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

Torquay Girls’ Grammar School was founded in 1915. The school has three main aims: for girls to leave having made (at least) the expected academic progress, for girls to develop into rounded, balanced individuals and for girls to make a positive contribution to their community.

The Sunday Times named Torquay Girls’ Grammar School as the South West state secondary school of the year in 2019 and The Real Schools Guide awarded it the top school in Devon and Cornwall in 2020. It became one of the first schools in the UK to achieve Humanities Specialist School status and uniquely offers the AQA Baccalaureate.

In 2021, 77% of GCSE grades at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School were 9/8/7. The school is rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.

11 plus information for Torquay Girls' Grammar School

• Address: Torquay Girls' Grammar School, 30 Shiphay Lane, Torquay, Devon, TQ2 7DY

• County: Devon

• Admissions info: [email protected], 01803 616504

• School type: girls’ grammar

• Number of pupils: 880

• Number of Year 7 places: 150

• Open day: Tuesday 21st June 2022 (2.00pm, 6.30pm and 7.30pm) and Tuesday 6th September 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 Girls' Grammar School term dates

The 2022-23 term dates for Torquay Girls' Grammar School are:

• Autumn term: 7th September – 16th December

• Half term: 24th – 31st October

• Spring term: 3rd January – 31st March

• Half term: 13th – 17th February

• Summer term: 17th April – 25th July

• Half term: 29th May – 2nd June

Torquay Girls' Grammar School 11 plus admissions process

To apply for Torquay Girls' Grammar School and sit the 11 plus exam for entry, parents will need to register their child with the school. The registration form (available on the school website) needs to be completed before midday on 8th September 2022.

Parents will also need to submit the Common Application Form to their local authority, naming Torquay Girls' Grammar School as a preferred school, before the national deadline on 31st October 2022.

The outcomes of the 11 plus exam will be sent to candidates’ parents on 17th October 2022. However, passing the exam does not guarantee a place at the school; in December, the school’s admissions panel will meet to determine the rank order of candidates. In the event of oversubscription (i.e. there are more successful candidates than the 150 places available), the following criteria will be applied to determine priority candidates:

1. Girls in care, or adopted children

2. Girls eligible for the pupil premium at the time of the 11 plus exam

3. Daughters of staff who are working at the school at the time of the 11 plus exam

4. Girls with a sister at the school

5. By direct line distance from the candidate’s home to the school at the time of application

Torquay Girls' Grammar School 11 plus exam format

The 11 plus exam taken at Torquay Girls’ Grammar School will be sat on Saturday 17th September 2022 and 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 means that there is no fixed raw mark total for qualification – the number of correct answers required will vary according to the child’s age, and places will be held for the top 150 applicants.

How can I help my child prepare for Torquay Girls' Grammar School 11 plus?

Torquay Girls’ Grammar School suggests that girls who are achieving in the top 25% of their age group at primary school, or girls who are ‘working at a Greater Depth’ in English, maths and science, are of sufficient academic ability for the 11 plus test. This is a good indication for the level your daughter should be achieving in her subjects.

11 plus familiarisation materials are available on Torquay Girls' Grammar School’s 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.

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 Girls' 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 Girls' 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 Girls' 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 Girls' Grammar School or the CEM 11 plus exam:

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