Your school guide
Devonport High School for Boys
Devonport High School for Boys requires shared Plymouth English and mathematics papers plus its own writing task for Year 7 entry.
Grammar school · Plymouth
Prepare with confidence.
Use Plusling to prepare for 11+ entry to Devonport High School for Boys. Build skills with original questions, understand the answers and turn tricky topics into your next step forward.
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Meet the school
At a glance
Facts checked
- Additional school assessment
- DHSB writing paper; a qualifying writing mark is required
- Devonport High School for Boys
- Plymouth residents’ application deadline
- 31 October 2026 for September 2027 entry
- Plymouth City Council
Paradise Road, Stoke, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 5QP
Plan your approach
Year 7 entry
For September 2027 entry
For September 2027 Year 7 entry, Devonport High School for Boys uses shared Quest English and maths papers, approximately 40 minutes each plus instructions, and an additional school-set writing paper. Families must also apply for a school place through their home local authority.
- Assessment
- Plymouth grammar schools shared 11+
- Provider
- Quest Assessments
What the assessment covers
- English comprehension
- Mathematics
- Creative writing ( devonport high school for boys only)
Read the chosen school’s own admission policy and registration instructions; the common papers do not make the three admission policies identical.
DHSB says its school familiarisation papers do not fully replicate the Quest external papers.
Explore this shared admissions route →
The admissions process
- The scheduled September 2026 tests for 2027 entry have taken place: English and the DHSB writing task were on 12 September, followed by maths on 19 September.
- The published 2027/28 policy requires a qualifying result in the external papers and the DHSB writing paper. Qualifying applicants are considered under the school’s ranking and oversubscription rules; qualification alone does not secure a place.
- Apply for a school place through the local authority where you live. Plymouth residents must submit their application by 31 October 2026; families elsewhere should use their own council’s application and deadline.
- Plymouth City Council gives 1 March 2027 as offer day and asks its applicants to accept or reject the allocation with the School Admissions team by 8 March 2027.
- If you missed exam registration, contact DHSB promptly. Its published policy provides for late testing; inclusion in the first allocation round depends on the admission authority accepting that the parent could not reasonably have known about the registration requirement and deadline.
- Use the generic Quest English and maths booklets to become familiar with the publisher’s question and answer-sheet format. They are examples, not exact DHSB papers.
- The school’s June 2026 English familiarisation paper is a separate one-hour sample with 30 minutes of comprehension and 30 minutes of writing; its timing is not the duration of the real Quest English paper.
Read the official details: Admissions information from Devonport High School for Boys
Go to the source
Official links for your shortlist
Use the school’s current admissions information to check which sample papers or familiarisation materials apply to your child’s entry year.
From subjects to skills
Turn the assessment subjects into a practice plan.
Start with these core skills from the published subject list. Pair the official assessment material with regular Plusling practice.
English
A useful place to start
Read a short passage together. Ask your child to find evidence for an answer and explain unfamiliar words in context.
Build on it with Plusling
Build on that reading with Plusling’s English questions and explanations, then choose a topic to practise again.
Start the 5-question English quizMaths
A useful place to start
Ask your child to explain their method, estimate the answer and check the final calculation. Notice which step needs more practice.
Build on it with Plusling
Use Plusling’s original maths questions and worked explanations to make those next practice sessions count.
Start the 5-question maths quizPrint, practise, build confidence
Printable practice for these subjects
Original Plusling papers with space to work and separate answers and explanations.
English papers
Explore the papers
Maths papers
Explore the papersThese are Plusling skills practice, not official school or test papers.
Keep the practical steps clear
Your application starting points
Use the official links on this page to answer these questions for your child’s entry year.
Check the entry point and eligibility
Confirm the year group, age requirements and any conditions that apply to your child.
Put the right dates in your diary
Note any published registration, assessment, application and offer-response dates that apply to your child’s route. They may be separate steps.
Check the assessment guidance
If an assessment applies, look for official examples, question formats, timings and answer instructions to help plan your child’s preparation.
Read the school’s admissions criteria
Check catchment, oversubscription rules and any supplementary form alongside the test registration.
Picture your child’s everyday life here.
An open day is a chance to look beyond the exam. Useful questions to take with you:
- How do you help new pupils settle in and make friends?
- Who can a child turn to when they feel worried or stuck?
- How do you help pupils recover from a setback and discover their strengths?
Know where to focus
Give their preparation a clear direction.
See the topics your child has practised, revisit questions that need another look and choose a focus for the next session. Plusling helps you put your time where it can be useful.
- Topic summaries and practice history
- Choose topics in Focus Practice
- Progress to discuss with the adults helping them
Their next step starts here
Give their 11+ preparation a confident start.
Try Plusling together. Five free questions, useful feedback and a first look at a friendlier way to practise.
Before you apply
- Exam registration and the school-place application are separate steps. Use your home council’s application process even if you live outside Plymouth.
- For late registration, access arrangements or Pupil Premium support, contact DHSB using the official admissions links.
- Check the arrangements for your child’s own entry year before using published dates or practice papers.
Plusling’s guide to Devonport High School for Boys is independently written. The school and its admissions authority publish the official arrangements.
Contains government school-register data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Primary sources
- Devonport High School for Boys: school details Department for Education
- 11+ Familiarisation | Devonport High School For Boys | Plymouth Devonport High School for Boys
- 11+ Registration | Devonport High School For Boys | Plymouth Devonport High School for Boys
- Pupil Premium 11+ Support Devonport High School for Boys
- Quest grammar assessment guidance Quest Assessments
- DHSB admissions and current admission policies Devonport High School for Boys
- DHSB Year 7 admission policy 2027/28 Devonport High School for Boys
- Plymouth 11+ 2026: guide for parents and carers Plymouth grammar schools / Quest Assessments
- Quest English familiarisation booklet Quest Assessments
- Quest Maths familiarisation booklet Quest Assessments
- Plymouth secondary school applications for September 2027 Plymouth City Council
- DHSB English familiarisation paper, June 2026 Devonport High School for Boys
- DHSB English familiarisation mark schemes, June 2026 Devonport High School for Boys
- DHSB admissions frequently asked questions Devonport High School for Boys