Head: James Hunt
An accessible boys' grammar school in Torbay with a Good Ofsted rating.
0
Year 7 Places
0.0:1
Applicants/Place
0
Pupils
Max Score
282
Distance Cutoff
6.7 mi
Applications
351
Offers Made
166
Score, then Distance
Places by test score. Equal scores broken by distance.
Sibling Priority
Pupil Premium
1. Register
1 May 2026
2. Take Test
Devon/Torbay
3. Results
19 Oct 2026
4. Offer Day
1 Mar 2027
A shared 11+ entrance exam used by 7 grammar schools, testing English, Mathematics, Reasoning. Each school runs its own test. No common consortium exam. School was founded in 1904, moved to current site in 1983. Academy status as free independent state school. Around 80 specialist subject teachers, over 40 support staff, over 1200 people in school community. House system with six houses named after local environmental landmarks. Contact enquiries@tbgs.torbay.sch.uk for other year group applications.
Registration Opens
Registration opens for the 11+ exam
1 May 2026
Open Morning
Open Doors, 9.30am
16 Jun 2026
9:30am
Registration Deadline
Final day to register for the 11+ exam
15 Jul 2026
Exam Date
11+ entrance exam
19 Sep 2026
9:00am
Results Released
11+ results released to parents
19 Oct 2026
CAF Deadline
Common Application Form deadline (all LAs)
31 Oct 2026
Open Evening
Weds 26 November – Sixth Form Open Evening for A-level and IB 4.30pm
26 Nov 2026
4:30pm
National Offer Day
National Offer Day — places confirmed
1 Mar 2027
70.7
Attainment 8
93.4%
Grade 5+ Eng & Maths
The school's 2025 results at a glance — GCSE (Key Stage 4) and A-Level (sixth form) shown separately. Each tile shows the latest figure and how it moved on the year before.
70.7
Attainment 8
Average achievement across 8 qualifications
93%
English + Maths 5+
Grade 5 or above in both
99%
English + Maths 4+
Grade 4 or above in both
62%
EBacc Entry
Entered the English Baccalaureate suite
6.54
EBacc APS
Average points across EBacc subjects
B-
Avg A-Level Grade
Average grade achieved across all A-Level entries
35.6
A-Level avg points
Average point score per entry (A* = 60, A = 50, B = 40)
28.3%
AAB+ at A-Level
Achieved AAB or better in their best three A-Levels — a key benchmark for Russell Group entry
The same numbers in context — against the England state-funded average, the typical grammar school, and grammars with a similar intake.
Bar shows this school. Ticks mark the England state-funded average (grey) and the typical grammar-school average (indigo).
Grammar median computed from up to 163 grammars.
Strong averages can hide gaps. These tiles split the same cohort by disadvantage and by sex — a small gap means the school delivers for everyone, not just the strongest intake.
| Metric | Disadv. | Non-dis. | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 | 65.8 | 71.0 | +5 |
| E+M grade 5+ | 91% | 94% | +3pp |
| EBacc entry | 36% | 64% | +27pp |
Disadvantaged = pupils eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years, looked-after, or adopted from care. A small or zero gap is the goal — it means the school helps every pupil reach the same outcomes.
Whether pupils choose to stay on after GCSEs, and which way the headline results have been moving over recent years.
92%
continued to sixth form
% of pupils who stayed on after GCSEs
High retention is a positive sign — pupils choose to stay and the sixth form supports them through. Low retention can indicate weaker post-16 provision or curriculum mismatch.
The end of the journey — what leavers do after sixth form, and how this school's university record compares.
55%
Continued in education
HE + FE + other
53%
Higher Education
−15pp vs grammar avg
72%
Russell Group
Cohort destination breakdown
Destinations trend
Zooming in from whole-school figures to individual subjects — where entries concentrate, and which departments stand out in either direction.
Bar = entries · chip = grade 4+ pass rate
Bar = entries · chip = A*–E pass rate
Strongest at
Biology
113 entries
100%
+2.7pp vs school
Physics
113 entries
100%
+2.7pp vs school
Chemistry
113 entries
100%
+2.7pp vs school
Watch list
French
11 entries
82%
-15.5pp vs school
Other Modern Languages
60 entries
87%
-10.7pp vs school
Strongest at
Maths
50 entries
100%
+2.3pp vs school
Biology
29 entries
100%
+2.3pp vs school
Geography
28 entries
100%
+2.3pp vs school
Watch list
Business Studies
18 entries
89%
-8.8pp vs school
Physical Education / Sports Studies
15 entries
93%
-4.3pp vs school
Entry Requirements
demonstrated their academic ability in their GCSE studies
Subjects Offered
Largest group: White British (75.7%)
Pupils of White British heritage
Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese and other Asian heritage
More than one heritage — e.g. White & Asian, White & Black Caribbean
A single heritage outside the groups above — e.g. Arab, White non-British
Black Caribbean, Black African and other Black heritage
England avg ≈ 24%
≈ 18 pts below the England average — proportion of pupils whose family qualifies for free school meals (a measure of catchment affluence).
