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Torquay Boys' Grammar School

United Kingdom, Torquay

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 11 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1120
Type Boys School, Co-educational
Opened 1904
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum British Curriculum, IB (DP)
Taught languages Spanish, German, Mandarin
Strengths Performing Arts, Languages, Outdoor Education
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Leadership and Professional
Stages Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Torquay Boys' Grammar School is a selective 11–18 boys' grammar school in Torquay. It offers the British Curriculum and the International Baccalaureate Diploma, with a Sixth Form that provides both A‑levels and IB. The IB Diploma is open to both male and female students; girls may join the Sixth Form to study IB, while boys may choose either IB or A‑levels. The curriculum runs from KS3 to KS5, with Year 7 Spanish and Year 8 a second language (German or Mandarin); KS4 focuses on core subjects plus language study; KS5 offers A‑levels or the IB core (TOK, Extended Essay and CAS). Excellent facilities include the Forum conference space, ReTrEAT hall, Centenary Hall theatre, a Library and a Sixth Form Study Area opened in 2023, plus TQ Climb with a 7.5m auto‑belay wall. The school runs extensive trips, Duke of Edinburgh, chess clubs and a thriving music/theatre program. Around 1,120 pupils attend, including girls in the sixth form studying IB.

Torquay Boys' Grammar School, Shiphay Manor Drive, Torquay, TQ2 7EL

The Essentials

Torquay Boys' Grammar School has 1,120 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
Shiphay Manor Drive, Torquay, TQ2 7EL

Stages
11-18

Type
Boys' grammar school (single-sex)

Additional learning support
Inclusion; Wellbeing & Mental Health; Pastoral Care

Bus service
Public buses are provided by Stagecoach South West; routes include No. 12 from Brixham to Newton Abbot; No. 28 from Preston and Paignton to the school bus bay; No. 32C to Wellswood and St Marychurch. Contract coaches AB Coaches and Dartline Coaches operate routes to a wide area. Torre railway station is about a five-minute walk from the school, and travel assistance is available through Torbay Travel Assistance and Devon Travel Assistance.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
The school uses a day uniform for Years 7–11. Four branded items are required for all students: the school tie, sew-on blazer badge, PE T-shirt and rugby shirt; other items can be sourced from high street retailers, Riviera Schooldays, or the Parents' Association Pre-Loved Shop. The blazer badge and tie are available from the School Shop, and all uniform items must be named; the school may contribute toward uniform costs for students in receipt of Free School Meals.

Food Options
The catering team provides meals daily, with breakfast and lunch options. Meals are prepared fresh daily and local suppliers are used where possible; weekly menus (Week 1, Week 2, Week 3) are published and Sixth Form has its own menu. Dietary requirements are accommodated, with gluten-free options pre-ordered daily.
Fees
Application fees

- There is no application fee to apply for a place at Torquay Boys' Grammar School. Admissions and the selection test registration are not charged by the school.

Tuition fees (by year group)

- Torquay Boys' Grammar School is a state-funded selective academy. Education for Years 7–11 and for students aged 16–18 in the Sixth Form is provided without tuition charges to families; there are no termly or annual tuition fees.

Billing schedule and payment terms (for chargeable items)

- The school does not bill for core curriculum or admissions. Charges may be applied only for permitted items (optional extras, board and lodging on residential visits, private music tuition, materials asked to be owned by pupils, examination re-sits as specified in policy).
- Payment for trips and activities must be made in advance. More costly trips (over £100) may be paid in instalments as directed by the finance office. Where an external travel company requires a non‑refundable deposit, the initial deposit required from parents will match that sum and will be non‑refundable unless the school obtains a refund from the travel company.

Boarding fees

- Boarding is not offered: Torquay Boys' Grammar School is a day school (no boarding fees apply).

Other costs and fees (typical items and approximate amounts)

- Uniform and related items: A full uniform is required; badges and ties are available through the school shop and items may be purchased from high-street suppliers or from the Parents' Association pre-loved shop. The school will contribute towards uniform items for new Year 7 entrants who are eligible for Free School Meals.

