192 Year 7 places, shared eight-school Birmingham grammar test on Saturday 12 September 2026, Outstanding Ofsted rating and record 2026 GCSE results. Specialist one-to-one preparation from Leading Tuition.
Book a Free ConsultationChecked October 2026
Bishop Vesey's Grammar School 2027 entry: the qualifying score is 205. Test scores arrive by Friday 16 October 2026, the Local Authority preference form is due by 31 October 2026, and offers are made on 1 March 2027, according to the King Edward VI Foundation's results and offers page.
Bishop Vesey's Grammar School (BVGS) is a selective state grammar school on Lichfield Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 2NH. Founded in 1527 by John Vesey, Bishop of Exeter, it is one of the oldest schools in the country and became an academy on 1 April 2012. The school has 1,455 pupils on roll, according to the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register, and admits boys only from Year 7 to Year 11, with the Sixth Form open to both boys and girls. Pupils are organised into six houses — Blue, Emerald, Gold, Purple, Red and White.
In its most recent inspection, dated 30 April 2024, Ofsted rated Bishop Vesey's Outstanding across every category assessed: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and Sixth Form provision. Academically, in 2026 the school announced record-breaking GCSE results, with 84% of grades at 7-9, 63% at 8-9 and 32% at grade 9, figures the school itself published on 20 August 2026. If you want the full background on the school's history, sixth form and wider admissions picture, our detailed Bishop Vesey's Grammar School 11+ guide covers that in depth; this page focuses on what a family needs to act on right now.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| School name | Bishop Vesey's Grammar School |
| Type | Selective state grammar academy — boys, Year 7–11; co-educational Sixth Form |
| Location | Lichfield Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 2NH |
| Year 7 places (PAN) | 192 |
| Sixth Form external places | 80 |
| Qualifying score (2027 entry) | 205 for all of the Birmingham grammar schools |
| Entrance test | Shared Birmingham grammar schools test (King Edward VI Foundation / GL Assessment) |
| Test date (2027 entry) | Saturday 12 September 2026 |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding (inspected 30 April 2024) |
| 2026 GCSE results | 84% grades 7–9; 63% grades 8–9; 32% grade 9 |
Bishop Vesey's does not set its own separate entrance exam. Instead, it is one of eight Birmingham grammar schools that share a single entrance test, arranged by the King Edward VI Foundation and provided by GL Assessment: 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 School for Girls, King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys, and Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls. A boy registers once and sits one set of papers, and the resulting standardised score can then be used to apply to any combination of these eight schools, each of which has its own admissions criteria. See our wider King Edward VI Birmingham grammar schools guide for how the other seven schools compare.
The test itself consists of two papers, each approximately 60 minutes long, made up entirely of multiple-choice questions with answers recorded on separate sheets. Between them, the papers assess English comprehension, verbal reasoning, mathematics and non-verbal/spatial reasoning. Marks are weighted 50% for English and verbal reasoning combined, 25% for non-verbal reasoning and 25% for mathematics. Scores for each section are standardised to take account of age, so younger children are not disadvantaged compared with children in the same cohort who could be almost a year older.
For September 2027 entry, the test was sat on Saturday 12 September 2026, across two sessions, with registration having opened on 5 May 2026 and closed at 4pm on Friday 26 June 2026. Test scores are sent by Friday 16 October 2026, before the Local Authority preference form deadline of 31 October 2026 (a score is not the offer of a place), and school offers are made by the Local Authority on 1 March 2027, National Offer Day. The qualifying score for 2027 entry is 205 for all of the Birmingham grammar schools, and a boy who does not reach it is not considered for a place. The Foundation's table for 2026 entry shows the scores required on national offer day in March at Bishop Vesey's: 210 for Pupil Premium applicants and 229 for all other applicants. These are scores from an earlier cycle, not a guaranteed target for a later one.
