Torquay Boys' Grammar School 11 plus: a parents' guide for 2022

Torquay Boys’ Grammar School was founded in 1904 and occupies the 17th-century Shiphay Manor in Torquay, Devon.

The school is boys only for Years 7 to 11 and has a co-educational sixth form, where it offers the International Baccalaureate in addition to A levels. In 2020, 85.8% of A level grades were A*/A/B or the equivalent 7/6/5 for the IB, and 75.3% of GCSE grades were 9-7.

There is an extensive co-curricular programme, with activities on offer such as mountain biking, fencing and astronomy. The Good Schools Guide named Torquay Boys’ Grammar School as one of the top 20 schools for boys in the country.

11 plus information for Torquay Boys’ Grammar School

• Address: Torquay Boys’ Grammar School, Shiphay Manor Drive, Torquay, Devon, TQ2 7EL

• County: Devon

• Admissions info: [email protected], 01803 615501

• School type: boys’ grammar (co-ed sixth form)

• Number of pupils: 1,093

• Number of Year 7 places: 168

• Open day: 4th – 8th April 2022

• Registration period: Open until 8th September 2022

• 11 plus exam date: Saturday 17th September 2022

• Exam board type: CEM

• Results: 17th October 2022

• National school offer day: 1st March 2023

• Appeals: heard by an independent appeal panel

Torquay Boys’ Grammar School term dates

The 2022-23 term dates for Torquay Boys’ Grammar School are:

• Autumn term: 6th September – 16th December

• Half term: 24th – 28th October

• Spring term: 3rd January – 31st March

• Half term: 13th – 17th February

• Summer term: 17th April – 21st July

• Half term: 29th May – 2nd June

Torquay Boys’ Grammar School 11 plus admissions process

To register your son for the 11 plus exam at Torquay Boys’ Grammar School, you will need to register on the Torquay Boys’ Grammar School website. This should be completed by Friday 22nd July 2022 if possible, or before midday on Thursday 8th September 2022 at the very latest.

Parents will also need to submit the Common Application Form (CAF) to their local authority, naming Torquay Boys’ Grammar School as a preferred school, before the national deadline on 31st October 2022. A school place cannot be offered unless the CAF is completed.

After the 11 plus exam, parents will be informed of the outcome on (or as soon as possible after) 17th October 2022. This will be a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ as to whether your son’s performance was of the required standard for Torquay Boys’ Grammar School but is not a guarantee of a place. If the number of successful applicants exceeds the 168 places available in Year 7, the school will apply the following oversubscription criteria:

1. Looked after or previously looked after children

2. Children who are eligible for the pupil premium

3. Other children

Torquay Boys’ Grammar School 11 plus exam format

Applicants to Torquay Boys’ Grammar School will sit the 11 plus exam on Saturday 17th September 2022. This exam is administered by CEM.

Candidates will sit two tests, each lasting approximately 50 minutes. The tests will assess verbal ability (comprehension, vocabulary and verbal reasoning), numerical reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. There is a mix of content in each of the two papers.

The marks from both exams are added together and then age-standardised to produce a final score. This is a statistical process that is designed to take account of the fact that older children are at an advantage when taking the test (children are exposed to new vocabulary at a rate of more than 1,000 words a year) and makes it a level playing field for all candidates in the year.

The CEM scores are then ranked in order to determine those eligible for admission, with the top 168 scoring candidates eligible for a place at the school.

How can I help my child prepare for Torquay Boys’ Grammar School 11 plus?

Torquay Boys’ Grammar School has 11 plus familiarisation material available on its website. We also recommend taking a look at Atom Learning’s guide to CEM for more details on what the 11 plus exam is likely to cover.

Boys applying to Torquay Boys’ Grammar School who are in receipt of pupil premium are also able to access an online package, which includes around 10 hours of familiarisation material, that has been developed by the King Edward Foundation of Birmingham Grammar Schools.

Here are our other top tips to help your child prepare for the 11 plus exam:

Start early: We suggest beginning the 11 plus preparation journey at the end of Year 4 or the beginning of Year 5. Your child should feel comfortable with the curriculum content before beginning targeted exam preparation. Core curriculum programmes are useful to help boost confidence and subject mastery ahead of the exam.

Friendly familiarisation: The 11 plus exam will contain question styles that your child has likely not come across before. With Atom’s Exam Preparation Plus package, your child will be able to take as many Mock Tests as necessary to feel comfortable with the format and style of Torquay Boys' Grammar School CEM exam.

Read widely: The 11 plus exam will require your child to have an excellent understanding of the English language, including vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar. Reading widely across traditional and contemporary texts will support their exam preparation – find free resources for engaging your child with reading here.

Focus on their needs: Tailor your child’s exam practice to their specific needs to help them stay on track. Atom’s adaptive learning algorithm personalises your child’s optimal learning journey to help them master all the content required to achieve entry to Torquay Boys' Grammar School. Data-driven insights will also give you an in-depth overview of your child’s progress.

Start your free 5-day trial of Atom Nucleus today to see how adaptive learning can empower your child to excel in Torquay Boys' Grammar School's 11 plus exam.

We know how crucial this time is, so our team is on hand to support you and your family every step of the way. You can book a call with one of our Education Experts to ask any questions you may have about Torquay Boys' Grammar School or the CEM 11 plus exam:

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