Plymouth / Plymouth 11+
Paradise Road, Stoke, PL1 5QP
Devonport High School for Boys
1
A selective boys grammar school in Plymouth, Devon, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,268 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective boys grammar school in Plymouth, Devon, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,268 pupils on roll. Families looking at Plymouth, Devon will usually see Devonport High School for Boys as a selective option for boys aged 11-18, with sixth form continuing the academic journey on the same site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,268 pupils on roll and 180 Year 7 places.
For parents thinking about the 11+, the admissions picture is one of the clearest differentiators here. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 180 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks 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 Good. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.30 and Attainment 8 at 68.9. 95.5% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 24.8% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 50% moving into higher education.
The wider offer currently includes Duke of Edinburgh. 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. Devonport High School for Boys 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 Plymouth and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Plymouth and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Plymouth and England.
A qualifying-standard model applies. Candidates must reach the required standard in the two external papers and the school English writing paper before the ranked oversubscription rules are applied.
There is no published catchment area. If candidates are still tied after the main ranking rules, straight-line home distance is used after pupil or service premium, staff priority, and the school English paper mark.
Looked-after and previously looked-after children with a qualifying mark
Children in care, previously looked after children, and children previously in state care outside England are considered first once they have achieved the qualifying mark.
174 qualifying candidates ranked by score
After priority children are placed, 174 places go to candidates who reached the qualifying mark, in rank order.
Up to six qualifying Pupil Premium candidates
Up to six places are reserved for candidates who achieved a qualifying mark and were registered as receiving Pupil Premium at the date of testing.
Other qualifying candidates in rank order
Remaining qualified candidates are ranked by score. If scores are tied, priority then moves through pupil or service premium, children of staff, the DHSB English paper mark, straight-line home distance, and finally random allocation supervised by the local authority.
The test has two externally set Quest multiple-choice papers in English reading and mathematics, followed by a school English writing paper. The Quest papers create the ranked order, while the writing paper is used as a qualifying hurdle rather than a separate scored offer list.
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
English reading paper
Quest Assessment multiple-choice English reading paper.
Paper 2
Maths
Mathematics paper
Quest Assessment multiple-choice mathematics paper.
Paper 3
Creative Writing
English writing paper
School English writing paper used as a qualifying paper alongside the two external tests.
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
Open evening
7 July 2026
Registration opens
Summer term 2026
Registration closes
31 August 2026
Entrance test day one
12 September 2026
Entrance test day two
19 September 2026
A/B/C result letters
Before the October 2026 CAF deadline
National offer day
1 March 2027
Read the Year 7 policy and FAQ
Check the published Year 7 policy and admissions FAQ for the qualifying categories, tie-break order, and the two test dates.
Open admissions FAQRegister with the school
Complete the school registration by 31 August 2026 so your child can be allocated a test date.
Check registration detailsSit the three-part assessment
Candidates sit the English reading and mathematics Quest papers plus the school English writing paper on 12 or 19 September 2026.
Open candidate packSubmit the CAF
Name Devonport High School for Boys on your home local authority secondary application after the test registration has been completed.
Latest 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 | 70.6 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 69.1 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 68.9 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 69.3 | 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 | B+ average (41.9 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B average (38.5 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B- average (37.0 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B- average (37.6 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 | 98% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 91% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 6% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 18 October 2023
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions route
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 Plymouth
Compare the best grammar schools in Plymouth for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Plymouth sits within the Plymouth and Devon route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Boys' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best boys grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
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 in Plymouth
Compare the best grammar schools in Plymouth for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Plymouth sits within the Plymouth and Devon route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Boys' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best boys grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
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.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Devonport High School for Boys currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Read the Year 7 policy and FAQ: Check the published Year 7 policy and admissions FAQ for the qualifying categories, tie-break order, and the two test dates. 2. Register with the school: Complete the school registration by 31 August 2026 so your child can be allocated a test date. 3. Sit the three-part assessment: Candidates sit the English reading and mathematics Quest papers plus the school English writing paper on 12 or 19 September 2026. 4. Submit the CAF: Name Devonport High School for Boys on your home local authority secondary application after the test registration has been completed.
Open evening: 7 July 2026. Registration opens: Summer term 2026. Registration closes: 31 August 2026. Entrance test day one: 12 September 2026. Entrance test day two: 19 September 2026. A/B/C result letters: Before the October 2026 CAF deadline. National offer day: 1 March 2027
Devonport High School for Boys is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 18 October 2023.