A selective boys grammar school in Plymouth, Devon, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,268 pupils on roll.
Devonport High School for Boys
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At a glance
Devonport High School for Boys is a selective boys' grammar in Plymouth, serving ages 11 to 18. Its admissions page roots the school in a selective tradition dating back to 1896, while the about page gives the present-day motto-like promise: "Everyone Succeeds". The school has about 1,268 pupils on roll, including the sixth form.
The school's academic tone is disciplined and purposeful. DHSB describes a caring environment with high expectations, strong examination and university records, and a well-resourced learning setting. The online curriculum detail is less expansive than on some grammar-school sites, but the admissions and about pages are clear that the aim is not just selection by attainment: the school emphasises endeavour, professional teaching and the development of skills students need for happy and successful adult lives.
The house system is one of the clearest features of day-to-day life, giving pupils a structure for competition, celebration and belonging. The school-life pages also name Duke of Edinburgh and sports facilities, while sixth-form admissions material points to a substantial post-16 offer with subject introductions, option blocks, results and destinations information.
Year 7 admission has 180 places. The entrance route uses two Quest Assessment multiple-choice papers, one in English reading and one in mathematics, followed by a school English writing paper; the Quest papers create the ranked order and the writing paper acts as a qualifying hurdle. The policy then works through looked-after, ranked-score, pupil-premium and tie-break categories. Ofsted judged the school Good in October 2023, with Outstanding judgements for behaviour and attitudes, personal development and sixth form; GOV.UK shows +0.30 Progress 8, 98.9% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 24.8% AAB or better at A level.
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.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 1,268 pupils; 1,173 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 69.2% | White | 877 |
| Unclassified | 7.5% | Unclassified | 95 |
| Any other White background | 6.1% | White | 77 |
| White and Asian | 2.9% | Mixed | 37 |
| Chinese | 2.8% | Asian | 36 |
| Indian | 2.8% | Asian | 36 |
| Any other mixed background | 2.4% | Mixed | 31 |
| Any other ethnic group | 1.5% | Other | 19 |
| African | 1.2% | Black | 15 |
| Any other Asian background | 1.1% | Asian | 14 |
| White and Black African | 0.7% | Mixed | 9 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.6% | Mixed | 8 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.6% | Asian | 7 |
| Pakistani | 0.5% | Asian | 6 |
| Irish | 0.1% | White | 1 |
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.
Shared exam route
Devonport High School for Boys uses the shared Plymouth and Devon route. Use these common practice resources for the route, then check the full consortium guide for the complete set and current test guidance.
View all Plymouth and Devon practice papersPaper 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
Writing task
English writing paper
School English writing paper used as a qualifying paper alongside the two external tests.
English and Maths are included in the published format.
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Science are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
Open evening
7 July 2026
Starts at 4:30pm.
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 (37.7 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% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 92% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 6% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 18 October 2023
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
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
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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.