- Trips, visits and activities: The school publishes typical approximate costs for curricular and extra‑curricular activities. Examples of published approximate costs include: team‑building (~GBP 25), river/fieldwork trips (~GBP 6–20), local day trips (~GBP 12–80), activities‑week residentials and international trips (~GBP 350–2,000+ depending on destination), and large overseas trips (examples listed up to ~GBP 1,500). Parents are asked to make voluntary contributions for some school‑day activities; residential elements (board and lodging) are chargeable except where remissions apply. Exact costs vary by activity and year group.

- Curriculum materials and optional items: Charges may be made where parents request to own finished materials (e.g., D&T materials) and for private music tuition. Public examinations for which students are prepared as part of the curriculum are not charged; charges may apply for private candidate entries or certain re‑sits as set out in policy.

Refund information

- Deposits: If a travel company requires a non‑refundable deposit from the school, the deposit required from parents will be non‑refundable unless the school is able to obtain a refund from the travel company.
- Refunds for cancellations or non‑attendance are handled in line with the school's Charges and Remissions policy and the terms of the organiser/travel company; voluntary contributions cannot be required and families who do not contribute are not treated differently, though activities may be cancelled if insufficient contributions are received. Remissions (full or partial waivers) for eligible families are available for some charges.

Financial assistance / remissions

- Remissions and bursaries: Financial support is available for students in specific circumstances. The school operates a remissions policy for trips and activities (linked to household benefit criteria) and a Sixth‑Form bursary scheme with eligibility bands (including care leavers, those in receipt of Free School Meals, and households below defined income thresholds). Remission and bursary applications follow the school's published procedures.

Fee payment options (how chargeable items are paid)

- The school uses standard cashless payment platforms for collecting payments from parents (ParentPay and the school's payment portal). ParentPay supports payment by card, bank transfer and PayPoint where enabled by the school; the payment platforms are used for items such as trips, uniform shop purchases, and other chargeable items.

Summary points for parents

- No application or tuition fees apply for Years 7–11 or for Sixth Form study. Charges only apply for permitted optional extras, certain residential elements (board and lodging), private tuition, and material/items parents choose to purchase.
- Typical out‑of‑pocket items include uniform, occasional departmental materials, and trip deposits/fees (amounts vary by year group and trip; examples are published by the school).
- Payment is handled via the school's online payment systems; advance payment is required for trips and instalments may be offered for higher‑cost trips. Remissions and bursaries are available for eligible families and the school's Charges & Remissions and Financial Assistance policies explain eligibility and procedures.
Academics

Torquay Boys' Grammar School teaches British Curriculum, IB (DP) for students aged 11 to 18.

Curriculum
Key Stage 3 (years 7–9) offers a broad and balanced curriculum including art and design, computing, design and technology, English, geography, history, mathematics, modern foreign languages, music and physical education; Personal, social health education, citizenship, careers education, sex education and religious education are taught in philosophy and applied ethics lessons. In Year 7 all students study Spanish; in Year 8 they choose a second language (German or Mandarin Chinese); science is taught in KS3 and completed in Year 9 when students transition to the GCSE course. Key Stage 4 (years 10–11) core subjects are English language and literature, mathematics, a modern foreign language, science (three separate GCSEs or a double science qualification), religious education, personal and social education (including citizenship) and physical education; students continue with one of the two languages studied in KS3 and must study two other subjects from history, geography, art, music, drama, media studies, physical education, design and technology, computing or the second language; information technology skills are developed across the curriculum. Key Stage 5 (years 12–13) offers the A‑Level curriculum and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma; on the A‑Level route students typically take 3–4 A‑Levels with up to five one‑hour periods per subject and may include options such as Extended Essay, AS Further Mathematics, GOLD Duke of Edinburgh's Award, AS Ancient History and AS Music. The IB Diploma is open to both male and female students; the Diploma requires three Higher Level and three Standard Level subjects across six categories, plus the core (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, Service). Girls can enter the Sixth Form for IB; boys may choose either A‑Levels or IB.

