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Torquay Boys' Grammar School 11 plus guide

By Atom | Jun 20, 2023, 4:34 PM

Torquay Boys' Grammar School, Devon

Are you considering Torquay Boys' Grammar School for your son? We've collated all the information you need to know about 2024 entry to Year 7. Keep reading to learn about key dates, the admissions process, and how to prepare for the 11 plus exam.

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

Torquay Boys' Grammar School term dates

The 2023–2024 term dates at Torquay Boys' Grammar School are:

  • Autumn term: 6th September – 19th December 2023

  • Half term: 23rd–27th October 2023

  • Spring term: 4th January – 28th March 2024

  • Half term: 12th–16th February 2024

  • Summer term: 15th April – 19th July 2024

  • Half term: 27th–31st May 2024

The 2024–2025 term dates at Torquay Boys' Grammar School are:

  • Autumn term: 3rd September – 20th December 2024

  • Half term: 28th October – 1st November 2024

  • Spring term: 6th January – 4th April 2025

  • Half term: 17th–21st February 2025

  • Summer term: 22nd April – 18th July 2025

  • Half term: 26th–30th May 2025

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:

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 on the Torquay Boys' Grammar School 11 plus exam?

Torquay Boys' Grammar School is a member of the South Devon Consortium, which also includes Churston Ferrers Grammar School and Torquay Girls' Grammar School. All three schools use the same 11 plus test and administer it on the same dates, so your child will only need to take the test once if they're applying to another school in the consortium.

Children will take two multiple-choice papers set by GL Assessment on Saturday 16th September 2023, during either a morning or an afternoon session. The subjects tested are:

  • English: 50 minutes

  • Maths: 50 minutes

You can choose for your child to take the test at any of the three schools, but it's recommended that your child sits the exam at the school you expect to be your first choice so they can get some experience of the school site and staff.

Learn more about the Torquay Boys' Grammar School 11 plus and get free preparation resources in our local guide:

Devon 11 plus

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.

Torquay Boys' Grammar School admissions criteria

Torquay Boys' Grammar School has a planned admission number (PAN) of 168. If more children meet the qualifying score for entry than there are places available, the school will apply oversubscription criteria.

Any eligible child who has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that names the school will be admitted first. The remaining places will then be allocated in the following order:

  1. Looked after and previously looked after children

  2. Children who are eligible for the pupil premium

  3. All other eligible children

Torquay Boys' Grammar School does not have a catchment area. All children who have applied to the school and met the qualifying score will be considered equally, regardless of where they live. However, if there is a tie-break in the oversubscription criteria, the school will allocate the place to the child who lives closest to the school (measured by a straight-line distance from home to school).

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 Home 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 Home 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.

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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 Home 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.

11 plus practice papers

Atom Home gives children access to online 11 plus practice papers. Our online tests are designed to mirror the format and style of the real 11 plus, so your child will go into the exam knowing exactly what to expect.

And what's more, everything is automatically marked for you.

Try Atom Home free for 5 days

Begin your child's journey to Torquay Boys' Grammar School today. Use the full features of Atom Home free for 5 days – cancel anytime.

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Personalised 11 plus support for you

We know how keen you are for your child to do well in the 11 plus, to give them every chance of securing a place at their school of choice. Our dedicated team of Education Experts are on hand to support you and your family every step of the way:

Ask us anything

We're happy to help with any questions you may have about admissions processes and helping your child prepare for entry to Devon grammar schools.

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