The King Edward's Foundation runs six grammar schools across Birmingham — all using the same GL Assessment 11+ test. Teaching Success prepares children from Smethwick, Bearwood, Oldbury, West Bromwich and across Birmingham for the full range of KE schools, with qualified teachers who know the papers, the benchmarks and what it actually takes.
All King Edward's schools use the same GL Assessment test. The difference is in how competitive each school's entry is. Understanding this helps families build a realistic list — not a wishful one. Teaching Success gives honest guidance on which schools fit where each child's performance actually sits.
The most selective school in the KE family. Located in Edgbaston. Nationally recognised for academic excellence. Boys typically need to perform in the top 3–5% of all 11+ entrants — a standardised score around 130+ is usually needed for a strong application.
The girls' equivalent of KE Boys — same academic standard, same level of competition. Located in Edgbaston. The most academically selective girls' school in Birmingham. Girls need to perform at the very top of the GL Assessment cohort.
Mixed grammar school in Bartley Green. The most popular KE school for families in the west of Birmingham, Smethwick, Bearwood and Sandwell. Academically excellent. A standardised score around 118–122 tends to be competitive, though this shifts by year.
Boys' grammar in Kings Heath. Popular with south Birmingham and Bearwood families. Strong STEM tradition. Entry is competitive — around the top 10–15% of entrants. A rigorous but achievable target with consistent Year 5 preparation.
Girls' grammar adjacent to Camp Hill Boys in Kings Heath. Similar entry benchmark. Popular with girls from Bearwood, Harborne and Edgbaston. Strong across all subject areas — English and humanities as well as sciences.
Boys' grammar in Aston. Serves boys from north Birmingham and Sandwell. Strong STEM tradition. Entry benchmark similar to Five Ways. Accessible by public transport from many Sandwell postcodes. A consistent and well-regarded school.
Girls' grammar in Handsworth Wood. Popular with girls from Smethwick, Bearwood, Handsworth and north-west Birmingham. Consistently strong GCSE and A-Level results. A school that is achievable with solid Year 5 preparation for girls performing in the top 15–20%.
All King Edward's schools use GL Assessment papers. The papers themselves are identical — what differs is where each school sets its offer threshold. Here is what is in each of the four sections, and exactly what Teaching Success targets within each one.
The King Edward's schools are competitive. The difference between a child who gets in and one who narrowly misses is often 6–12 months of structured preparation. Here is how we approach the timeline at Teaching Success.
Not all 11+ tuition is the same. Here is what distinguishes Teaching Success from generic tutoring when it comes to King Edward's specifically.
Kevin holds QTS for secondary maths and science. Serena holds QTS for primary. Neither is a student, a recent graduate or a part-time tutor. This matters for KE preparation because the content at the top end of the 11+ requires subject depth — particularly in maths and English — that non-teachers sometimes lack.
We track every child's practice paper scores against realistic KE entry benchmarks for each school they are targeting. If a child's scores suggest they are unlikely to reach the KE Boys or KE Girls threshold, we say so — and help the family build a balanced list that includes schools where the child genuinely has a strong chance.
Every timed practice session uses real past GL Assessment papers — not CGP workbook exercises or generic maths worksheets. The question styles, phrasing and multiple-choice format in our sessions are identical to what children will see on exam day. Familiarity with the actual format reduces exam anxiety and improves technique.
We do not hand back a marked paper and move on. After every timed section, Kevin or Serena goes through every wrong answer with the child — not just "the answer was X" but "here is the reasoning that leads to X and here is where your thinking went wrong." This prevents the same errors recurring across papers.
Our £5 weekend mock tests cover all four KE sections back-to-back — the only way to build the stamina needed for four consecutive timed papers. Auto-marked on the day with a section breakdown and written teacher feedback. A full mock test experience is irreplaceable preparation for what exam day actually feels like.
Maths and non-verbal reasoning with Kevin. English and verbal reasoning with Serena. Both are qualified. Both know the GL Assessment papers. Families do not need to find a second tutor for a second subject — and the two teachers share progress notes to avoid duplication and ensure the programme is joined up.
Yes. All KE Foundation grammar schools use the same GL Assessment 11+ papers. Preparing for one KE school means preparing for all. The difference between schools is in the entry benchmark — how high a score you need — not in the test itself.
A standardised score above 118–122 tends to be competitive for Five Ways, Camp Hill and Handsworth. KE Boys and KE Girls in Edgbaston require children in the top 3–5% nationally — a standardised score of around 130+. These shift slightly each year. Teaching Success tracks practice scores against these benchmarks throughout preparation.
Families can list multiple KE schools. We typically advise two to four KE schools — a stretch school, a well-matched school and one or two backups — alongside non-KE grammar schools. Since the test is the same, applying to multiple schools adds no extra preparation. We help build a balanced, realistic list based on each child's practice performance.
The Birmingham grammar school 11+ — including all KE schools — takes place in September or October of Year 6. Registration typically opens in spring of Year 5 (March–May). Teaching Success structures preparation to peak in late Year 6 summer, with an intensive final period in August and early September. Check the KE Foundation website for exact dates each year.
Book a free first lesson to see our approach and get an honest assessment of where your child stands relative to KE entry benchmarks. Sessions from £15/hr. Call 07909 274901.