TheSchoolRun.com closure date
As we informed you a few months ago, TheSchoolRun has had to make the difficult decision to close due to financial pressures and the company has now ceased trading. We had hoped to keep our content available through a partnership with another educational provider, but this provider has since withdrawn from the agreement.
As a result, we now have to permanently close TheSchoolRun.com. However, to give subscribers time to download any content they’d like to keep, we will keep the website open until 31st July 2025. After this date, the site will be taken down and there will be no further access to any resources. We strongly encourage you to download and save any resources you think you may want to use in the future.
In particular, we suggest downloading:
- Learning packs
- All the worksheets from the 11+ programme, if you are following this with your child
- Complete Learning Journey programmes (the packs below include all 40 worksheets for each programme)
You should already have received 16 primary school eBooks (worth £108.84) to download and keep. If you haven’t received these, please contact us at [email protected] before 31st July 2025, and we will send them to you.
We are very sorry that there is no way to continue offering access to resources and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.
11+ testing in Devon explained
Which schools require an 11+ pass?
There are seven exclusively grammar schools in Devon, and just to make it more challenging for parents, there are also three Local Authorities (LA) involved in admissions: Devon County Council, Plymouth and Torbay.
- Colyton Grammar School (Devon LA; mixed)
- Devonport High School for Boys (Plymouth LA)
- Devonport High School for Girls (Plymouth LA)
- Plymouth High School for Girls (Plymouth LA)
- Churston Ferrers Grammar School (Torbay LA; mixed)
- Torquay Boys' Grammar School (Torbay LA)
- Torquay Girls Grammar School (Torbay LA)
Prepare For The 11+ Exam
- Essential English and maths skills
- Verbal and non-verbal reasoning questions
- Reading comprehension & CLOZE tests
There is also one bilateral school, The Spires College (Torbay LA; mixed), which is an all-ability school with a separate grammar stream for children who pass the 11+.
What do the tests involve?
The tests vary between the different areas of the county. All schools set English and maths papers, with some schools assessing verbal reasoning too. The format of the tests varies too, from multiple choice and short answer questions to pieces of extended creative writing. You'll find more detailed information about testing arrangements on the individual schools' websites, but the table below summarises the testing procedures at each school:
| School | Tests required |
| Colyton | Verbal reasoning (VR), English, maths |
| Devonport Boys | English, maths, English composition |
| Devonport Girls | English, maths, two locally set English papers |
| Plymouth Girls | English, maths, written English |
| Churston Ferrers | Two VR and NVR papers, English and maths |
| Torquay Boys | Two VR and NVR papers, English and maths |
| Torquay Girls | Two VR and NVR papers, English and maths |
| The Spires College | Two VR and non-verbal reasoning (NVR) papers, English and maths |
Exam Papers Plus & TheSchoolRun.com
If you're looking for practice papers for your child's 11+, our partners at Exam Papers Plus have papers for specific schools, as well as courses and mock exams for each area.
And their Pretest Plus offers online tests and video courses to help your child succeed at CAT, ISEB PRETEST, CEM SELECT and UKISET examinations.
What version of the test is used?
Plymouth's selective schools use GL Assessment tests but the individual schools themselves set some of the papers.
The Torbay schools and Colyton Grammar School, however, were using CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) Entrance Assessment Tests, to assess verbal ability (comprehension, vocabulary and verbal reasoning), numerical reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. However, CEM will no longer be providing 11+ tests from September 2023. Further information will be added to this page in due course. We recommend contacting individual schools for more information about their new test provider.
How do you arrange for your child to take the test?
The registration forms for all schools in the county are available for parents to download on each of the school’s own websites.
Parents can find detailed information about the timeline and content for the 11+ examinations on the Plymouth council website.
Further details for admission arrangements for any of the Torbay schools can be found on the school admissions website.
Where are the tests held?
The tests are held at each the selective schools. Your child will usually sit the test at the school that you're most likely to apply to.
What is the pass mark?
The required standard not only varies from school to school but also from year to year depending on the range of ability of the children taking the test. For example, the Plymouth schools allocate their places in rank order, while the Torbay schools have a minimum pass mark of 50 per cent for the English and maths papers, but a variable pass mark for VR. Each school has slightly different variations on the way that children are considered ‘selected’ so it’s important to visit the relevant school website to familiarise themselves with the individual school’s admission policy.
How can I help prepare my child?
GL Assessment practice papers and support materials are available to buy from bookstores and online. Some of Devon’s selective schools also run familiarisation sessions and mock exams at the schools prior to testing day. These details can be found on the school’s individual website under Admissions.
Please be aware that while every effort is made to ensure the information we provide is accurate, admissions arrangements for Year 7 entry change regularly and it is essential to check for the most up-to-date advice on schools' own websites.
NB: TheSchoolRun receives a small commission from sales made through Exam Paper Plus.
