School profile Verified 11 September 2026

Colyton Grammar School

Whitwell Lane, Colyford, EX24 6HN

A selective co-educational grammar school in Colyton, Devon, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,071 pupils on roll.

Grammar school Co-ed Academy converter Ages 11-18 Sixth form CEM

UK rank: UK Rank #30
Year 7 places: 160
Competition ?: High
Ofsted ?: Outstanding
11+ route: CEM

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Colyton Grammar School school building exterior

At a glance

Key facts

GCSE rank: UK Rank #30
Sector: Grammar school
Admissions: Mixed
Assessment: CEM
Places in Year 7: 160
Competition ?: High
Catchment: You can apply from any area. There is no defined catchment or local-priority area, although distance may still affect allocation or a tie-break.
Ofsted ?: Outstanding

Overview

Colyton Grammar School is a co-educational selective grammar in East Devon, based at Colyford and serving about 1,071 pupils from 11 to 18. Its historic roots are part of the school's identity, but the modern message is sharper: scholarship, humility and service, with the stated purpose of helping students from all backgrounds flourish on demanding courses and in adult life.

The curriculum is deliberately accelerated and deepened for high-attaining pupils. Colyton runs its lower-years programme across Years 7 and 8, then a three-year GCSE phase before a focused two-year sixth form. The school names academic coherence, knowledge richness, stretch, partnership and preparation for an unpredictable future as the principles behind that structure, which is more specific than the usual grammar-school promise of challenge.

The wider school offer is built through houses, clubs, careers guidance, outdoor and sustainability work, and a sixth form with EPQ and higher-education preparation in view. The structured outcomes are correspondingly strong: Outstanding Ofsted, +0.99 Progress 8, 99.3% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 57.7% AAB or better at A level.

Year 7 entry has 160 places and uses Colyton's own admissions process rather than a county-wide verbal-reasoning test. Candidates sit English, mathematics and creative writing; the school states that there are no verbal reasoning or non-verbal reasoning papers. Looked-after children and eligible pupil-premium or service-premium applicants are considered within the published policy before remaining places are ranked by total score, with distance used only to separate tied scores.

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Key points

Assessment route: CEM across a 2-stage process, covering English, Maths and Writing task.
Places and demand: 160 places in Year 7 and High
Catchment: You can apply from any area. There is no defined catchment or local-priority area, although distance may still affect allocation or a tie-break.
Results: 99.3% grade 5+ in English and maths and 78.8 Attainment 8
Sixth form: Sixth form available with 58.2% AAB or better and 63% in higher education.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Devon and England.

School Local authority England

Attainment 8: 78.8
Grade 5+ English and maths: 99.3%
EBacc APS: 7.63
EBacc entry: 88.2%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Devon and England.

School Local authority England

Destinations

Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Devon and England.

Education Apprenticeships Employment Other / unknown

School details

Sector: Grammar school
School type: Academy converter
Application: Local authority CAF
Gender: Mixed
Age range: 11-18
Headteacher: Mr Tim Harris
Pupil roll: 1,071 pupils
Sixth form: Yes
Trust: Colyton Grammar School Academy Trust
FSM ?: 6.9%
EAL ?: 10.4%
EHCP ?: 0.7%

Extracurriculars

Sport

Ethnicity

Pupil ethnicity

Whole-school roll of 1,071 pupils; 1,042 had a recorded ethnic group.

