.
Live one-to-one video lessons for families across Birmingham. PDF practice papers shared in advance. Same curriculum, same timed practice, same teacher feedback. Ideal for families in Sutton Coldfield, Solihull, Kings Heath or further east.
A timed full-format Birmingham 11+ mock test at our Smethwick centre. Auto-marked with teacher written feedback. Weekend morning slots. A standalone option for families who want a baseline before committing to tuition.
Areas we regularly serve in Birmingham and the West Midlands:
The main options are the six King Edward's schools (Boys, Girls, Five Ways, Camp Hill Boys, Camp Hill Girls, Aston, Handsworth), Sutton Coldfield Grammar, Handsworth Grammar, Lordswood Girls and Q3 Academy Langley. All use GL Assessment format papers.
Both. In-person sessions at our Smethwick base, accessible from across west Birmingham and Sandwell. Online sessions available for families across Birmingham and beyond — same curriculum and resources as in-person.
Four GL Assessment sections: Maths (50 min), English comprehension (50 min), Verbal Reasoning (50 min) and Non-Verbal Reasoning (45 min). All multiple-choice. Test takes place in September or October of Year 6.
Year 4 or Year 5 is ideal. Year 5 is the most productive year — enough time to cover all four subject areas and do substantial timed practice before the Year 6 exam. Starting in Year 6 is possible but requires a more intensive programme.
Book a free first lesson — in person at our Smethwick base or online — to see our approach before committing. Sessions from £15/hr. Call 07909 274901.