King Edward VI School 11+ Guide

About King Edward VI School

King Edward VI School is a selective secondary school in Warwickshire. For children to get into King Edward VI School they need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Hence, King Edward VI School is a traditional grammar school, one of only 163 remaining in England.

Nestled in the charming market town of Stratford-upon-Avon, King Edward VI School (KES) is a renowned grammar school for boys. This illustrious institution, affectionately known as 'Shakespeare's School', takes pride in its potential connection to the legendary playwright, William Shakespeare. As an academy, KES continues to thrive, nurturing the minds of over 700 students.

The school's academic offerings are diverse and comprehensive, spanning a wide array of subjects, including humanities, social sciences, technology, and languages, such as Mandarin. Engaging and thought-provoking lessons are designed to challenge and enhance each student's abilities, upholding the school's robust academic heritage. Beyond the realm of academics, KES encourages boys to participate in a rich tapestry of extracurricular pursuits, with a notable focus on sports like rugby, fencing, and rowing. An abundance of clubs and societies, ranging from animation and astronomy to philosophy and 3D printing, further enrich the educational journey.

KES places utmost importance on the well-being of its students, providing a supportive and nurturing environment. The dedicated staff collaborates closely with parents, adopting a holistic approach to each student's development. This fosters a caring ethos and a shared sense of purpose that permeates all aspects of school life. The school's commitment to academic excellence is evident in its impressive GCSE results, with a significant proportion of students achieving top grades. Graduates from KES often continue their educational pursuits at esteemed universities, setting the stage for successful and fulfilling careers.

Recognized as the Secondary School of the Decade by the Sunday Times, King Edward VI School has garnered a reputation as one of the finest grammar schools in the nation. By combining high academic standards with a comprehensive extracurricular program, KES provides a secure, joyful, and structured environment for students to cultivate their talents and reach their full potential.

School Information

Below you will find further information about King Edward VI School together with their admissions contact details.

King Edward VI School is a boys only school. It is also an academy, meaning the school is run independently by a trust or sponsor and is directly funded by the central government (not the local authority).

In total 791 pupils attend King Edward VI School and it's led by the Headmaster, Mr Bennet Carr.

King Edward VI School Location

Below you will find a map showing the school's location:

GCSE & A-Level Subjects

Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at King Edward VI School for the 2022-23 academic year.

West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+ Information

In order to get into King Edward VI School, children need to pass the West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.

West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+ Subjects & Structure

The West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:

• English comprehension
• Maths
• Verbal reasoning
• Non-verbal reasoning

The West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test is the examination used by King Edward VI School for their 11+ admissions process. This test is designed to assess a child's academic potential and suitability for a grammar school education.

The entrance test consists of two papers, each lasting one hour. These papers are further divided into smaller sections, with each section focusing on a specific subject area. The subjects assessed in the test include English comprehension, mathematics, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. All the questions in the test are presented in a multiple-choice format.

During the examination, children are provided with separate answer sheets on which they mark their responses to the questions. These answer sheets are then electronically marked to ensure accurate and efficient scoring. The results of the West Midlands Grammar Schools Entrance Test play a crucial role in determining a child's eligibility for admission to King Edward VI School.

Other Schools using West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+

As well as King Edward VI School, several other schools also use West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+. These are:

• Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
• King Edward VI Aston School
• King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys
• King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
• King Edward VI Five Ways School
• King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys
• King Edward VI Handsworth School
• Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls
• Haberdashers' Adams
• Newport Girls' High School Academy
• Queen Mary's Grammar School
• Queen Mary's High School
• Alcester Grammar School
• Lawrence Sheriff School
• Rugby High School
• Stratford Girls' Grammar School
• Wolverhampton Girls' High School

West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as King Edward VI School is that only children with particularly high marks are admitted. Hence why it is important that children perform well in their 11+ papers.

Different schools (and different 11+ tests) have different marking processes. Some tests are marked in person, some remotely, while others utilise computer-based optical recognition technologies for quickly marking multiple-choice answer sheets.

Many 11+ tests are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged (i.e. their marks may be moderated depending on the month in which they were born). While creative writing papers can be used as tie-breakers, multiple-choice tests in Maths, Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning normally make up the bulk of a child's marks. The specific details and weightings can vary from year to year.

It's worth remembering that once children's 11+ tests are being marked, the admissions process is completely outside of the parents' control. Hence, parents should not worry themselves about whether their child has got a place!

West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+ Pass Mark

The pass mark for the West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+ changes every year and isn't generally made public knowledge. This is due to the academic strength of the children taking the test varying and how challenging the test ends up being (as well as plenty of other smaller variables).

Hence, as a vague rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that children aim for roughly 75-80% in their practice tests. Whilst this won't guarantee them a place at King Edward VI School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+ tests (to get into King Edward VI School) as well as other relevant dates.

Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with King Edward VI School as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

King Edward VI School was last inspected by Ofsted on 30/11/2021 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 23/01/2022, declaring that the school was 'Outstanding'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.

Last Ofsted Report Data

Ofsted Report Summary

King Edward VI School was inspected by Ofsted on 30 November 2021 and received an Outstanding rating in all areas. The school demonstrated exceptional quality of education, with students consistently achieving high standards across the curriculum.

The inspection also highlighted the school's outstanding behaviour and attitudes, with pupils displaying exemplary conduct and a strong commitment to their learning. The school's personal development provision was deemed outstanding, offering a wide range of opportunities for students to develop their skills, interests, and character.

The leadership and management of King Edward VI School were found to be outstanding, with a clear vision and effective strategies in place to drive continuous improvement. The sixth form provision was also rated as outstanding, preparing students well for their future education and careers.

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for King Edward VI School per subject. Note that this may include children taking GCSEs early (e.g. taking a language GCSE in Year 10) or indeed a child in Year 12 retaking a GCSE.

GCSE Results Information (2022-23)

A-Level Results Information (2022-23)

Past 11+ Paper Downloads

Unfortunately, King Edward VI School has not made any of their past 11+ papers publicly available.

Practice 11+ Paper Downloads

Here are some superb free 11+ practice papers that children can download and use to help prepare for the West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+ Ensure you double-check with King Edward VI School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.