Foundation

The Foundation’s schools are a rare combination of independent schools and academies, both selective and comprehensive, which have come together over the centuries since the establishment of King Edward’s School in 1552 and are now responsible for educating more than 11,000 children and young people in Birmingham – 1 in 10 of the city’s secondary-aged students.  

While the diverse nature of its schools is one of the Foundation’s greatest strengths, all parts of the organisation share a common purpose and work together to realise an aspiration to make Birmingham the best place to be educated in the UK. The Foundation is committed to raising aspirations, widening access and transforming the lives of young people no matter their background, and it has gained national recognition for its work on accessibility to academically selective schools and its belief in the impact that genuine partnerships between different schools can have.  

The Foundation comprises the King Edward VI Academy Trust, which hosts six grammar and five (soon to be six) comprehensive academies serving some of the most disadvantaged areas of Birmingham, and a sponsoring charity (called The Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham), which operates KEHS, KES and the Foundation Office, which hosts the organisation’s central services.  

Students and staff in all Foundation schools benefit greatly from their association with one another. Collaboration is based on mutual respect and shared values, and we are delighted to be part of this.  

We frequently host joint events with other Foundation schools, giving students from across the organisation an opportunity to learn together, many of our staff have undertaken CPD opportunities offered by the Foundation, and some colleagues have become Foundation Leaders in Education, taking on a Foundation-wide leadership role in their subject area. We look forward to even closer collaboration in the years ahead.