Rather than a single fixed catchment boundary, Bishop Vesey's published admissions arrangements define three priority zones measured by straight-line distance from the foot of the steps leading to the school's main entrance on Lichfield Road, calculated using a computerised system (Cartology) referenced to Ordnance Survey coordinates:
After looked-after, previously looked-after and internationally-adopted children living in Zone 1 who meet the qualifying score, the next priority group is Pupil Premium-eligible boys living in Zone 1, capped at a maximum of 38 places. To qualify, a boy must have been registered for free school meals at any point in the six years prior to the test registration deadline, must have had the Pupil Premium box ticked and the form completed by his primary school uploaded when registering for the test, and evidence must reach the school by the end of November 2026 (Expanded free school meals do not attract Pupil Premium priority, according to the Foundation). Remaining places are then allocated to boys within Zone 1, then Zone 2, then Zone 3, ranked purely by standardised test score; evidence that a boy lives in Zone 1 is required by 31 October 2026. Where two boys are tied on score, the place goes to whichever candidate lives closer to the school, measured to the same fixed point at the main entrance steps. The Sixth Form applies a similar but separate Pupil Premium provision, capped at 20 places, with evidence due by the end of May 2027.
A school's GCSE outcomes are one of the figures families weigh when choosing where to prepare. Bishop Vesey's own announcement of its 2026 GCSE results, published on 20 August 2026, described them as record-breaking: 84% of grades awarded were at 7-9, 63% at 8-9 and 32% at grade 9. That sits alongside an Outstanding rating from Ofsted (inspected 30 April 2024), and it is a useful, current data point for any family planning preparation for a Year 7 place.
Preparing for Bishop Vesey's Grammar School 11+ Entry?
Our specialist tutors know the shared Birmingham grammar schools test inside out — the 50/25/25 weighting across English and verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and mathematics — and understand exactly how Bishop Vesey's priority zones and Pupil Premium provisions affect a family's chances. We build structured, personalised programmes so your son arrives at the test confident, accurate and fast under timed conditions.
Rated 4.8/5 on Trustpilot. Boys we have supported have won places at Bishop Vesey's and across the Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield grammar schools.
Book a Free Consultation Message us on WhatsAppOur specialist tutors help boys prepare for the Bishop Vesey's Grammar School 11+ with personalised, one-to-one tuition. Rated 4.8/5 on Trustpilot.
Book a Free ConsultationMy son was low in confidence after COVID and the gaps in learning were building up. Using this service helped plug those gaps, rebuild confidence, and improve his ability to learn properly again.
We arranged maths and English tuition ahead of GCSEs and both tutors were brilliant. My daughter's grades improved, and by results day she achieved two grades higher than in her mock exams.
I attended an English bootcamp with Leading Tuition and the experience was excellent. The teacher gave focused attention to the small group while keeping the lessons interactive and engaging.
With 192 Year 7 places and a qualifying score of 205 that every boy must reach to be considered, admission to Bishop Vesey's is competitive: in the Foundation's table for 2026 entry, the score required on national offer day in March was 229 for applicants outside the Looked After and Pupil Premium groups and 210 for Pupil Premium applicants. The zone system reaches well beyond Sutton Coldfield: Zone 3 covers anywhere beyond a 20 mile radius, and the same test score can be used for all eight participating schools, so families across a wide area can apply.
The zone system adds a further layer families need to understand early. A boy scoring well but living in Zone 3 (beyond 20 miles) is ranked only after every qualifying boy in Zone 1 and Zone 2 has been placed, which means the practical threshold for an offer can differ meaningfully depending on where a family lives, even before Pupil Premium priority is factored in. Understanding where your son sits within this structure — zone, Pupil Premium eligibility and his test score against the qualifying score of 205 — is important before the Local Authority preference form is completed by 31 October 2026.
For families in Sutton Coldfield, Erdington, Streetly, Walmley and the wider Birmingham area, the route to a place runs through the qualifying score of 205, then the zone and score ranking, and boys who sat the test and did not receive an offer from Bishop Vesey's or a more preferred school go on a Local Authority waiting list, held in oversubscription-criteria order until the end of the first term of the academic year.
Leading Tuition's specialist 11+ tuition programme works with families across Sutton Coldfield, Erdington, Streetly and the wider West Midlands to prepare boys for the shared Birmingham grammar schools test. Because the same test score can be used for Bishop Vesey's and any of the other seven participating schools, a well-structured preparation programme gives your son the flexibility to apply broadly while aiming specifically at BVGS's competitive standard.
We begin with a diagnostic assessment across all four tested areas: English comprehension, verbal reasoning, mathematics and non-verbal/spatial reasoning. Because the test weights English and verbal reasoning at 50% of the total mark, our programmes place particular emphasis on comprehension accuracy, vocabulary depth and verbal reasoning question-type fluency, while still building strong technique across the 25%-weighted non-verbal reasoning and mathematics papers.
