Best secondary schools in Birmingham: A complete 2026 guide

Birmingham has one of the more unusual secondary school landscapes in England. The city sits on top of a cluster of grammar schools run by the King Edward VI Foundation, alongside the foundation's two flagship independents and a wide range of well-regarded state secondaries and academies. The result is a wide menu of options across selective and non-selective routes.

This guide is for parents weighing up secondary options in Birmingham. It covers the King Edward Foundation, the nearby Sutton Coldfield grammars, a small group of independents and a set of strong non-selective state schools. The aim is to give a clear starting point for further research, not a strict ranking.

We have based this list on schools with a long track record of strong results, positive Ofsted reputations and consistent demand from local families. We have mixed selective grammars, independents and non-selective comprehensives so that the list works whatever route you are considering.

We have not invented Ofsted ratings or specific exam results. Where we describe a school's strengths we have used qualitative language based on widely reported information. You should always check the most recent Ofsted report and the Department for Education's compare-school-performance service before making a decision.

Birmingham's independent sector is smaller than the grammar system but includes some highly academically selective schools. The two King Edward independents share the Edgbaston site and are widely chosen by families looking for a fee-paying option in the city.

King Edward's is an independent boys' school on the Edgbaston site shared with King Edward VI High School for Girls. It is one of the more academically selective schools in the country.

The school is known for a strong record of Oxbridge progression and a wide academic offer. Famous former pupils include J. R. R. Tolkien. Entry is by assessment at the main entry points, with a substantial bursary programme.

King Edward VI High School for Girls is the sister independent to King Edward's, sharing the Edgbaston campus. It is among the higher-performing girls' schools in England at GCSE and A-Level.

The school is known for a wide subject offer and an academic culture comparable to its brother school. A meaningful bursary programme supports families on lower incomes.

Bromsgrove School is a large co-educational independent boarding and day school in Bromsgrove, just outside Birmingham. It is widely chosen by families on the south-western side of the conurbation.

The school is known for a wide curriculum at GCSE and A-Level, an active boarding community and a strong sport and music offer.

Edgbaston High School is an independent girls' school in Edgbaston, taking pupils from nursery through to sixth form. It is part of the Girls' Day School Trust.

The school is known for a long history in the city and a strong record of university progression. Entry is by assessment at the main entry points.

Birmingham is one of the few large English cities with a meaningful set of state grammar schools. Most are run by the King Edward VI Foundation, with two further grammars in Sutton Coldfield. Entry is by the 11+ test in Year 6, which is competitive and tends to be oversubscribed each year.

The foundation reserves a meaningful proportion of grammar places for pupils eligible for pupil premium, which sets it apart from many selective systems in England.

Camp Hill Boys is a state grammar in Kings Heath, sharing a site with its sister school for girls. It is highly selective and tends to sit near the top of national results tables.

The school is known for a traditional academic culture and a strong record of progression to leading universities. Entry is by the King Edward Foundation 11+ test.

Camp Hill Girls is the sister grammar to Camp Hill Boys, sharing the Kings Heath site. It is similarly highly selective and among the higher-performing girls' state schools in the country.

The school is known for a wide subject offer at GCSE and A-Level and an academic culture matched to its brother school.

Five Ways is a co-educational state grammar in Bartley Green, originally founded as a boys' school and now mixed. It is one of the more oversubscribed grammars in the West Midlands.

The school is known for strong results across the curriculum and a popular sixth form. Entry is by the King Edward Foundation 11+ test.

Handsworth Grammar is a state grammar for boys in the north of the city, sitting within the King Edward Foundation. The school runs a wide curriculum at GCSE and A-Level and admits girls into its sixth form.

Entry is by the King Edward Foundation 11+ test. The school is known for serving a diverse intake and for a strong record of university progression.

Handsworth Girls is a state grammar for girls in the north of the city, sister school to King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys and sitting within the King Edward VI Foundation. The school runs a wide curriculum at GCSE and A-Level.

Entry is by the King Edward Foundation 11+ test. The school is known for serving a diverse intake and for a strong record of progression to selective universities.

KE Aston is a state grammar for boys in Aston, in the north of the city, with girls admitted into the sixth form. It has been a grammar school since 1883 and sits within the King Edward VI Foundation.

The school is known for a traditional academic culture and a strong record of progression to selective universities. Entry is by the King Edward Foundation 11+ test.

Bishop Vesey's is a state grammar school for boys in Sutton Coldfield, founded in 1527. It is academically selective by 11+ and consistently posts strong GCSE and A-Level results.

The school is known for a traditional academic culture and a wide co-curricular offer. Entry is by the Sutton Coldfield grammar tests, which are separate from the King Edward Foundation test.

Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls is a state grammar for girls in Sutton Coldfield, partnered with Bishop Vesey's for some sixth form provision. It is one of the more oversubscribed girls' grammars in the region.

The school is known for strong A-Level results and a wide subject offer. Entry is by the Sutton Coldfield grammar tests.

Plenty of families in Birmingham either choose not to sit the 11+ or prefer a comprehensive setting on principle. The city has a number of well-regarded non-selective state schools and academies. As with any school, look at recent Ofsted reports, talk to current parents and visit in person before making a decision.

Cardinal Wiseman is a co-educational Catholic state secondary on Old Oscott Hill in Kingstanding, in the north of the city. It is one of the larger Catholic schools in the diocese.

The school is known for a clear faith ethos and a strong record of pastoral support. Admission gives priority to baptised Catholic children, with a published faith-based oversubscription policy.

Hodge Hill College is a co-educational state academy in the east of the city. The school serves a large catchment in Hodge Hill and the surrounding area.

The school is known for steady improvement in results and a structured behaviour culture. Admission is non-selective and primarily based on distance.

Sheldon Heath Academy is a co-educational state academy in the east of Birmingham. Despite the King Edward name, it is non-selective and admits pupils through standard distance-based criteria.

The school is known for a broad curriculum and a sixth form that admits pupils from across the local area.

Holyhead is a co-educational state secondary in Handsworth, in the north of the city. It serves a diverse catchment with a long history in the area.

The school is known for a wide co-curricular offer and a structured pastoral programme. Admission is non-selective and primarily distance-based.

KE Lordswood is a non-selective state secondary for girls in Harborne, in the south-west of the city. It has been comprehensive since 1973 and joined the King Edward VI Foundation in 2022, sitting alongside the foundation's grammars and other non-selective academies.

The school is known for steady academic results and a supportive pastoral culture. Admission is non-selective and primarily distance-based.

Open days and league tables only tell you so much. The right school for one child can be the wrong school for another. Talk to current parents where you can, walk the route from home to school in school hours and ask staff what they do when a child is struggling, not just when a child is thriving. Pastoral fit and commute are often as important as headline results.

Think about subject offer too. A school's GCSE options blocks and A-Level prospectus matter more than its overall reputation if your child has a specific direction in mind. If a school does not offer Further Maths, a third language or a specific creative subject, that may rule it in or out before you even visit.

Birmingham state school applications are co-ordinated through Birmingham City Council. You list up to six schools in order of preference and submit by 31 October in Year 6, for entry the following September. National offer day is 1 March.

If your child is sitting the King Edward 11+, you register separately with the foundation in the summer before Year 6 and sit the test that September. The Sutton Coldfield grammars run their own consortium tests on a separate timetable. Test results feed into the schools' oversubscription criteria, with catchment priority applied at some schools.

Independent schools run their own assessments, usually in January of Year 6 for Year 7 entry, with bursary processes that often start earlier. If your child is not offered a place at any of your preferred state schools, you will be offered the nearest school with availability and can join waiting lists for the schools you preferred.