0
Powered by
EPP
A personalised 11+ plan for your child's target school that adapts all the way to exam day.
Introduction
King Edward VI School (KES) is a boys’ grammar school in the historic market town of Stratford-upon-Avon. Known locally as ‘Shakespeare’s School’, KES proudly carries the legacy of having possibly been the academic home to the world-renowned playwright, William Shakespeare. Since transitioning into an academy in 2011, KES has continued to flourish, currently educating over 700 students. [1]
Its academic provision is rooted in variety, encompassing humanities, social sciences, technology, languages (including Mandarin) and many other disciplines. Pupils attend lessons that are both engaging and challenging, aimed at maximising their skillset in line with the school’s strong academic tradition.
Beyond the classroom, boys participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, with notable emphasis placed on sports, including rugby, fencing and rowing. A plethora of clubs and societies enrich the educational experience, boasting everything from animation and astronomy to philosophy and 3D printing. [2]
The pastoral care framework ensures that every student feels safe and empowered to accomplish their potential. Staff work in close partnership with parents and comprehensively approach each student’s development, reinforcing in this way the nurturing ethos and collective sense of purpose that permeates all school activities.
Recently, an impressive 92.2% of GCSE grades achieved were between 7-9, further confirming KES’ reputation as a sought-after institution for academically gifted students. Graduates continue their educational journey at prestigious universities such as Cambridge, Exeter, Warwick, Durham and University College London, leveraging stellar opportunities to shape their future career paths. [3]
King Edward VI School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2026
Address: Chapel Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6BE
County: Warwickshire
Admissions info: admissions@kes.net, 01789 293351
School type: Boys’ grammar
Number of places in Year 7: 87
Open Day date: June
Exam date: September 2026
Pass mark: Aim for 80-85%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
Exam type / Board: West Midlands Partnership (GL Assessment)
King Edward VI School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
You and your son are encouraged to attend Open Morning to ensure that KES is the right educational environment for him. Set in June, the event will provide you with a unique opportunity to explore the school grounds and meet key members of staff.
Should there be more applications than available places in Year 7, the school applies its oversubscription criteria in order of priority. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
How to Apply for 11 Plus (11+) Entry to King Edward VI School
As a member of the West Midlands Grammar School Consortium, King Edward VI School commences its application period in May. It’s crucial to submit your application through the registration portal by the June deadline.
It’s also necessary to make an application to your Local Authority (LA). In the LA Preference Form, you need to rank your schools of interest. If KES isn’t listed as one of your preferences, it will preclude your child from being considered for a place there.
The school will send you the results of your child’s 11+ test in October. Offers are made in March.
King Edward VI School Catchment Area
Does King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School have a catchment area?
Yes, King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School has a catchment area with priority based on location and distance from the school.
King Edward VI School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
The King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School 11 Plus exam consists of two test papers, each lasting approximately 60 minutes. They cover:
- English Comprehension
- Verbal Reasoning
- Mathematics
- Non-Verbal + Spatial Reasoning
The weightings for the test results are 50% for English/verbal reasoning, 25% for non-verbal reasoning and 25% for mathematics.
The English Comprehension paper examines comprehension skills, including inference. There will be no writing component.
The Verbal Reasoning section of the exam assesses logical thinking, use of English language and vocabulary.
The maths paper measures problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills, including questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The exam will also cover Non-Verbal Reasoning or Spatial Reasoning, both testing logic and intelligence.
Results from the King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School 11 Plus will be available to parents online in October, with final Year 7 place allocations published in March the following year.
How to Prepare for the King Edward VI School 11 Plus (11+) Exam?
The entrance examination for a selective school can be stressful for your child. As such, we highly recommend that you make use of quality practice tests as part of your preparation process. Becoming familiar with the types of questions and the format of the actual exam will increase your child’s confidence and reduce stress ahead of exam day.
Our practice tests consist of thoroughly researched and up-to-date question types that reflect a competitive 11+ examination format. They will help ensure that your child responds to the exam questions accurately.
Practice tests will also help your child get used to answering questions quickly, under time pressure. This will give them a significant advantage over their peers.
Our practice tests are designed to replicate the format and layout of the King Edward VI School exam, offering the perfect platform for students to hone their timed response skills. Each year, our resources assist thousands of students to ace the 11+ exam. They are therefore an ideal resource for efficient and effective exam preparation.
King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School does not provide information about raw scores, except that they will be age-standardised, ensuring that each student is assessed fairly.
Pupils who are able to score 80-85%+ consistently in our 11+ practice tests should be on track to pass the 11+ King Edward VI School test.
Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the King Edward VI School 11+ exam. Please click here to learn more.
King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School 11 Plus (11+) Practice Exam Papers
The resources listed below are specifically designed to help students prepare for the King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School 11+ Exam. They cover every aspect of the exam, which is created by GL Assessment.
All question types that could come up in the actual exam are addressed across English Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Mathematics, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning.
Most of the products below also come with detailed video tutorials to accompany every question. These allow your child to quickly learn from their mistakes and understand the most effective techniques to approach any question that could come up in their exam.
The following practice tests are specifically designed to help your child prepare for the West Midlands 11+ Exam, used by King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School for Year 7 entry. They provide excellent mock exam preparation, highlighting your child’s strengths and weaknesses.
Practice Papers
The packs below will introduce your child to all the key question types used in GL Assessment 11+ English exams, such as the King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School assessment. The timings and types of passages used are typical of what you can expect in the actual exam.
Practice Papers
10 Minutes Test
Video Masterclasses
The packs below will introduce your child to all the key question types used in the King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School 11+ Verbal Reasoning exam sections, using the correct timings and pitched at just the right difficulty level. Each pack comes with free, detailed video explanations for every question to help your child learn and improve quickly.
Practice Papers
10 Minutes Test
Video Masterclasses
The packs below will introduce your child to all the key question types used in the King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School 11+ Mathematics exam sections, using the correct timings and pitched at just the right difficulty level. Each pack comes with free, detailed video explanations for every question to help your child learn and improve quickly.
Practice Papers
Video Masterclasses
10 Minutes Test
Video Masterclasses
The packs below will expose your child to all the key question types used in the King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning exam sections, using the correct timings and pitched at just the right difficulty level.
Practice Papers
Video Masterclasses
Video Masterclasses
If you don’t buy a Bundle, don’t forget to use the code eppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250.
Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions have been included in King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School 11+ past papers. The information provided about King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School is believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the article.
Please note that Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by King Edward VI Shakespeare’s School.
Bookmark Article
Bookmark this page? Pop your email into the box below to receive a link to this article so you can easily refer back to it later.
Author(s)
Louise Lang
Director of Learning