White 79.4% Asian 9.4% Mixed 6.8% Black 1% Other 0.7% Unclassified 2.7%

Recorded group	Share	Category	Pupils
White British	73.9%	White	791
Chinese	5.2%	Asian	56
Any other White background	5%	White	54
White and Asian	4.1%	Mixed	44
Unclassified	2.7%	Unclassified	29
Indian	2.5%	Asian	27
Any other mixed background	2.1%	Mixed	23
Any other Asian background	1%	Asian	11
African	0.9%	Black	10
Any other ethnic group	0.7%	Other	7
Irish	0.5%	White	5
Bangladeshi	0.4%	Asian	4
Pakistani	0.3%	Asian	3
White and Black African	0.3%	Mixed	3
White and Black Caribbean	0.3%	Mixed	3
Any other Black background	0.1%	Black	1

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Location and contact

Address

Address: Whitwell Lane, Colyford, Colyton, Devon
Postcode: EX24 6HN
Area: Devon
Exam area: Devon 11+

School leadership

Headteacher: Mr Tim Harris

School contact

School email: admin@colytongrammar.com
School phone: 01297552327

Admissions contact

Admissions team: Admissions Team
Admissions email: admissions@colytongrammar.com
Admissions phone: 01297552327

Open in Map Open school website

Admissions

Year 7 places: 160 places (2027 entry)
Applications listed: 233 applications (2025 entry)
First preferences: 210 first preferences (2025 entry)
Competition ?: High
Who can apply: You can apply from any area. There is no defined catchment or local-priority area, although distance may still affect allocation or a tie-break.
Published score basis: Selective standard first; no published numeric threshold (2027 entry)
Pass mark note: No fixed score cutoff is published. If more than 160 applicants meet the required standard, places are allocated in score rank order with distance as the tie-break.

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.

Oversubscription and eligibility

1

Looked after and previously looked after children.

Colyton considers looked after and previously looked after children first.
2

Eligible pupil premium and service premium applicants.

Eligible pupil premium and service premium applicants are considered next if they meet the required academic standard.
3

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.
4

Distance is used to separate tied scores.

The tie-break is distance from the school's main entrance measured through Devon's GIS system.

Admissions policy

Year 7 Admissions Policy 2027/28

2027 entry

Information booklet

Admissions FAQ 2026

2026 entry

Score cut-off

2025 Standardised Scores

2025 entry

Exam and test format

The CEM 11+ entrance test format

Tests are provided by Quest Assessments. Candidates sit English, mathematics, and writing task, and there are no verbal reasoning or non-verbal reasoning papers.

Assessment route: CEM
Papers and stages: 2 papers
Format: Mixed format
Age standardisation: Published as age-standardised

Official exam resources

Past papers and practice materials

No released past entrance-test papers are currently verified here. The resources below are labelled by type.

Plymouth and Devon test guide

Familiarisation Colyton Grammar School admissions FAQ Familiarisation Quest Assessments English familiarisation booklet English General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation Quest Assessments Maths familiarisation booklet Maths General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation Quest Assessments Non-Verbal Reasoning familiarisation booklet Non-Verbal Reasoning General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Familiarisation Quest Assessments Verbal Reasoning familiarisation booklet Verbal Reasoning General provider materials. Match the subjects to the current test; question counts and timings may differ. Guidance Quest Assessments official guidance and downloads General provider materials. Check this school’s subjects and stages before choosing a booklet.

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Papers and rounds

Paper 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

Writing task

Writing task

Candidates also sit a writing task task. There are no verbal reasoning or non-verbal reasoning papers.

What the test includes

English and Maths are included in the published format.

Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Science are not listed in the current published format.

Included

English
Maths

Not listed

Verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning
Science

Application

Key dates

Get date reminders

Find open days and plan a visit

Registration opens

April 2026

The online registration form will be available when registration opens in April 2026; no exact opening date is published.
Registration closes

Friday 31 July 2026
Past
Year 7 test date

Saturday 12 September 2026
Past
Results published

October 2026, at least one week before Saturday 31 October 2026

The policy and FAQ give an October results window rather than an exact results date.
CAF deadline

Saturday 31 October 2026

Parents still need to name Colyton on their home local authority application.
National Offer Date

Monday 1 March 2027

How to apply

1
Read the admissions policy

Use the published policy to confirm the 160-place intake, score-based ranking, and the distance tie-break.
Open admissions policy
2
Register through the school portal

