Founded in 1552, King Edward’s School is one of the most successful boys’ schools in this country. For nearly 400 years the school stood in New Street at the heart of the city. In 1936 the school moved to its present 50-acre site in Edgbaston, shared with King Edward VI High School for Girls, which provides extensive space and facilities matched by few day schools in the country. The site has been enhanced in recent times by major building developments for performing arts, science, modern languages and sport.
The school’s academic performance places it amongst the very best in the country. King Edward’s School switched from A-levels to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in 2010, receiving its first set of results in 2012. Since then, it has consistently been placed amongst the best IB schools in the world, receiving awards including ‘The Sunday Times International Baccalaureate School of the Year 2015-16’ and the ‘IB Boys’ School of the Year 2015’. Pupils enjoy considerable academic success and go on to the very best universities. The school also has a remarkably rich and diverse extra-curricular life across, sport, music, drama, personal service, clubs and societies, trips and expeditions.
King Edward’s School is one of the most accessible and diverse independent schools in the country with over £12m raised for the school’s Assisted Places Scheme in recent years. Up to 25 means-tested Assisted Places are available each year for entry into Year 7, about 10 of which are free places, and a few places are also available for Sixth Form entry.
The school has a long list of notable alumni including two Nobel Prize-winners, JRR Tolkien, Edward Burne-Jones, Lord Willetts and Lee Child.