Bishop Vesey's Grammar School vs King Edward VI Five Ways School
Both are grammar schools in Birmingham, 12.0 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Bishop Vesey's Grammar School | King Edward VI Five Ways School | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Boys | Mixed |
| Pupils on roll | 1,455 | 1,324 |
| Free school meals | 14.1% | 17.4% |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding | Good |
| Attainment 8 — 2025/26 | 79.5 | 79.3 |
| 11+ test board | GL Assessment | GL Assessment |
| Admission system | qualifying score is the minimum; places then go in score order (distance only breaks ties) | qualifying score is the minimum; Pupil Premium and in-catchment children at the priority score come first, other places go in score order |
| Places offered — 202627 | 190 | 180 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 1.61 | 2.15 |
Qualifying scores
Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
205 (2026 entry)
Qualifying score 205 (minimum eligibility, all Birmingham KE Foundation schools). Bishop Vesey's has no catchment element — 2026-entry cutoffs: Pupil Premium category 210; all other applicants 229.
King Edward VI Five Ways School
205 (2026 entry)
Qualifying score 205; priority score 224. Five Ways 2026 entry filled within catchment: Pupil Premium outside catchment cutoff 232 (within 5,075m); catchment priority-score places to 4,384m; open category received no offers on National Offer Day.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
- Looked after, previously looked after and internationally adopted children who reach the qualifying score — ranked by score
- Up to 38 places: Pupil Premium children who reach the qualifying score — ranked by score
- All other children who reach the qualifying score — ranked by score; distance only breaks a tie
Source: school admissions policy.
King Edward VI Five Ways School
- Looked after and previously looked after children who reach the qualifying score — ranked by score, then distance
- Pupil Premium children who reach the qualifying score and live in the catchment area — ranked by distance
- Pupil Premium children outside the catchment who reach the qualifying score, until 25% of places have gone to Pupil Premium children — ranked by score
- Children at or above the priority score (224) who live in the catchment area — older sibling at the school first, then distance
- All other children who reach the qualifying score — ranked by score; a sibling at the school, then distance, breaks a tie
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Bishop Vesey's Grammar School is a boys school and King Edward VI Five Ways School is a mixed school, so for many families the starting point is which one can admit their child. The figures on this page are the published ones — they describe intakes and results, not what either school would be like for your child. The right choice depends on your family's own priorities and circumstances.
Other Birmingham comparisons
- Bishop Vesey's Grammar School vs King Edward VI Aston School
- Bishop Vesey's Grammar School vs King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys
- Bishop Vesey's Grammar School vs King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
- Bishop Vesey's Grammar School vs King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys
- Bishop Vesey's Grammar School vs King Edward VI Handsworth School
- Bishop Vesey's Grammar School vs Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls
- King Edward VI Aston School vs King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys
- King Edward VI Aston School vs King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
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