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Applying to Churston Ferrers Grammar School for September 2028? This guide covers the Torbay grammar schools' 11+ selection tests, the qualifying score, how the 160 Year 7 places are allocated and the key dates for September 2028 entry.
Number of places in Year 7: 160 (2027-entry figure — Churston Ferrers Grammar School confirms each year's admission number in its determined arrangements, published the spring before entry.)
Qualifying score: No fixed pass mark is published. The school says the threshold changes each year with the cohort, and from 2027 entry it sets the eligible score so that a reasonable share of places is open to children outside its 15 named feeder primary schools.
11+ test: Torbay grammar schools' 11+ selection tests (GL Assessment test in English and maths, sat in September of Year 6)
Catchment or priority area: no catchment area, but priority for 15 named feeder primary schools
Source: Churston Ferrers Grammar School Admissions Policy 2027-28 (agreed March 2026). Last checked October 2026.
Key dates for September 2028 entry
Churston confirms its 11+ dates each year. For 2027 entry, its Admissions Policy 2027-28 said registration for the September 2026 test opened in January 2026 and closed at midday on 2 September 2026, with parents told the outcome on or after 13 October 2026. Torbay Council's admission scheme also set a preferred registration deadline of midday on Wednesday 15 July 2026, and the test for all Torbay selective schools took place on Saturday 19 September 2026. The windows below follow that pattern. We'll update this page as soon as the 2028-entry dates are published.
Key dates for Churston Ferrers Grammar School 11+ entry in September 2028, with expected windows where the school has not yet confirmed exact dates.
Date
What happens
January 2027
Test registration expected to open
Mid-July 2027
Preferred registration deadline expected
Early September 2027
Final registration deadline expected
Mid-September 2027
Torbay 11+ selection tests expected (usually a Saturday)
Mid-October 2027
Results (a yes or no outcome) expected
Sunday 31 October 2027
Deadline to apply for secondary school places through your home local authority. This date falls on a Sunday.
Wednesday 1 March 2028
National offer day for secondary school places
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Churston Ferrers Grammar School is selective, so your child needs to sit the 11+ test to be considered for a place.
You register your child for the selection tests using the registration form on the school's website, and submit it to the school. Register with just one Torbay selective school, which is where your child sits the test. Registering isn't an application for a place: you also apply through your home local authority.
Once you have your child's result, you apply by naming Churston Ferrers Grammar School on your common application form, which goes to your home local authority. For September 2028 entry the deadline is Sunday 31 October 2027. As it falls on a Sunday, you may find it easier to submit your form in the days before.
Reaching the qualifying score makes your child eligible, but it doesn't guarantee a place. If more qualifying children apply than there are places, the school uses its oversubscription criteria, set out further down this page.
What will my child be tested on?
Churston's 11+ is administered by GL Assessment and assesses English and maths only, with no verbal or non-verbal reasoning. The school describes it as testing what any child in any primary school would be expected to have learned by the end of Year 5.
There is one sitting each year, in September of Year 6. Your child can only sit the 11+ at one selective school in Torbay, and the guidance letter tells you whether they've also qualified for the other Torbay selective schools using the same test.
Churston's 2027-28 admissions policy describes the selection tests as GL Assessment papers in English and maths. The school doesn't publish how many papers there are or how long each one lasts, and we'll add those details here once it confirms them for 2028 entry.
How are places allocated at Churston Ferrers Grammar School?
If more children reach the qualifying standard than there are 160 Year 7 places, Churston Ferrers Grammar School offers places in the order below. This order comes from the school's admissions policy for 2027/28. The school sets its 2028-entry policy separately, and we'll update this table if anything changes.
Churston Ferrers Grammar School oversubscription criteria in priority order, from the 2027/28 admissions policy.
