King Edward VI Aston School

King Edward VI Aston School is an all-boys grammar school with an Ofsted rating of Outstanding. It was opened in 1883, designed by Birmingham architect JA Chatwin and is one of the 12 schools in Birmingham supported by the charity of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI.

As a specialist sports college, King Edward VI Aston School places emphasis on a range of sporting activities. The school strives to support all Aston students to become 'articulate, well-educated young men, capable of independent thought with the confidence and flexibility to face future challenges'.

• Address: Frederick Road, Aston, Birmingham, B6 6DJ
• Local authority: Birmingham City Council
• School type: boys' grammar
• Headteacher: Matt Brady
• Number of pupils: 999
• National rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 243
• A level results: 56.8% A*–B
• GCSE results: 69.2% 9/8/7

King Edward VI Aston School shares a testing process with the seven other grammar schools in Birmingham, as well as the grammar schools in Warwickshire, Shropshire, Walsall and Wolverhampton. You only need to register once to apply to any grammar schools across these areas.

1. Register for the 11 plus

Before registering, speak to your child’s teacher to see if the 11 plus and grammar school is right for them.

When your child is in Year 5, register them for the 11 plus on the West Midlands Grammar Schools portal. Registration opens at 9 am on 9th May 2023 and closes at 4pm on 30th June 2023.

2. Apply for school places

Once your child has taken the exam, you will get their results on 20th October 2023. If your child achieves the qualifying score, you can include grammar schools on your local authority application form.

Before listing King Edward VI Aston School as a preference on your form, check its admissions policy and make sure your child is eligible. As well as your child's exam score, how close you live to a school is an important factor in whether your child is likely to be offered a place.

The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023.

Priority score: Children who score 224 or above are prioritised for a place.

Qualifying score: In 2022 and 2023, 205 was the minimum score at which a child could be considered for a place at a Birmingham grammar school.

Cut-off score: In 2022, the cut-off score was 213. This was the score achieved by the child who was offered the final place. Bear in mind that the admissions criteria apply (below).

Scores from recent years above can be used as a guide only. Achieving the qualifying score doesn't guarantee a place at the school, as it's likely to be oversubscribed with qualified candidates. We always recommend researching the admission policies for your target schools, looking at their oversubscription criteria and their catchment area.

How is the West Midlands Grammar Schools 11 plus scored?

After your child takes the exam, their scores are age-standardised and combined to give them a total score across all papers. These total scores are ranked in order, and oversubscription criteria are applied.

The planned admission number (PAN) for the school is 140. When more children achieve the qualifying score than there are places available (highly likely), places are offered in this order:

1. Looked-After or previously Looked-After Children who achieve the qualifying score, ranked by test score and then by distance from the school.

2. Children who get free school meals, achieve the qualifying score, and live in the catchment area, ranked by distance from the school.

3. If fewer than 35 places are filled by children in category 2, places are offered to children who get free school meals, achieve the qualifying score and live outside the catchment area.

4. Children who achieve the priority score and live in the catchment area. Prioritised if they have a sibling at the school, then ranked by distance from the school.

5. Children who achieve the qualifying score, ranked by test score. Where scores are equal, priority is given to children with a sibling at the school, then ranked by distance from the school.

The catchment area consists of home addresses that are in these electoral wards:

Birmingham: Alum Rock, Aston, Bromford & Hodge Hill, Castle Vale, Erdington, Garretts Green, Glebe Farm & Tile Cross, Gravelly Hill, Heartlands, Nechells, Perry Common, Pype Hayes, Shard End, Sheldon, Stockland Green, Sutton Four Oaks, Sutton Mere Green, Sutton Reddicap, Sutton Roughley, Sutton Trinity, Sutton Vesey, Sutton Walmley & Minworth, Sutton Wylde Green, Ward End, Yardley East, Yardley West & Stechford.

Solihull: Castle Bromwich, Chelmsley Wood, Kingshurst & Fordbridge, Smith’s Wood.

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