The Grammar Schools in Birmingham 11+ Test – A Parent’s Guide

Any child who wishes to attend a Grammar school in Birmingham, will need to sit the admissions test.
There are eight Grammar schools in Birmingham which currently use this form of assessment. The test will assess each individual and whether they demonstrate the correct level of skill and intellect, before being given a Grammar school placement.

As mentioned, if your child wants to attend a Grammar school placement, they will need to sit the 11+ test admissions.

If you are not sure whether your child should be undergoing the assessment this year, take a look at the following key point:

• If your child was born between 1st September 2006 and 31st August 2007, you can register your child for the test for entry in September 2018.

You do not need to live in Birmingham in order to apply for a Grammar school placement.
Remember, there are only 1,220 placements for entry in September 2018. That means that competition for each place is high, and even if your child achieves the qualifying mark, they still may not be offered a placement.

The exam will consist of two tests, each of which will be approximately 50 minutes. There are four main areas which are covered in the test. These include:

• Verbal Reasoning;
• Comprehension;
• Non-Verbal Reasoning;
• Numerical Reasoning.

As mentioned previously, there are eight Grammar schools in Birmingham which you can apply to:

• Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School for Boys;
• Handsworth 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;
• Sutton Codfield Grammar School for Girls.

For more information on each of these schools, you can visit each individual school website.

Below I have outlined some of the most important dates that you need to jot down in your diaries.

Please note, the testing date for Birmingham Grammar schools is the same day as the test for Warwickshire Grammar School. Children will be able to apply to both of these; you will only need to register once, and sit the test once.

Test results will be given out on the 13th October 2017. These are usually given in writing. Alongside your test scores, you will also be given information regarding the minimum scores needed to attend each Grammar school.

You should read the eligibility requirements before filling in the Local Authority Preference Form. If your child has not met the needs of that Grammar school, then your choice will most likely be rejected.

It is recommended that you visit the Grammar schools which you apply to prior to filling out the Local Authority Preference Form.

QUESTION 1
Fill in the missing words so that the sentence reads correctly.

He ____ the telephone and then ____ it to his mother.

A = heard / shouted
B = answered / spoke
C = picked / threw
D = answered / passed

QUESTION 2
Which letter is missing from the following words?

HER(_) RAG and BLUR(_) ALL

A = B
B = S
C = T
D = U

QUESTION 3
Which of the following words is the odd one out?
A = First
B = Second
C = Third
D = Forth
E = Fifth

For the following questions, read through the passage carefully and then answer the questions.

QUESTION 1
List three examples which show how the reader knows that the character, Webster, is a spider.

QUESTION 2
The author states two reasons as to why Webster’s “masterpiece” is resourceful. Find the evidence in the passage and then write it out word-for-word.

QUESTION 1
I think of a number. I add 9 and then multiply by 7. I halve it and then add 13. My number is now 97. What number did I originally start with?

QUESTION 2
Here is a Venn Diagram. Using the numbers, fill in the Venn Diagram correctly.

QUESTION 1
Which figure is the odd one out?

QUESTION 2
Work out which two shapes are identical. No rotation or reflection is needed.

ANSWERS TO VERBAL REASONING PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q1. D = answered / passed
Explanation = If you add these words to the sentence, you would get: “He answered the telephone and passed it to his mother.”
Q2. A = B
Explanation = herb, brag, blurb and ball.
Q3. D = Forth
Explanation = The word “forth” in relation to the other words is incorrect. Instead it should be “fourth”.

ANSWERS TO COMPREHENSION PRACTICE QUESTONS

Q1. You could have had the following:
• “Webster created an articulate infrastructure; a structure so defined and carefully constructed” – this is talking about the spider’s web.
• “He knew that every ‘man’ was out for himself” – ‘man’ is written in inverted commas, suggesting that Webster is not actually a man.
• “After all, he was tiny and suffered with a damaged leg, all of which makes him inferior to the leader of the cluster.” – The term ‘cluster’ is used to describe a group of spiders.

Q2. You should have the following answers:
• “Create a sense of security and triumph”
• “Protect and hide themselves”

ANSWERS TO NUMERICAL REASONING PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q1. 15
Explanation =
• 97 – 13 = 84
• 84 x 2 = 168
• 168 ÷ 7 = 24
• 24 – 9 = 15

Q2.
Multiples of 8 = 16 and 8
Multiples of 6 = 36, 54, and 78
Multiples of 6 and 8 = 72, 48 and 24

ANSWERS TO NON-VERBAL REASONING PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q1. D
Explanation = the number of lines depends on the number of shapes. There should be two lines because there are two shapes.

Q2. A and C
Explanation = These are the only two shapes that match exactly.