King Edward VI King's Norton School for Boys
102%
Capacity
815
Pupils
3.8x
Demand
About King Edward VI King's Norton School for Boys
King Edward VI King's Norton School for Boys sits within Birmingham's large secondary landscape, one of 95 state schools of the same type in the local authority. It is a boys-only, non-denominational school for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. The school is not among the top-ranked peers in the area — those are Eden Boys' School, Birmingham, St Paul's School for Girls, and Eden Girls' Leadership Academy, Birmingham — but it holds a steady position. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2023, rated the school Good across all categories: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. That marks a consistent performance, as the school was also rated Good in its previous inspection in 2017. Interestingly, the nearest Outstanding-rated school is Kings Norton Girls' School, just 0.6 km away, offering a contrasting option for families considering single-sex education in this part of Birmingham.
Academically, the school's performance data is limited in the available information, but its Ofsted report provides some insight. The quality of education was judged Good, and the school's Progress 8 score — a measure of pupil progress from Key Stage 2 to GCSE — is not provided here, so it cannot be compared to the Birmingham local authority average of 0.09. However, the school's capacity of 800 is exceeded by its current roll of 815 pupils, suggesting it is a popular choice locally. The school serves a diverse intake, with 29.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals, above the national average. The Ofsted breakdown shows that behaviour and attitudes were also rated Good, which aligns with the school's focus on a structured environment. Without specific exam results or a Progress 8 figure, parents would need to look to the full Ofsted report for detailed academic outcomes, but the Good rating across the board indicates solid provision.
The school offers a range of facilities including an ICT suite, library, playing fields, music rooms, astro turf, and a sports hall, supporting sports such as tennis, badminton, football, swimming, cross country, hockey, and athletics. Clubs include art, drama, choir, science, gardening, eco, and chess, providing breadth beyond the curriculum. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for a wide spectrum, including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 608 applications for 162 places, with 168 first-preference applications and 136 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.75. This suggests strong local demand, and parents should be prepared for a competitive admissions process. The school suits families seeking a single-sex, non-faith state secondary with a Good Ofsted rating and comprehensive SEND support, though those wanting a sixth form or a co-educational setting would need to look elsewhere.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Northfield Road, Birmingham, Birmingham, B30 1DY |
| Headteacher | David Clayton |
| Local Authority | Birmingham |
| Number of Pupils | 815 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 29.1% |
| School Capacity | 815 / 800 (102% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
3 Jul 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 25 Sept 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed162
608
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
168 families put this school as their 1st choice (28% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:05
Source: knbs.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British65.3%
- Mixed13.2%
- Asian7.0%
- White (other)3.3%
- Black0.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
16
Total schools
13
Oversubscribed
10
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About King Edward VI King's Norton School for Boys
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Northfield Road, Birmingham
Birmingham, B30 1DY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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