SchoolsGPT

King Edward VI Five Ways School vs King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys

Both are grammar schools in Birmingham, 5.7 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.

Side by side

King Edward VI Five Ways School King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys
Phase Secondary Secondary
Gender Mixed Boys
Pupils on roll 1,324 1,054
Free school meals 17.4% 18.7%
Ofsted rating Good Good
Attainment 8 — 2025/26 79.3 71.3
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 180 146
First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place 2.15 1.04

Qualifying scores

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 ↗

King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys

205 (2026 entry)

Qualifying score 205; priority score 224. Handsworth Grammar (boys) 2026-entry cutoffs: Pupil Premium outside catchment 211 (within 6,776m); open category 216 (within 13,733m).

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 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.

King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys

  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 Five Ways School is a mixed school and King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys is a boys 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 Five Ways School · King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys
Or see all secondary schools in Birmingham ranked.

Other Birmingham comparisons

All grammar school comparisons →

Have a specific question about admissions, scores or dates?

Ask SchoolsGPT