As test day approaches, we shift into full timed mock papers under exam conditions, replicating the two 60-minute multiple-choice papers your son will sit. This builds the speed and stamina needed when every mark counts. We also advise families on the practical side of the process: registration windows, Pupil Premium evidence deadlines, and how the zone system may affect realistic expectations, so nothing about the admissions mechanics comes as a surprise on results day.
Progress is tracked after every session, with short diagnostic tasks at the start of each lesson to catch any drift early and adjust focus accordingly. Parents receive regular updates throughout the programme. Whether your son is waiting for his test result, due by Friday 16 October 2026, or you are a Year 4 or Year 5 family starting to plan ahead for a future Birmingham grammar schools sitting, we tailor the programme to where he is now and where he needs to be.
Note: If your son is in Year 5, the next Birmingham grammar schools cycle is the one for September 2028 entry: families register while their son is in Year 5 and he sits the test in Year 6. A son in Year 4 is in the cycle for September 2029 entry. Starting structured preparation now — well ahead of registration — gives the strongest foundation for the shared test's English, verbal reasoning, mathematics and non-verbal reasoning demands.
Leading Tuition is rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 59 reviews, read on 3 October 2026, and 91% of our students achieve their desired grades.
Reviewed October 2026: dates, figures and rules checked against the King Edward VI Foundation's admissions timeline, entrance test, results and offers and Pupil Premium pages, Bishop Vesey's Grammar School's Admissions Policy for September 2027, GCSE results news, history and house system pages, Ofsted and Get Information About Schools.
Bishop Vesey's has a Published Admission Number of 192 places for Year 7 entry, plus 80 external places into the Sixth Form. Every boy must reach the qualifying score of 205 for 2027 entry to be considered. In the Foundation's table for 2026 entry, the scores required on national offer day in March were 210 for Pupil Premium applicants and 229 for all other applicants.
The shared Birmingham grammar schools entrance test for September 2027 entry was held on Saturday 12 September 2026, arranged by the King Edward VI Foundation and provided by GL Assessment. Registration closed at 4pm on Friday 26 June 2026. Test scores arrive by Friday 16 October 2026, before the Local Authority preference form deadline of 31 October 2026, and school offers are made by the Local Authority on 1 March 2027.
The test consists of two multiple-choice papers, each approximately 60 minutes long, covering English comprehension, verbal reasoning, mathematics and non-verbal/spatial reasoning. Marks are weighted 50% for English and verbal reasoning combined, 25% for non-verbal reasoning and 25% for mathematics. Scores are standardised for age before ranking.
Rather than a single catchment boundary, Bishop Vesey's uses three priority zones measured by straight-line distance from the school's main entrance on Lichfield Road: Zone 1 covers up to 12 miles, Zone 2 covers 12 to 20 miles, and Zone 3 covers everywhere beyond 20 miles. After looked-after children living in Zone 1, Pupil Premium-eligible boys in Zone 1 are prioritised next, capped at 38 places, before remaining places are allocated by standardised score within each zone in turn.
Yes. Bishop Vesey's is one of eight Birmingham grammar schools that share a single entrance test arranged by the King Edward VI Foundation: Bishop Vesey's, King Edward VI Aston, King Edward VI Camp Hill Boys, King Edward VI Camp Hill Girls, King Edward VI Five Ways, King Edward VI Handsworth Girls, King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys, and Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls. A boy registers once and sits one exam, and the resulting score can be used to apply to any of these schools.
Bishop Vesey's holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating from its inspection on 30 April 2024, across all five categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and Sixth Form provision. In 2026 the school announced record-breaking GCSE results, with 84% of grades at 7-9, 63% at 8-9 and 32% at grade 9, as published on its website on 20 August 2026.
Our specialist tutors prepare boys for the shared Birmingham grammar schools test with personalised online one-to-one tuition. We start with a diagnostic across English comprehension, verbal reasoning, mathematics and non-verbal/spatial reasoning, build technique in each area, and practise full timed multiple-choice papers under exam conditions. We also help families understand the admissions steps, including the qualifying score, the zone system and Pupil Premium evidence, so nothing about the process comes as a surprise. Book a free consultation to talk through where your son is now and what to prioritise.