Best Schools in Birmingham: Grammar Schools, Academies and Faith Schools (2026)

Birmingham is the UK's second-largest city with over 400 schools. The city has a distinctive mix: eight grammar schools (King Edward's Foundation), large multi-academy trusts (ARK, CORE Education Trust), a high proportion of faith schools (Catholic, Church of England, Muslim, Sikh), and some of the most improved schools in the country. Birmingham also has significant variation between areas — schools in Sutton Coldfield and Edgbaston have very different profiles from those in inner-city wards.

The eight King Edward's schools are among the most oversubscribed in England. Five are grammar schools (selective, state-funded) and three are independent. The grammar schools use a consortium test sat in September. King Edward's School (boys) and King Edward VI High School (girls) in Edgbaston are particularly competitive, drawing applicants from across the West Midlands. Use PickMySchool to compare all eight King Edward's schools' GCSE results, Ofsted histories, and capacity data.

Several large trusts operate across Birmingham: • ARK Schools — consistently strong results across its Birmingham academies • CORE Education Trust — specialising in school improvement • Perry Beeches — multiple academies across the north of the city Use PickMySchool's filter for Academy type to compare trust-run schools against community schools in your area.

Birmingham has a large number of faith schools. Catholic schools like St Paul's Girls and Bishop Challoner consistently achieve strong results. Islamic schools and Sikh schools are also well-represented. For faith schools, check the admissions policy carefully — most require a supplementary information form (SIF) in addition to the main application, and some prioritise by level of religious practice.

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