About the school
Devonport High School for Boys, often known as DHSB, is a selective boys’ grammar school located on Paradise Road in Plymouth, Devon, with a sixth form. The school has a strong academic tradition, an inclusive community ethos and an emphasis on leadership and character development.
Devonport High School for Boys was founded in 1896 and gained academy status. It occupies an impressive site overlooking Plymouth, educates around 1,100 pupils, and offers a broad curriculum supported by a wide range of extracurricular activities.
Devonport High School for Boys is one of the three Plymouth grammar schools that share a common entrance test, alongside Devonport High School for Girls and Plymouth High School for Girls. The test is provided by Quest Assessments, with admissions coordinated by Plymouth City Council.
School type
Boys’ Grammar (Sixth Form)
Exam date
Paper 1 (English): Saturday, September 12, 2026; Paper 2 (Maths): Saturday, September 19, 2026
Exam board
Plymouth consortium (Quest Assessments) – English & Maths
Address
Paradise Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 5QP
Age range
11–18 (Years 7–13)
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Admissions information
The Devonport High School for Boys entrance test is the shared Plymouth grammar schools test, provided by Quest Assessments. Here is everything you need to know about the admissions process and exam structure.
Devonport High School for Boys uses the shared Plymouth grammar schools entrance test, provided by Quest Assessments and used jointly with Devonport High School for Girls and Plymouth High School for Girls. The test assesses English and Mathematics based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum; for Devonport High School for Boys, a creative writing element also forms part of the assessment.
The test is sat over two Saturdays in September – an English paper on the first date and a Maths paper on the second. Most sections are multiple-choice and marked electronically using Optical Mark Recognition, with a written creative writing component for the boys’ school. Raw scores are age-standardised so that younger children are not disadvantaged, and candidates are then ranked.
Registration is completed online directly with the school during the summer term. For 2027 entry, registration closes on 31st August 2026; the school publishes the exact opening date on its website. Parents must also name Devonport High School for Boys on the Plymouth City Council Common Application Form by 31st October 2026.
Paper 1 (English) takes place on Saturday 12th September 2026 and Paper 2 (Maths) on Saturday 19th September 2026, with results sent to parents in mid-October, before the Common Application Form deadline. Meeting the qualifying standard does not guarantee a place, as the school applies its admissions criteria. School allocations are confirmed on national offer day, 1st March 2027.
Key admissions details
Devonport High School for Boys admits around 150 boys into Year 7 each year.
Devonport High School for Boys does not operate a fixed catchment area and draws pupils from across Plymouth and the surrounding area, including parts of Cornwall and South Hams. After children who reach the qualifying standard and have an EHCP naming the school, and looked-after children, places are allocated using the school’s oversubscription criteria, which include Pupil Premium priority, siblings and then distance from the school.
Our tutors understand the Plymouth grammar schools entrance test – including the creative writing element – used by Devonport High School for Boys. Book a free assessment today and let us build a personalised preparation plan for your child starting wherever they are right now.
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Devonport High School for Boys was founded in 1896 and gained academy status. It is a selective boys’ grammar school in Plymouth, Devon, with a sixth form, occupying an impressive site overlooking the city.
Devonport High School for Boys admits around 150 boys into Year 7 each year. The school is popular and competitive, so thorough preparation for the shared Plymouth grammar schools entrance test is important.
Devonport High School for Boys uses the shared Plymouth grammar schools test, provided by Quest Assessments, covering English and Maths, with a creative writing element for the boys’ school. The papers are sat over two Saturdays in September, with most sections multiple-choice and marked electronically.
Devonport High School for Boys does not operate a fixed catchment area and draws pupils from across Plymouth and the surrounding area. After the qualifying standard and priority groups, places are allocated using the school’s oversubscription criteria, which include siblings and then distance from the school.
For 2027 entry, registration is completed online directly with the school during the summer term and closes on 31st August 2026. Parents must also name the school on the Plymouth Common Application Form by 31st October 2026.
Yes. Devonport High School for Boys offers extensive extracurricular opportunities including sport, music, the Combined Cadet Force, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and a strong focus on leadership and character development.
Yes, all our tuition is available both in-person at our Edgbaston, Birmingham centre and online via live video sessions. Online tuition gives families across Plymouth and the wider region access to our expert tutors without the need to travel. The quality and personalisation of sessions is identical in both formats.
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