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King Edward VI Aston School vs King Edward VI Five Ways School

Both are grammar schools in Birmingham, 6.9 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.

Side by side

King Edward VI Aston School King Edward VI Five Ways School
Phase Secondary Secondary
Gender Boys Mixed
Pupils on roll 1,023 1,324
Free school meals 24.7% 17.4%
Ofsted rating Outstanding Good
Attainment 8 — 2025/26 69.9 79.3
11+ test board GL Assessment GL Assessment
Admission system qualifying score is the minimum; Pupil Premium and in-catchment children at the priority score come first, other places go in score order 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 146 180
First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place 0.98 2.15

Qualifying scores

King Edward VI Aston School

205 (2026 entry)

Qualifying score 205; priority score 224 (catchment applicants at or above 224 all offered, 2026 entry). Other 2026-entry cutoffs: Pupil Premium outside catchment 239 (within 4,977m); open category 217 (within 9,442m).

Council source ↗

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.

Council source ↗

Who gets priority

Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.

King Edward VI Aston School

  1. Looked after and previously looked after children who reach the qualifying score — ranked by score, then distance
  2. Pupil Premium children who reach the qualifying score and live in the catchment area — ranked by distance
  3. Pupil Premium children outside the catchment who reach the qualifying score, until 25% of places have gone to Pupil Premium children — ranked by score
  4. Children at or above the priority score (224) who live in the catchment area — older sibling at the school first, then distance
  5. 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.

King Edward VI Five Ways School

  1. Looked after and previously looked after children who reach the qualifying score — ranked by score, then distance
  2. Pupil Premium children who reach the qualifying score and live in the catchment area — ranked by distance
  3. Pupil Premium children outside the catchment who reach the qualifying score, until 25% of places have gone to Pupil Premium children — ranked by score
  4. Children at or above the priority score (224) who live in the catchment area — older sibling at the school first, then distance
  5. 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

King Edward VI Aston 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.

Full detail for each school: King Edward VI Aston School · King Edward VI Five Ways School
Or see all secondary schools in Birmingham ranked.

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