Exam Results
GCSE 2025: pass rate at grades 9–4 was 98%; top grades 9–7 accounted for 61%; 9–5 in English and Maths was 93%. In 2024 the Attainment 8 score per student was 68.6 and the Progress 8 score was +0.34. Sixth Form 2025: students can take either A levels or the International Baccalaureate; combined results show 70.5% of grades were A*/A/B or 7/6, and 45.6% were A*/A or 7/6; overall pass rate for all examinations sat was 98.7%. TBGS Graduate Destinations 2025 show 72% to Russell Group universities and 90% achieved their first-choice place, with graduates going to fields including medicine and some progressing to Oxford/Cambridge; one student listed to Princeton, USA.

Higher Education Progression
Graduate destinations for 2025 include 72% of TBGS graduates going to Russell Group universities and 90% achieving their first-choice place; graduates pursue courses in medicine, engineering, business, sciences and humanities, with entries to selective universities including Oxford and Cambridge and, in at least one case, Princeton, USA. The school notes strong progression to top UK universities and competitive programmes.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school prioritises student well-being as part of its approach to learning. Student Mental Health Ambassadors receive specialist training from the Mental Health Support Team (NHS partners) to provide peer‑led support across year groups. Living Life To The Full (LLTTF) is used as a cognitive-behavioural life-skills programme to help students identify and manage worries, with delivery supported by staff and parents. The pastoral team is based in The Stables, where students can access support at any time; a School Counsellor and pastoral officers are available to help. The Mental Health Support Team provides in‑school wellbeing interventions and helps the school develop a whole‑school approach to mental health, including staff training and parental involvement.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
TBGS has a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Department (SEND). The SEND Team can be found in the Stables (Student Services) or in the Sixth Form and supports learning and wellbeing for students with SEND. The SENDCo is Lucy Munns, and the team includes staff such as Caroline Vaughan (School Counsellor, Pastoral Officer & Safeguarding Officer), Victoria Pellant (Deputy SENDCo & Communications and Interaction Lead), Joanna Shore (Deputy Head of Sixth Form, SEND oversight), and Helen Turner (Learning Mentor & Diabetes Lead). Contact details for SEND are provided by the school: 01803 615501; enquiries@tbgs.torbay.sch.uk. The SEND provision emphasises collaborative support to meet students' needs.

Mental Wellbeing
We support students to achieve highly in a caring environment where wellbeing is central. Staff receive training to spot concerns early and a range of support mechanisms is available for individuals and families. Student Mental Health Ambassadors work with the Mental Health Support Team (NHS partners) to provide peer‑led support. Living Life To The Full (LLTTF) provides evidence‑based tools to identify negative thoughts and worries and helps students apply coping strategies with school‑home collaboration. The Stables houses the pastoral team, a School Counsellor, and Mental Health Support Team staff who deliver a whole‑school approach to mental health.

Safeguarding
TBGS has a safeguarding structure led by Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Mr S Lyne-Ley, with Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead Mrs C Pitocco and Safeguarding Officer Mrs C Vaughan. The safeguarding team can be contacted via the main school office during school hours. CPOMS is used to securely communicate and store safeguarding concerns. There are clear contacts for multi‑agency safeguarding needs, including the MASH and Devon Children & Families Partnership. There are procedures for raising concerns about adults, including contact with the Headteacher, the Chair of Governors, and the Local Authority Designated Officer.
Parent Experience

History
The school traces its roots to 1904 with the Pupil Teacher Centre in Abbey Road. Torquay Secondary School opened on Barton Road in April 1915 with 170 boys. It moved to Shiphay in 1983 and expanded to six houses for a mixed sixth form. It became a Grant Maintained School in 1993, gained Specialist Status in 1996, Foundation Status in 1997, Leading Edge in 2000, Beacon Status and High Performing Specialist Status in 2006, joined the South West Academic Trust in 2008, gained Academy Status in 2010, and formed a Multi-Academy Trust in 2012 by sponsoring Torquay Academy. The school now has around 1,120 pupils, including girls in the sixth form studying the International Baccalaureate, and is described as one of the top 20 boys' schools in the country.