Priority
Who it covers
A
Looked after and previously looked after children who reach the qualifying score
B
Eligible children scoring at or above the score of the 75th-ranked child
C (a)
Eligible children who qualify for free school meals, the Pupil Premium or the Service Pupil Premium at the time of the test
C (b)
Eligible children of staff employed at the time of the test on a permanent contract for at least two years, or recruited to a post with a demonstrable skill shortage
C (c)
Eligible children on the roll of one of the 15 named feeder primary schools at the time of the test
C (d)
Then in rank order of selection test score
D
Other eligible children, ranked by selection test score
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Eligible children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP) naming the school are admitted before these criteria are applied. The Category C groups are applied in order. Sibling priority is no longer part of the criteria. In September 2026, 88 of the 160 places went to children at the 15 named feeder primary schools.
Does Churston Ferrers Grammar School have a catchment area?
Churston doesn't give priority to children living in a catchment area. Instead it gives priority (in Category C) to eligible children at 15 named feeder primary schools: Brixham CofE Primary School; Collaton St Mary CofE Primary School; Curledge Street Academy, Paignton; Eden Park Primary School, Brixham; Furzeham Primary School, Brixham; Galmpton Primary School; Hayes Primary School, Paignton; Kings Ash Academy, Paignton; Oldway Primary School, Paignton; Preston Primary School, Torquay; Roselands Primary School, Paignton; Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Paignton; St Margaret Clitherow Primary School, Brixham; St Michaels CofE Academy, Paignton; and White Rock Primary School, Paignton.
For Category D, or a tie in the last Category C group, children living nearer the school come first, measured in a straight line using Torbay Council's mapping system. If distances are equal, for example at a shared address, lots are drawn by someone independent of the school.
If you don't live close to the school, it's worth thinking about how your child will get there every day. How long will the journey take? What transport options are available? Will they be travelling independently or with support?
A longer or more complex journey can affect your child's daily routine, including how much time they have for homework, rest and after-school activities. It's a good idea to think about how manageable the school run will be and whether it will work for your family day to day.
How can I help my child prepare for the test?
The Torbay Consortium 11+ can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here's how you can help your child prepare for test day.
Stay on track with a clear plan
One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation is knowing what to focus on, when, and how to make steady progress without it taking over family life.
A clear, structured plan helps your child feel less overwhelmed and more in control. It ensures they build skills in the right order, cover everything they need, and avoid last-minute cramming.
Atom's exam plan makes this easier. Enter your child's exam date and target schools, and we'll create a personalised weekly plan tailored to the topics they'll be tested on. It shows them what to work on and when, adapts as they improve, and helps them build progress in a calm, manageable way — little and often.
That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path all the way to exam day.
Build smart exam technique
As your child's knowledge grows, practice tests can help them feel more comfortable with the real exam format.
Atom's 11+ practice papers are built to match the format, timing and question styles of real 11+ exams. They're also unlimited — you can download the same paper again and again, and your child will get new questions each time. This helps them practise without repeating the same content.
We've made marking easy for you, too. Simply photograph your child's answer sheets and upload them to Atom. The papers are marked instantly, showing your child's standardised age score (SAS), where they're doing well, and what they should focus on next. You'll also learn how they compare to other children applying to the same school.
Encourage regular reading
Strong reading skills play a big role in 11+ preparation.
Encourage your child to read every day, even for just 10–15 minutes. The key is variety. Mix fiction and non-fiction, different genres, and a range of authors. This helps them become more confident in understanding tone, purpose, and meaning across different texts.
Over time, regular reading will broaden their vocabulary, improve comprehension and inference, and build confidence in tackling unseen texts. And just as importantly, it can help them enjoy reading — not just see it as exam preparation.
When you're supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they're moving in the right direction — not just how they scored on a single test.
Atom's progress tracking gives you a clear, simple picture of how your child is doing in each topic and the direction they're moving in. You can see where they're on track, where they might need more practice, and spot progress as it happens.
That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady, and focus on what matters most: consistent improvement, not just one-off results.
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Take control of your child’s 11+ preparation.
Not sure if your child is on track for the grammar school 11+? You don’t need to guess what to cover or whether they’re ready. Atom shows you exactly what to practise each week and how they’re performing, so you can stay ahead of the process without the stress.
