Devon / Devon 11+
Whitwell Lane, Colyford, EX24 6HN
Colyton Grammar School
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A selective co-educational grammar school in Colyton, Devon, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,071 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective co-educational grammar school in Colyton, Devon, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,071 pupils on roll. Families looking at Colyton, Devon will usually see Colyton Grammar School as a selective option for boys and girls aged 11-18, with sixth form continuing the academic journey on the same site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,071 pupils on roll and 160 Year 7 places.
For parents thinking about the 11+, the admissions picture is one of the clearest differentiators here. The current route includes CEM, with 160 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks very high by grammar-school standards. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
On current official measures, the school offers a clear academic profile for parents to weigh up. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.99 and Attainment 8 at 79.8. 98% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 57.7% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 63% moving into higher education.
The wider offer currently includes Sport. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. Colyton Grammar School is likely to appeal most to families who want strong academic expectations but also need the practical details, culture, and selective route to line up sensibly.
Creative writing is tested in this school's current 11+ assessment.
A weak creative writing piece can leave a child short of qualification. 11 Plus Writing Coach helps families build steadier practice and clearer feedback.
From our 11 Plus Writing Coach site
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Devon and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Devon and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Devon and England.
The 2027 process runs through the school's Applicaa registration portal. Registration for testing closes on 31 July 2026, the test is on 12 September 2026, results are published in October before the CAF deadline, and National Offer Date is 1 March 2027.
No catchment area operates for Year 7 places. If scores are tied for the final place, distance from the main school gates measured through Devon's GIS system is used.
Looked after and previously looked after children.
Colyton considers looked after and previously looked after children first.
Eligible pupil premium and service premium applicants.
Eligible pupil premium and service premium applicants are considered next if they meet the required academic standard.
Remaining places are allocated by test score rank.
If more than 160 children reach the standard required for a grammar school education, Colyton ranks them by total score.
Distance is used to separate tied scores.
The tie-break is distance from the school's main entrance measured through Devon's GIS system.
Tests are provided by Quest Assessments. Candidates sit English, mathematics, and creative writing, and there are no verbal reasoning or non-verbal reasoning papers.
This school uses the shared Plymouth and Devon consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Plymouth and Devon guidePaper 1
English, Maths
English and mathematics papers
The test consists of Quest Assessments papers in English and mathematics drawn from the Key Stage 2 curriculum.
Paper 2
Creative Writing
Creative writing
Candidates also sit a creative writing task. There are no verbal reasoning or non-verbal reasoning papers.
English, Maths and Creative writing are included in the published format.
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Science are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Creative writing
Included within the published English paper.
Verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
Registration opens
April 2026
Registration closes
31 July 2026
Year 7 test date
12 September 2026
Results published
October 2026, at least one week before Saturday 31 October 2026
CAF deadline
31 October 2026
National Offer Date
1 March 2027
Read the admissions policy
Use the published policy to confirm the 160-place intake, score-based ranking, and the distance tie-break.
Open admissions policyRegister through the school portal
Register for Year 7 2027 entry through Colyton's Applicaa portal before the school's published deadline.
Open registration portalSit the September test
The Year 7 test date published by the school is Saturday 12 September 2026.
Open admissions FAQSubmit your home local authority application
Results are issued at least one week before the 31 October CAF deadline, so list Colyton on your home authority application if you want to be considered.
Review application rulesLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 83.1 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 79.7 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 79.8 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 78.8 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | A average (49.6 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | A- average (47.2 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | A- average (46.4 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | A- average (47.6 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 100% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 98% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 100% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 98% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 23 November 2022
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Devon
Compare the best grammar schools in Devon for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Devon sits within the Plymouth and Devon route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools Rated Outstanding by Ofsted
Explore grammar schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted in the UK and narrow them by GCSE strength, county, and school type before you compare a realistic shortlist.
Best Grammar Schools in Devon
Compare the best grammar schools in Devon for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Devon sits within the Plymouth and Devon route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools Rated Outstanding by Ofsted
Explore grammar schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted in the UK and narrow them by GCSE strength, county, and school type before you compare a realistic shortlist.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Colyton Grammar School currently uses CEM.
1. Read the admissions policy: Use the published policy to confirm the 160-place intake, score-based ranking, and the distance tie-break. 2. Register through the school portal: Register for Year 7 2027 entry through Colyton's Applicaa portal before the school's published deadline. 3. Sit the September test: The Year 7 test date published by the school is Saturday 12 September 2026. 4. Submit your home local authority application: Results are issued at least one week before the 31 October CAF deadline, so list Colyton on your home authority application if you want to be considered.
Registration opens: April 2026. Registration closes: 31 July 2026. Year 7 test date: 12 September 2026. Results published: October 2026, at least one week before Saturday 31 October 2026. CAF deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Date: 1 March 2027
Colyton Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 23 November 2022.