Colyton Grammar School 11 plus: 2024 entry guide

About Colyton Grammar School

Colyton Grammar School, founded in 1546, is a co-educational school for pupils aged 11-18 in East Devon. It's consistently ranked highly among state schools in the southwest; in 2022, the school was ranked first in Devon for its exam results and second out of all state secondary schools in southwest England, and in 2020, the Fairer Schools Index rated Colyton Grammar as the top co-educational grammar school in the country.

While the school values academic scholarship, students are also encouraged to enjoy a multitude of activities beyond the classroom. Colyton Grammar School is the largest facilitator of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme in the southwest and offers a variety of clubs, sports teams and outdoor learning opportunities.

• Address: Colyton Grammar School, Whitwell Lane, Colyford, Devon, EX24 6HN

• Local authority: Devon County Council

• School type: mixed grammar

• Headteacher: Tim Harris

• Number of pupils: 1,000+

• National rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 9

• A level results: 94.1% A*–B

• GCSE results: 90.1% A*/A/9/8/7

Key info for Year 7 admissions

• Admissions contact: [email protected], 01297 552327

• Number of places in Year 7: 155

• Open day: 20th April, 26th April, 10th July, 14th July and 7th September 2023

• 11 plus registration opens: 1st April 2023

• 11 plus registration closes: 8th September 2023

• Exam date: 23rd September 2023

• Exam type: FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise)

• Common application form (CAF) deadline: 31st October 2023

• National school offer day: 1st March 2024

How to apply to Colyton Grammar School

If you would like your child to be considered for a place in Year 7 at Colyton Grammar School, you will need to apply for them to take the 11 plus exam and apply for a school place separately. There are two forms and two different processes to complete.

1. Register for the 11 plus

Before registering, speak to your child’s teacher to see if the 11 plus and grammar school is right for them. The 11 plus exam is a challenging exam, designed to select the children working within the top 25% of their year group.

Registration for the Colyton Grammar School 11 plus exam will open on the school website on 1st April 2023. You will have until midday on 8th September 2023 to complete and submit the form.

2. 11 plus exam

Children applying for a place in Year 7 at Colyton Grammar School will take the entrance test on Saturday 23rd September 2023.

Colyton Grammar School uses test papers created by Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE). The exam consists of three separate tests:

• English: reading comprehension, vocabulary and spelling

• Maths: Key Stage 2 maths

• Creative writing: original writing based on a prompt

Find out more in our comprehensive guide to the FSCE 11 plus and get free resources to help your child prepare.

3. Apply for a school place

Colyton Grammar School will email you a guidance letter at least a week before the local authority common application form deadline (31st October 2023). This letter will outline whether your child is eligible for a place at the school, based on their results in the 11 plus exam.

If your child is eligible and you would like to apply for a place at the school, you will need to name Colyton Grammar School on your common application form. You must complete the form for your home local authority:

• Devon residents: Devon Council

• Dorset residents: Dorset Council

• Somerset residents: Somerset County Council

Before completing your common application form, make sure to check the school's oversubscription criteria first. In the likely event that more children achieve the qualifying score than there are places available, the school will need to apply oversubscription criteria to prioritise places.

The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023.

How is the Colyton Grammar School 11 plus test marked?

The English and maths tests will be marked by computer. The raw marks from each test will be standardised to ensure that children born later in the school year aren't disadvantaged by their age.

Children who have performed well in these tests and met an 'eligible score' will then have their creative writing test assessed. This will be marked by examiners.

What's the pass mark for Colyton Grammar School?

There is no set pass mark for the 11 plus at Colyton Grammar School. Each child's overall standardised mark will be put in rank order, from highest to lowest, to determine the qualifying score for the year group.

Achieving the qualifying score doesn't guarantee a place at the school of your choice, as grammar schools are usually oversubscribed with qualified candidates. We always recommend researching the admissions policies for your target schools, looking at their oversubscription criteria and their catchment area.

Colyton Grammar School admissions criteria

Colyton Grammar School has a planned admission number (PAN) of 155. Children will be ranked based on their performance in the test to form the 'eligible list'.

Children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which names Colyton Grammar School, and whose test scores put them on the eligible list, will automatically be allocated a place at the school. All other children with an eligible score will be prioritised based on the following oversubscription criteria:

1. Looked After and previously Looked After Children

2. Children entitled to pupil premium or the service premium

3. All other children in rank order, based on the total score achieved by children on the eligible list

If there is a tie for the last available place, the child who lives closest to the school (determined by measuring a straight line between the child's home and the school reception) will be allocated the place.

Colyton Grammar School does not have a catchment area. All children will be considered equally, irrespective of their home address.

Personalised 11 plus prep for your child

Wondering how to make sure your child covers the depth and breadth of the entire 11 plus curriculum, stays on track with their progress, and gets help when they're stuck? Online learning is a particularly efficient, cost-effective (and fun) way to do this!

Atom Nucleus is the award-winning online 11 plus practice platform that gives your child everything they need to prepare for grammar school exams.

Children work independently through over 90,000 interactive practice questions in English, maths and reasoning. Teacher-created helpsheets and videos help them discover new concepts and consolidate their learning.

Atom's algorithm keeps children on their ideal learning path, tailored to their unique learning style and pace to keep them challenged and motivated.