Community
The Headteacher describes a welcoming ethos and core values of excellence, leadership and integrity, developed through the curriculum and the house system with a wide range of activities. The Sixth Form offers IB for girls and either A level or IB for boys. There are extensive extracurricular opportunities in sport, music, the performing arts and languages. The TBGS ethos emphasizes community involvement and personal growth.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Torquay Boys Grammar School Parents Association aims to develop and extend relationships between staff, parents and others associated with the school, and to advance education by raising additional funds. PA meetings occur once every half term, plus the AGM in February, usually in the library at 7pm, and all parents are welcome to attend. The PA runs activities throughout the year including Family Quiz Night, Sports Day refreshments, Bar coordination for The Show, Mothers' Day Pop-Up Shop, Pre-Loved Sales, New Year 7 Refreshments, and an End Of Year Music Festival. There are opportunities to help with events and volunteers are invited when requests are sent, with no obligation to participate. The PA also runs passive fundraising schemes such as Easyfundraising and a school lottery, and operates a Pre-Loved Uniform service. Contact details and instructions to join the helpers list are provided on the PA page.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The school has a Forum conference facility seating 60 with high‑definition projection and surround sound, plus catering space and a kitchenette for meetings and lectures. ReTrEAT is a large bright hall overlooking the parkland with an annex room, catering space and toilets, accommodating around 200 and able to be locked off from the main building. Centenary Hall is a well‑equipped theatre space with adaptable staging, rigged lighting and audio equipment, housed in a separate building with catering facilities and toilets and seats about 400. The Library provides an intimate space for meetings and clubs, and a Sixth Form Study Area opened in 2023 offers a bright space for study and group work. TQ Climb is an on‑site climbing facility with a 7.5m auto‑belay wall and an outdoor bouldering wall.

Sports Facilities
The Sports Hall is an airy on‑site facility with a state‑of‑the‑art floor. TQ Climb provides an additional on‑site sports facility, featuring a 7.5m auto‑belay climbing wall and an outdoor bouldering wall, with all climbing equipment supplied. Climbing sessions run for 60–75 minutes and are suitable for complete beginners and experienced climbers aged 8 and over. On‑site facilities support a range of physical education and extracurricular activities through dedicated spaces and supervised access.

Academic Facilities
The Library offers a space for meetings and clubs with a capacity of around 40. The Sixth Form Study Area, available from September 2023, provides a bright space for study, meetings and group work with nearby parking and toilets. The curriculum spans Key Stage 3 to 5, including art and design, computing, design and technology, English, geography, history, mathematics, modern foreign languages, music and physical education, with information technology skills developed across the curriculum. The Sixth Form offers both A‑levels and the IB Diploma, with a broad curricular and extracurricular framework to support learning.

Extra Curricular Facilities
TBGS SWAT offers opportunities to stretch beyond the classroom, with student‑driven Challenge activities and a calendar of inter‑school SWAT challenges to develop subject mastery, teamwork and leadership. At Key Stage 5, students can gain experience for CAS or UCAS personal statements and represent the school in local community activities. The school runs a wide range of trips and activities, including team‑building, outdoor education, fieldwork and cultural visits (e.g., Paris/Disney, Dartmoor, London) and music/theatre trips. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, chess clubs and TBGS musical trips are among ongoing extracurricular offerings, with additional activities and events publicized through school communications and activities weeks.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The aims of the curriculum are to enable students to enjoy learning for its own sake, to develop their creative talents and to fulfil their intellectual potential. It provides knowledge and skills to respond to a changing world with confidence and humility, and it encourages students to be reflective, open-minded and principled so they can make a positive contribution to their community and the wider world. Key Stage 3 includes a broad and balanced range of subjects, including art and design, computing, design and technology, English, geography, history, mathematics, modern foreign languages, music and physical education; Year 7 studies Spanish and Year 8 selects a second language (German or Mandarin Chinese). Key Stage 4 continues with core subjects and language study, and Key Stage 5 offers Sixth Form with either A-levels or the IB Diploma; the IB core comprises Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, Service.

Arts & Creative
Key Stage 3 includes art and design and music as part of the broad curriculum. The Sixth Form Prospectus notes extensive extracurricular opportunities in music and the performing arts. There are dedicated music facilities, including music and practice rooms and a recording studio, and large-scale annual musical productions staged by Drama and Music.

Cultural & Language
Key Stage 3 includes modern foreign languages; Year 7 Spanish; Year 8 second language German or Mandarin Chinese. In the Sixth Form, students can pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma or A-Levels; the IB requires selecting a second language among its six subject groups, and its core includes Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, Service. The Sixth Form prospectus notes opportunities in languages across the curriculum.

