How it works
Families register through the West Midlands Grammar Schools website, which handles the test for the participating schools. The test is free to sit.
The test result decides eligibility and ranking. Families still name their chosen schools on Birmingham City Council's secondary application form.
What the test covers
The test is set by GL Assessment and is multiple choice. Questions are drawn from English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, spread across the papers.
The usual timetable
Registration has usually opened in early May and closed in late June of Year 5. The test has been held on a Saturday in mid-September, at the start of Year 6, with results in mid-October, ahead of the 31 October application deadline.
Exact dates are published each year on the West Midlands Grammar Schools website.
How to practise
Multiple-choice tests reward steady pace as well as accuracy. Once the basics are secure, add some timed sets so your child gets used to moving on from a hard question and coming back to it.
Kestrel's mock exams are timed across all four subjects and end with a short report on what to practise next.
Kestrel is independent and is not connected with any school, local authority, consortium or test provider. All practice content is original, and no pass guarantee is given.
Kestrel is independent and is not linked to any exam board, local authority or school. Always check the current admissions information for the schools you are applying to.