Our School

King Edward VI Five Ways School is a voluntary aided selective secondary school on the southwest tip of the City and one of the seven "Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham". The Foundation dates from 1552, although its origins can be traced back two centuries earlier (As a voluntary aided school, all running expenses are met from state funds and so parents pay no fees. in addition, the King Edward Foundation contributes generous sums to help maintain the buildings and make improvements). In September 2004, we became a Specialist Humanities School and in 2008 took on a second Specialism in Science.

The school was established as part of the Foundation in 1883 at Five Ways, just west of the City centre. It moved in 1958 to a particularly attractive 30-acre site, seven miles to the southwest of the City centre, bordering Bartley Reservoir and looking out to Frankley Beeches. In September 2003, the School completed the move towards full coeducation, making it the only mixed non fee paying Grammar School in the West Midlands. There is an intake at the age of 11 of 150 pupils per year (irrespective of gender) on the basis of performance in the entrance examination set by the King Edward Foundation. The School has around 1150 pupils on roll. In recent years, the entry has been many times oversubscribed and the school draws pupils from a wide geographical area. Applications are welcomed from any boys or girls living within a reasonable travelling distance of the school. One-third come from north Worcestershire and the Black Country. Boys and girls are also admitted at 16 into our large Sixth Form, which has 360 students.

The heart of the buildings remain those erected over 50 years ago when the school moved from Five Ways, but over recent years there have been substantial developments in the facilities. The Eyles Specialism Centre now incorporates a large internet cafe, the Physics Factory, video conferencing facilities and classrooms. We have a purpose built Music Suite and extensive renovation of the 'old rifle range' has provided classrooms for languages. Over the past years, all of the existing classrooms and toilet facilities have been renovated.

The biggest changes however have occurred during the last few years in which there has been a major building programme, costing nearly £4 million, in preparation for the expansion of the school as it became fully co-educational. Our MacCarthy Block has specialist rooms for English, Religious Studies, Art, Photography, Expressive Arts and Food Technology. Our sports hall with pavilion, climbing wall and changing rooms form a sports complex linked together with the existing gym and swimming pool plus a purpose built Fitness Suite, completed in 2008.

The Gallery Dining Room (and Pavilion) serve pupils freshly cooked food daily, as well as providing a venue to house works of art by our own students with subtle lighting to enhance the displays.

Within the older buildings, recent alterations have resulted have resulted have in two new laboratories predominantly for Physics and Biology, computer rooms and an extension to the library. The Assembly Hall has also been extended, including a balcony completed in 2009, so that it will accommodate the whole school.

During 2006 - 2007, the Chowen Centre was constructed to house our expanding Sixth Form. This new centre was made possible by a successful appeal to parents, Governors and Old Edwardians, together with a generous grant from the King Edward Foundation.

Specialism

From September 2004 the school became the first Humanities Specialist School in Birmingham and one of the first few in the country. The status is Geography led and supported by History and Citizenship.

In September 2008, we took on a second specialism, Science and coincidently the school became the West Midlands 'Physics Factory'; an exciting project to improve access to high quality physics teaching for pupils in the region and provide in-service training for physics teachers and science technicians.