Torquay Boys' Grammar School 11 plus guide

About Torquay Boys' Grammar School

Torquay Boys’ Grammar School was founded in 1904 and occupies the 17th-century Shiphay Manor in Torquay, Devon. The school is boys-only from Years 7 to 11, after which girls are accepted into the sixth form. Unusually for a state school, Torquay Boys' Grammar School gives students the option to study either A levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB).

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 and Ofsted rates the school 'outstanding' in all areas.

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

• Local authority: Torbay Council

• School type: boys' grammar with mixed sixth form

• Headteacher: Peter Lawrence

• Number of pupils: 1,050+

• National rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 188

• A level results: 69.7% A*–B

• IB results: 38.5 average diploma points

• GCSE results: 58.6% A*/A/9/8/7

Key info for Year 7 admissions

• Admissions contact: [email protected], 01803 615501

• Number of places in Year 7: 168

• Open day date: open week tours from 27th–31st March 2023

• 11 plus registration opens: mid-March 2023

• 11 plus registration closes: 7th September 2023

• Exam date: 16th September 2023

• Exam type: South Devon Consortium – GL Assessment

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

• National school offer day: 1st March 2024

How to apply to Torquay Boys' Grammar School

If you would like your son to be considered for a place in Year 7 at Torquay Boys 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.

The registration form for the 11 plus at Torquay Boys' Grammar School is available to complete on the school website. You will need to complete this by Friday 21st July 2023 if possible, or by midday on Thursday 7th September 2023 at the latest.

2. Apply for a school place

Torquay Boys' Grammar School will post you a letter indicating your child's 11 plus results on, or as soon as possible after, the 16th October 2023. This letter will not include your child's actual scores, but will outline whether your child is eligible for a place at the school.

If you would then like to apply for a place at the school, you will need to name Torquay Boys' Grammar School on your common application form. You must complete the form for your home local authority:

• Torbay residents: Torbay Council

• Plymouth residents: Plymouth City Council

• Rest of Devon: Devon 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.

What's the pass mark for Torquay Boys' Grammar School?

Your child's raw scores in the exams will be age-standardised by statisticians at GL Assessment. This is to ensure that children born later in the school year aren't disadvantaged by being younger. An average of the two papers will then give your child's rank.

There is no set pass mark for the 11 plus at Torquay Boys' 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.

How to help your child prepare for the 11 plus

Here are our top tips on how to best prepare your child for the Torquay Boys' Grammar School 11 plus.

Cover all the content

The 11 plus assesses a large breadth and depth of learning objectives across the Key Stage 2 national curriculum.

We recommend that your child starts revising content at least one year before the test. Setting aside study periods using a 'little and often' approach will give them time to build the skills and knowledge they need. When preparing, avoid falling into the trap of over-focusing on either the topics your child enjoys or the topics they find hardest.

Atom Nucleus is an 11 plus online course that tailors your child's personalised learning journey to cover all elements of the Torquay Boys' Grammar School 11 plus at the right pace for them.

No surprises

Your child may encounter lots of unfamiliar types of questions in the 11 plus exam. Building exam technique with 11 plus test papers will help your child to feel fully confident with the styles of questions they'll encounter in the exam, reducing the potential for stress on the day.

Celebrate their progress

Setting regular goals and celebrating achievements will help keep motivation high. Atom Nucleus offers data-driven insights into your child’s progress towards mastering the 11 plus curriculum, making it easy to see where they need to focus next.