Social & Hobbies
Dozens of clubs and societies cater for a wide range of interests and ages. From Duke of Edinburgh and Ten Tors to public speaking and Business Studies competitions, these activities offer leadership and challenge. Successes in chess, astronomy and sport have led to national awards or long-term careers. Educational trips include Normandy and Spain, and later in school to Iceland.

Community & Service
TBGS aims to enable students to contribute to their community and the wider world. The extra-curricular programme includes activities that build social responsibility, such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme and a range of trips.

Leadership & Professional
Leadership is a core value: leadership (take responsibility) is named as a school core value. The prospectus lists Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Ten Tors among extracurricular activities, which develop leadership and teamwork. The Sixth Form offers either A-levels or the IB Diploma, and the IB core includes Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, Service.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Wellbeing and mental health are priorities; the school provides a supportive environment where students are happy and content. Staff receive training to spot concerns early and a range of support mechanisms are available. Student Mental Health Ambassadors are trained to provide peer-led support through a Mental Health Support Team. Living Life To The Full is used, and there is a full-time school counsellor, MHST support and Kooth online counselling to assist student wellbeing.
Languages

Language Provision
Spanish is taught as a modern foreign language. In Year 7 all students study Spanish. In Year 8 pupils choose a second language: German or Mandarin Chinese. In Key Stage 4, students continue one of the languages chosen in KS3. The Sixth Form offers both A-levels and the International Baccalaureate Diploma, with language study included as part of the Sixth Form curriculum.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Year 7 entry is selective and determined by a two-test selection process. Two tests (English and Mathematics) are used, each lasting about 50 minutes; tests may be sat at TBGS or at another selective school, with special arrangements available on request if required. Registration for the entrance tests is separate from applying for a place and must be completed by the published deadlines. 2. Normal admission round: the statutory closing date for applications is 31 October 2026. Local Authorities coordinate applications for their area, and parents must submit a Common Application Form (CAF) to their Home LA by the deadline; offers are made on National Offer Day (the first working day of March 2027). The Published Admission Number (PAN) for Year 7 is 168. 3. Selection by Ability and Testing before Preference: candidates may sit the selection tests before the closing date (Testing before Preference). Registration to sit the tests closes at 12:00 noon on 4 September 2026, and the tests take place on 19 September 2026. Test outcomes are reported as Yes/No regarding whether the child meets the required standard, not as actual scores. 4. Late applications and late testing: if a candidate cannot sit the tests in September, late testing arrangements can be made; late testing may be used to determine waiting-list placement. 5. Waiting lists: the School maintains a waiting list for each year group (Year 7–13) throughout the year; positions are determined by ranking, oversubscription criteria and tie-breakers and are re-ranked whenever a place becomes available. Children admitted under the Fair Access Protocol have precedence over those on the waiting list. 6. Outcomes and offers: offers for Year 7 are made on National Offer Day (1 March 2027); sitting the test does not guarantee a place, and the CAF deadline remains essential. 7. PAN and priorities: Year 7 PAN is 168; there is no catchment or feeder-school priority published in the arrangements. 8. Additional information: further details are published in the Admissions Policy and related forms.

Scholarships
Financial Assistance is available to Sixth Form students who meet the Department for Education criteria. To be eligible, students must be under 19 on 31 August of the starting academic year and must satisfy residency criteria. To continue receiving a bursary, the student must have unauthorised absences no greater than 10%, must not breach the Sixth Form contract, and must provide receipts showing the money is spent on approved items. Category One includes looked-after or care-leaver status and certain benefit-related criteria; Category Two – Band A covers those eligible for Free School Meals or with household income below £17,500; Category Two – Band B covers those with household income below £25,000. Further information is provided in the bursary infosheet and related forms.

Waitlist
The School operates a waiting list for each year group (Year 7 to Year 13) throughout the respective school year. The waiting list positions are determined solely by ranking, oversubscription criteria and tie-breakers and are re-ranked each time a name is added or a place is offered. Children given a place under the Fair Access Protocol have precedence over those on the waiting list.
School Events
The school has not added events
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