Introduction
Walsall-based Queen Mary’s Grammar School (QMGS) was founded in 1554 and is a selective boys’ grammar. One of the oldest schools in the UK, it gained academy status in June 2011 and is a designated specialist Language College. [1]
Queen Mary’s Grammar boasts a spacious sports hall, swimming facilities, biology laboratories and many amenities within its extensive campus. These help support the comprehensive academic and non-academic provision, which was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.
Embodying the school’s full commitment to excellence, the curriculum caters to a wide range of interests and abilities. As such, it underpins an expansive educational landscape, ranging from the innovative fields of technology and science to the expressive world of languages and performing arts.
Enrichment activities further support Queen Mary’s Grammar’s varied offering, including public speaking, chess, cricket, MedSoc, choir, hockey, coding, basketball and many other pursuits. Students are provided with substantial opportunities for all-round development, allowing them to build self-confidence and form quality relationships with peers. [2]
The use of ICT is a fundamental pillar in the school’s diverse operations. As technology and the internet intertwine with every aspect of the curriculum, online safety is a top priority. Queen Mary’s Grammar is committed to maintaining an e-safety policy that is both dynamic and responsive, aimed at effectively identifying, evaluating and mitigating risks while keeping pace with the changing nature of this field.
Furthermore, the school prides itself on its strong ethos, deeply embedded in the principles of courage, discipline and integrity. These values underpin an active drive towards fostering teamwork and promoting equality within the grammar’s culturally diverse community, which helps enhance the educational experience for all.
A significant focus is placed on safeguarding the emotional well-being of students, demonstrating Queen Mary’s Grammar’s commitment to holistic development. By implementing bespoke initiatives such as the ‘Change Your Mind’ programme, the school has received national recognition, highlighting its innovative approach to mental health. [3]
Queen Mary’s Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2026
Address: Sutton Road, Walsall WS1 2PG
County: West Midlands
Admissions info: postbox@qmgs.walsall.sch.uk, 01922 720696
School type: Boys’ grammar
Number of places in Year 7: 180
Open Day dates: June and July
Exam date: September 2026
Pass mark: Aim for 80%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
Exam type / Board: West Midlands Partnership (GL Assessment)
Queen Mary’s Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
Queen Mary’s Grammar School is part of the West Midlands Grammar School partnership. To be considered for entry, pupils must reach the required standard in the 11+ entrance exam, which has the same format for all member schools in the consortium.
With 180 places available in Year 7, the school is often oversubscribed. Under such circumstances, it employs its oversubscription criteria, giving priority to:
- Looked After, or previously Looked After, children who achieve the qualifying score
- Children eligible for the Pupil Premium who achieve the qualifying score
- Other children who achieve the qualifying score until the admissions number is reached.
Further details about Queen Mary’s Grammar admissions process are available on their website. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
Does Queen Mary’s Grammar School belong to a Consortium?
Queen Mary’s Grammar School belongs to the West Midlands 11+ Consortium, a group of schools that use the same entrance exam format and share a very similar admissions process.
How to Apply for 11 Plus (11+) Entry to Queen Mary’s Grammar School
Schools in the West Midlands consortium use one single registration portal for all 11+ applicants in the area, which can be accessed through this page.
Please note that you will also be asked to register your son using the Local Authority (LA) Preference Form, where you must list Queen Mary’s Grammar as a school of interest if you wish your child to be considered for a place there.
Does Queen Mary’s Grammar School have a catchment area?
The school does not operate a catchment area.
Queen Mary’s Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
The entrance test for Queen Mary’s Grammar School will be conducted by the Consortium of grammar schools in Shropshire, Walsall, and Wolverhampton, which is a part of the larger West Midlands Grammar Schools partnership. The West Midlands Grammar Schools 11+ exam consists of two papers, each lasting approximately 50-60 minutes long (including time for instructions and sample questions). 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 Mathematics 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 and Spatial Reasoning, both testing logic and intelligence.
How to Prepare for the Queen Mary’s Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam?
As experienced teachers and tutors, we know that the build-up to the 11 Plus can be an anxious time for both children and parents. But equally, we know that devising a good study plan and using the best practice papers will increase your child’s confidence and is more likely to result in a good 11+ performance.
All children benefit from regular exam practice sessions, whatever their natural attainment, so for the Queen Mary’s Grammar School 11 Plus test, it’s advisable to introduce practice exam papers into your son’s study early on. These papers allow pupils to get a better idea of the types of questions they can expect in the exam and also provide parents with a good indication of their child’s current abilities.
Queen Mary’s Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
The admissions rate at Queen Mary’s Grammar School varies from year to year, depending largely on the academic strength of the cohort. Pupils who are able to score 80%+ consistently in our 11+ practice tests should be on track to pass the 11+ test.
Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the Queen Mary’s Grammar School 11+ exam. Please click here to learn more.
Queen Mary’s Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Practice Exam Papers
The resources listed below are specifically designed to help students prepare for the 11+ Exam at Queen Mary’s Grammar School. 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, and Non-Verbal Reasoning/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 West Midlands Pre-11+ Practice Tests for Year 4 and 5 students are designed to introduce the exam format in a less challenging manner than the actual West Midlands 11+ Exam. They build confidence and provide a simpler yet accurate overview of what to expect, thus laying a solid foundation for tackling more demanding 11+ Practice Tests.
The following practice tests are specifically designed to help your child prepare for the West Midlands 11+ Exam, used by Queen Mary’s Grammar 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 Queen Mary’s Grammar 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 West Midlands 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 West Midlands 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 West Midlands 11+ Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning exam sections, using the correct timings and pitched at just the right difficulty level.
Practice Papers
Video Masterclasses
This set of tutorial videos provides a great overview of the 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning syllabus, teaching your child the key skills they need to master. The questions in this Masterclass have been exclusively created for us by one of the experts who write the questions for the actual West Midlands 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning exam.
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 Queen Mary’s Grammar School 11+ past papers. The information provided about Queen Mary’s Grammar 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 Queen Mary’s Grammar School.