Torquay, Devonport or Plymouth High School for girls

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Poppy100
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2016 11:56 pm

Torquay, Devonport or Plymouth High School for girls

Post by Poppy100 »

We are considering whether to take a job offer in Devon, and have the choice to live near Plymouth or Torquay. As somebody, from outside the area I would be really grateful for your views/comments on these grammar schools for my daughter. Is there one that is easier to get into, and what are your general views on each one? Thank you!
equilibro
Posts: 109
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 8:07 pm

Re: Torquay, Devonport or Plymouth High School for girls

Post by equilibro »

Torbay (Torquay, Paignton and Brixham) has co-ed, Churston Ferrers Grammar School, and single sex, Torquay Girls' Grammar School and Torquay Boys' Grammar School, although the latter two are effectively on the same site and mix for some lessons in the higher years.

There is also Westlands School, which is not a grammar school but which has a selective "grammar" stream, and entry into this stream is via the 11+ for year 7 (useful perhaps if you have a "grammar-amenable" DC but also a "grammar-averse" DC, or multiples thereof). This 2015 link relates to Westlands but I stress that I have no personal experience of the school whatsoever, and so I can't comment on the newspaper report; http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/w ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When my DC took the Torbay 11+ at one of the single sex grammar schools, there were c.300 listed candidates on the day, and the PAN for that particular school was 150. N.B. the Torbay 11+ can be taken at any of the three grammar schools (gender relevance provided) but this does not need to be the first preference Torbay grammar school expressed on the subsequent CAF1. I believe that the ratio of approximately two candidates for each available place is relevant for each of the three Torbay grammar schools but that would need to be verified.

My DC passed the Torbay 11+, and is at their first preference Torbay grammar school.

Of the four other Devon grammar schools, I know next to nothing about the Plymouth grammar schools, nor about Colyton Grammar School in East Devon.

Good luck.
angieblaikie
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 2:33 pm

Re: Torquay, Devonport or Plymouth High School for girls

Post by angieblaikie »

in Plymouth, you have 3 grammar schools. Devonport High for girls (DHSG), Devonport High for Boys (DHSB) and Plymouth High for Girls (PHSG)

They all have their good points.
For the girls this year PHSG was the hardest to get into. Both PHSG and DHSG admit 120 girls each year. DHSB admit 174 Boys each year.

DHSB has an Ofsted rating 1
PHSG and DHSG have an Ofsted rating of 2

my girls year 9 and year 10 both attend PHSG and they / we chose this school for the overall friendliness and feeling of belonging. At DHSG my girls felt very anxious and not very friendly but this is obviously just their opinion. Everyone has different feelings .

why don't you try and book an informal visit to see for yourselves.
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