Maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning
Competition
Highly selective
Prism’s suggested target
85% in practice (our estimate, not a school figure)
About the West Midlands 11+ (Birmingham & Walsall)
The Birmingham consortium and neighbouring grammars use two GL papers mixing English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Stage
Paper
Questions
Time
Test day
Paper 1
60
60 minutes
Test day
Paper 2
60
60 minutes
Paper formats are indicative and change from year to year. Always check the current arrangements with the school or local authority.
How to prepare
The West Midlands 11+ (Birmingham & Walsall) covers maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Most families start steady preparation in Year 4 or early Year 5, building accuracy first and speed later, then sit timed papers through the summer before the test, which usually takes place in September.
For maths, secure the Key Stage 2 arithmetic, fractions, ratio and problem solving before moving to the multi-step questions that separate the strongest candidates.
For English, read widely every day and practise comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar; selective tests reward precise word knowledge.
Verbal reasoning is a set of learnable question types, such as letter codes, hidden words and word analogies. Learning each type, then practising it against the clock, lifts scores quickly.
Non-verbal reasoning is about spotting patterns in shapes: rotations, reflections, sequences and matrices. Short, regular sessions work better than long ones.
Practice questions in the style of the test
Written by Prism in the style of the test, not taken from any school’s papers.
Question 1Aim for about 60 seconds
The line graph shows the temperature in a garden. What was the temperature at 10 am?
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, 13°C
How to work it out
Find 10 am on the bottom axis, go up to the line, then across to the scale: 13°C.
Each gridline is 2 degrees.
Why the other options are wrong
A (12°C): The point is halfway between two gridlines: read the value in the middle.
B (11°C): One gridline too low.
C (14°C): Read across carefully: each gridline is 2 degrees, not 1.
D (18°C): This reads the next time along.
Question 2Aim for about 45 seconds
Which word correctly completes the sentence?
She ___ the ball through the window.
Show the worked answer
Answer: A, threw
How to work it out
“threw” is correct here.
“Threw” is the past tense of throw.
Question 3Aim for about 35 seconds
Complete the analogy.
eye is to see as ear is to ?
Show the worked answer
Answer: A, hear
How to work it out
Say the link between “eye” and “see” as a sentence.
The same sentence links “ear” and “hear”.
Question 4Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure completes the grid?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: E
How to work it out
Across each row the shading changes in the same way; down each column the shape changes.
The missing figure needs the bottom row’s shape and the right column’s shading.
What entrance test does King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys use?
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys uses the West Midlands 11+ (Birmingham & Walsall), which tests maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Check the school’s admissions page for the current arrangements.
What score does my child need for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
Schools do not publish pass marks. As a guide, Prism suggests a child aims to score around 85% consistently in practice for a highly selective school. This is Prism’s own estimate, not a figure from the school, and no score guarantees a place.
When should my child start preparing for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
Most families start in Year 4 or early Year 5, then practise timed papers during the summer before the test, which usually takes place in September.
Preparing for King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys?
Prism starts with a free assessment across maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, then builds a weekly plan for your target schools. Parents follow progress free.
Prism Learning is not affiliated with King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys. Details are indicative; always check admissions arrangements with the school.