Torquay Girls' Grammar School 11+ Guide

About Torquay Girls' Grammar School

Torquay Girls' Grammar School is a selective secondary school in Devon. For children to get into Torquay Girls' Grammar School they need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Hence, Torquay Girls' Grammar School is a traditional grammar school, one of only 163 remaining in England.

Torquay Girls' Grammar School (TGGS) is a prestigious selective grammar school that has garnered a reputation for academic excellence and holistic student development. With a student body of over 850 girls, the school fosters a vibrant learning environment that encourages intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and community engagement.

TGGS boasts an extensive curriculum that caters to the diverse interests and aspirations of its students. The dedicated teaching staff consistently delivers high-quality instruction, empowering students to achieve remarkable results across various subjects. The school's commitment to academic excellence is evident in the outstanding GCSE performance of its pupils, with a significant proportion attaining top grades.

Beyond the classroom, TGGS offers a wide array of extracurricular activities designed to nurture students' talents and passions. From music and arts to sports and debating, girls have ample opportunities to explore their interests and develop valuable skills. The school's supportive pastoral system ensures that each student feels valued, supported, and encouraged to reach their full potential.

At TGGS, students are inspired to become well-rounded individuals who make positive contributions to their community. The school's ethos promotes a culture of respect, inclusivity, and empowerment, enabling girls to challenge gender stereotypes and pursue their ambitions with confidence. With a strong focus on mental health and wellbeing, the school provides a nurturing environment that prioritizes the holistic development of each student.

Torquay Girls' Grammar School continues to set the standard for exceptional education, as evidenced by its 'outstanding' Ofsted rating across all areas. The school's unwavering commitment to academic excellence, personal development, and community engagement prepares its students to become future leaders and changemakers in their chosen fields.

School Information

Below you will find further information about Torquay Girls' Grammar School together with their admissions contact details.

Torquay Girls' Grammar School is a girls only school. It is also an academy, meaning the school is run independently by a trust or sponsor and is directly funded by the central government (not the local authority).

In total 997 pupils attend Torquay Girls' Grammar School and it's led by the Headteacher, Ms Sarah Forster.

Torquay Girls' Grammar School Location

Below you will find a map showing the school's location:

GCSE & A-Level Subjects

Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at Torquay Girls' Grammar School for the 2022-23 academic year.

South Devon 11+ Information

In order to get into Torquay Girls' Grammar School, children need to pass the South Devon 11+. This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.

South Devon 11+ Subjects & Structure

The South Devon 11+ requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:

• English
• Maths

The 11 plus exam for entry into the grammar schools in Torquay is a multiple-choice test that assesses a student's abilities in English and maths. The exam is divided into two papers, each lasting approximately 45-50 minutes.

The English paper evaluates a child's comprehension skills through reading passages and answering questions. It also tests their proficiency in spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation. The maths paper covers concepts from the Year 5 curriculum, including times tables, mental maths, shapes, space and measures, the four basic operations, and interpreting graphs. Some questions may be more challenging than what students are accustomed to, requiring them to apply their knowledge to solve novel problems.

Students will be assigned either a morning or afternoon slot to take the exam. The 11 plus exam is a crucial step in gaining admission to one of the three grammar schools in Torquay, and thorough preparation is essential for success.

Other Schools using South Devon 11+

As well as Torquay Girls' Grammar School, several other schools also use South Devon 11+. These are:

• Churston Ferrers Grammar School Academy
• Torquay Boys' Grammar School

South Devon 11+ Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Torquay Girls' Grammar School is that only children with particularly high marks are admitted. Hence why it is important that children perform well in their 11+ papers.

Different schools (and different 11+ tests) have different marking processes. Some tests are marked in person, some remotely, while others utilise computer-based optical recognition technologies for quickly marking multiple-choice answer sheets.

Many 11+ tests are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged (i.e. their marks may be moderated depending on the month in which they were born). While creative writing papers can be used as tie-breakers, multiple-choice tests in Maths, Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning normally make up the bulk of a child's marks. The specific details and weightings can vary from year to year.

It's worth remembering that once children's 11+ tests are being marked, the admissions process is completely outside of the parents' control. Hence, parents should not worry themselves about whether their child has got a place!

South Devon 11+ Pass Mark

The pass mark for the South Devon 11+ changes every year and isn't generally made public knowledge. This is due to the academic strength of the children taking the test varying and how challenging the test ends up being (as well as plenty of other smaller variables).

Hence, as a vague rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that children aim for roughly 75-80% in their practice tests. Whilst this won't guarantee them a place at Torquay Girls' Grammar School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

South Devon 11+ Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the South Devon 11+ tests (to get into Torquay Girls' Grammar School) as well as other relevant dates.

Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with Torquay Girls' Grammar School as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

Torquay Girls' Grammar School was last inspected by Ofsted on 01/11/2023 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 17/12/2023, declaring that the school was 'Outstanding'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.

Last Ofsted Report Data

Ofsted Report Summary

Torquay Girls' Grammar School was inspected by Ofsted on 1 November 2023 and received an Outstanding rating in all areas. The school demonstrated exceptional performance in the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision.

The inspection report highlights the school's outstanding quality of education, which is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the teaching staff. The school's outstanding behaviour and attitudes reflect the positive learning environment and the students' commitment to their studies. The outstanding personal development opportunities provided by the school ensure that students are well-prepared for their future endeavours.

The Outstanding rating in leadership and management showcases the school's strong governance and effective strategies in driving continuous improvement. The sixth form provision at Torquay Girls' Grammar School is also rated as Outstanding, demonstrating the school's commitment to providing high-quality education and support for students in their post-16 studies.

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for Torquay Girls' Grammar School per subject. Note that this may include children taking GCSEs early (e.g. taking a language GCSE in Year 10) or indeed a child in Year 12 retaking a GCSE.

GCSE Results Information (2022-23)

A-Level Results Information (2022-23)

Past 11+ Paper Downloads

Here are all available past 11+ papers for Torquay Girls' Grammar School. Please note that this may include past 11+ papers, past familiarisation booklets, past practice materials published by third parties and past 11+ exam guides written by the school. These materials are provided 'as-is' and may no longer reflect the subjects, format, structure or exam board that Torquay Girls' Grammar School currently uses.

The exam board that Torquay Girls' Grammar School chooses to use for their 11+ entrance tests can change and we encourage you to check directly with the school.

Practice 11+ Paper Downloads

Here are some superb free 11+ practice papers that children can download and use to help prepare for the South Devon 11+ Ensure you double-check with Torquay Girls' Grammar School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.