Grammar School Tutor in Birmingham and the West Midlands

Birmingham and the surrounding West Midlands area still has a significant number of selective secondary schools — grammar schools and partially selective academies that require children to sit entrance assessments in Year 6. The King Edward VI Foundation schools in Birmingham are among the most academically competitive grammar schools in England. Getting a place at any of them requires structured, well-timed preparation that goes well beyond standard 11+ workbooks.

Birmingham's selective school landscape

The King Edward VI Foundation runs six selective grammar schools across Birmingham, all of which use their own entrance test format rather than the standard GL Assessment used by many grammar schools elsewhere. The KE test assesses verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, mathematics and English — but at a harder level than most 11+ preparation materials assume. Other selective schools in the wider West Midlands, including those in Walsall, Wolverhampton and Solihull, use different test providers and have different mark thresholds. Knowing which school a family is targeting changes the preparation strategy significantly.

Why King Edward's preparation is different

The KE entrance test is harder than most 11+ practice tests available commercially. The maths questions involve more complex multi-step reasoning, the verbal reasoning section uses more obscure vocabulary, and the English comprehension expects a level of analytical writing that is closer to Year 7 or 8 secondary standard than to Year 6 SATs. Children who prepare only with generic 11+ books frequently find the real test much harder than expected. Kevin and Serena use past-style KE papers and target the specific difficulty level of the actual test.

When to start grammar school preparation

For the KE Foundation schools, the entrance test typically takes place in September or October of Year 6 — meaning the child sits it at the very start of secondary application season. Most families who succeed start structured preparation in Year 5, no later than January of that year, to allow 18 months of progressive practice. Starting in September of Year 6 — the term of the exam itself — leaves almost no time to build the speed and accuracy that the test demands.

What grammar school preparation sessions cover

Verbal reasoning — identifying patterns in word relationships, codes and analogies at speed
Non-verbal reasoning — shape sequences, matrices and spatial reasoning under timed conditions
Mathematics — multi-step problem solving, fractions, ratios, algebra foundations and data interpretation
English comprehension — inference, language effect and structured written response
Timed exam practice — full mock papers with realistic time pressure and review

Next step

Call 07909 274901 or book a free trial lesson. Kevin or Serena will ask which school you are targeting, assess your child's current reasoning level and explain what a structured preparation programme would look like over the remaining time available.