England avg ≈ 18%
≈ 14 pts below the England average — proportion of pupils whose first language is not English.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form
Good
Scale: Inadequate → Requires Improvement → Good → Outstanding
Per-pupil funding
2025/26≈ £335 (-5%) below the English average
Share of total spend going on staff
Typical English secondary: 75–80% on staff.
Spend per pupil per year
Most English state secondaries spend 75–80% of their budget on staff. Higher figures usually mean smaller class sizes; lower figures mean more spent on premises, supplies, or capital projects.
£4,848
Teaching Staff / pupil
£677
Educational Supplies / pupil
£397
Premises / pupil
Revenue reserve / pupil
£14
The school holds a surplus per pupil — money set aside that can absorb unexpected costs or fund future projects without affecting day-to-day teaching.
Total grant: £5,509,490 · 827 pupils funded
How the 2025/26 allocation broke down. Each stream is a signal about the school's intake — bigger deprivation / EAL / SEN top-ups indicate a school serving a more challenging cohort.
Basic entitlement
£4,709,951
The school's core allocation — pupil numbers × the basic per-pupil rate — before any top-ups.
Pupil Premium
£48,375
Targeted funding for 45 disadvantaged pupils.
Deprivation top-up
£204,160
Aggregates FSM, FSM6 and IDACI deprivation bands.
EAL top-up
£1,595
English-as-additional-language premium — paid for pupils whose first language isn't English.
Prior attainment top-up
£21,962
Funding for pupils arriving below age-related expectations.
Notional SEN
£359,539
Earmarked SEN budget inside the schools block.
Lump sum
£145,100
Fixed per-school grant — size-independent.
Schools budget support grant
£50,042
Government pay-and-pension support grant.
National Insurance grant
£64,518
Compensation for the increase in employer NI contributions.
1,100 / 1,160(95%)
Subjects Offered
Entry Requirements
demonstrated their academic ability in their GCSE studies
1:16.8
Staff:Pupil Ratio
100%
Qualified Teachers
3.97%
Absence Rate
7.91%
Persistent Absence
35 acres of parkland and sporting facilities, purpose-built music and practice rooms, technology suite, recording studio, RetrEAT dining area, outdoor seating areas
Sports
Over 35 acres surrounded by half a dozen pitches
STEM
Science and technology technicians
Arts
Purpose-built music and practice rooms, technology suite, recording studio
Library
Librarians available
Capital Projects
Recent improvements include refurbishment of science laboratories, upgrade of IT facilities, and improvements to sports facilities including the sports hall.
Duke of Edinburgh, Ten Tors, public speaking, Business Studies competitions, chess, astronomy, sport, music bands and orchestras, musical production
Sports
rugby, football, cricket, martial arts, bowls, table tennis, orienteering
Music & Performing Arts
Bands, orchestras, individual music tuition for over 150 students. Every student learns wind/brass instrument in year 7, keyboard in year 8. Tor-chella Music Festival, annual musical production
Clubs & Societies
Dozens of clubs and societies, Duke of Edinburgh, Ten Tors, public speaking, Business Studies competitions, chess, astronomy, Chess Club, Swimming
Duke of Edinburgh
Offered
Trips & Exchanges
Educational trips including day visits for outdoor activities, longer residentials to Normandy and Spain, later to Iceland. Various year group trips including Paris/Disney, London, Bristol, Tank Museum visits
Community Service
Students participate in various community service activities including charity fundraising, local primary school visits, environmental projects, and volunteering with local organizations.
Uniform
Navy blazer with House badge, dark grey trousers, white school shirt, black shoes, dark socks and House tie. Sixth form: black blazer with sixth-form House badge and tie
School Meals
School meals provided on cafeteria basis with variety of specials daily. Hot breakfast available before registration, hot snack food and sandwiches at morning break, full hot counter service at lunchtime. Emphasis on healthy eating.
Homework Policy
Homework forms integral part of education to generate worthwhile learning experiences, discipline the mind, research, revise, manage time and prepare independently. Set in varying amounts according to pressures through the year.
Behaviour Policy
Simple school rules: show respect for others, property and yourself, and take responsibility for your actions
Mobile Phone Policy
Mobile phones are allowed in school but must be on silent mode during lessons.
SEND Provision
The school provides support for students with special educational needs and disabilities through its SEND department. Support includes individual learning plans, classroom support, and liaison with external agencies where appropriate.
Priority area: within 4.5 miles of Torquay Boys', straight-line. Always confirm exact boundaries with the school — distance is measured by each admissions authority's own method.
Enter your postcode to see directions to Torquay Boys'
Route 12 from Paignton, Route 22 from Brixham
Nearest Station: Torquay Railway Station
Transport Info
The school is located on Shiphay Manor Drive, Torquay. It is accessible by public bus services and there are parking facilities available. Students travel from across Torbay and South Devon.
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