Register for Year 7 2027 entry through Colyton's Applicaa portal before the school's published deadline.
Open registration portal
3
Sit the September test

The Year 7 test date published by the school is Saturday 12 September 2026.
Open admissions FAQ
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.
Review application rules

Official admissions documents

Admissions policy

Year 7 Admissions Policy 2027/28

2027 entry

Information booklet

Admissions FAQ 2026

2026 entry

Results

Attainment snapshot

Progress 8 ?: +0.99 Progress 8
Attainment 8 ?: 78.8 Attainment 8
GCSE results: 99.3% grade 4+ in English and maths
Grade 5+ English and maths ?: 99.3% grade 5+ in English and maths
EBacc average point score ?: 7.63 EBacc APS
A-level results: 58.2% AAB or better
A-level average points: 47.66 points per entry

Where students go next

Higher education progression: 63% in higher education
Apprenticeships: 2% in apprenticeships
Employment: 21% in sustained employment

Latest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.

Subject performance

Maths: 98.7% grade 5+ in EBacc maths
English: 98.7% grade 5+ in EBacc English
Sciences: 99.3% grade 5+ in EBacc sciences
Languages: 97.1% grade 5+ in EBacc languages

Performance trends

Recent trend

Overall GCSE performance

This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.

Colyton Grammar School Grammar schools England

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

Average A-level result

This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.

Colyton Grammar School Grammar schools England

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 (47.7 points)	41.8 points	35.0 points

Recent trend

Where pupils go after Year 11

This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.

Colyton Grammar School Grammar schools England

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%	98.7%	91.8%

Latest year breakdown

In education	98%
In apprenticeships	0%
In employment	0%

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Inspection

View report

Outstanding

Latest inspection: 23 November 2022

Quality of education: Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
Personal development: Outstanding
Leadership and management: Outstanding
Sixth form provision: Outstanding

Quick summary

Overall effectiveness: The 2022 inspection judged Colyton Grammar outstanding across all areas. Pupils are proud of the school, behave impeccably and benefit from an ambitious curriculum, inclusive culture, exceptional wider development and effective safeguarding.
Quality of education: The curriculum is highly ambitious, with EBacc breadth at GCSE and wide A-level options. Teachers check understanding, adapt lessons and meet SEND needs consistently, while sixth-form students undertake demanding independent projects beyond their qualifications.
Behaviour and attitudes: Pupils understand the reasons behind high expectations and behave exceptionally well. Lessons focus on learning, pupils persist with difficult work, and sixth-form mentors help younger pupils in subjects they both care about.
Personal development: Pupils learn about healthy relationships, consent, mental health and online safety from expert staff. Leadership roles, clubs, outdoor education, trips and competitions are plentiful, and leaders check that disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND can take part.
Leadership and management: Leaders keep the curriculum rigorous and relevant through regular review. They promote an inclusive culture where pupils value different backgrounds, and they adjust safeguarding and personal development work to reflect local and national risks.
Sixth form provision: Sixth-form students choose from a wide range of A levels and complete an ambitious personal project. They also lead groups that celebrate under-represented communities and guide younger pupils through clubs and mentoring.

Similar schools and comparisons

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Nearby schools with similar results

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Shortlist comparisons

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Best Grammar Schools in the UK

Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking that can be filtered by county, school type, and Ofsted before moving into local admissions detail.

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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.

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Guides and related reading

Related guides are still being added.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What assessment types does Colyton Grammar School use?

Colyton Grammar School currently uses CEM.

How do I apply to Colyton Grammar School?

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.

When are the key dates for Colyton Grammar School?

Registration opens: April 2026. Registration closes: Friday 31 July 2026. Year 7 test date: Saturday 12 September 2026. Results published: October 2026, at least one week before Saturday 31 October 2026. CAF deadline: Saturday 31 October 2026. National Offer Date: Monday 1 March 2027

What does the latest inspection picture look like for Colyton Grammar School?

Colyton Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 23 November 2022.