Devonport High School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam Guide

About Devonport High School for Boys

Devonport High School for Boys is a boys’ state grammar school for 11 to 18-year-olds in Plymouth, Devon. It sets its own entrance arrangements rather than joining the shared test used by the two Plymouth girls’ grammar schools.

The papers come from Quest Assessments, but the school adds a writing task of its own, so a boy applying here sits one element the girls’ schools do not set.

Key information for 2027 entry to Devonport High School for Boys at 11 Plus (11+)

• School type: boys’ state grammar school
• Test: provided by Quest Assessments, plus a writing task set by the school itself
• Format: an English paper, a maths paper and a Devonport High School for Boys writing task
• Registration: with the school, through the 11+ registration form on its own website
• Test dates: sat in September. The school had not published its September 2027 entry dates when this page was last checked on 27 July 2026, so confirm them on its registration page
• Familiarisation: two sessions in June 2026 for Year 5 boys, registration from Monday 20 April 2026 to 9:00am on Friday 12 June 2026 or earlier if full
• Open evening: Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 4:30pm, no booking needed
• Common Application Form deadline: 31 October 2026, to Plymouth City Council
• National Offer Day: Monday 1 March 2027
• Contact details: dhsb.org, [email protected]

Admissions information for 2027 entry to Devonport High School for Boys at 11 Plus (11+)

Plymouth has three grammar schools and they do not all run the same admissions test. Devonport High School for Boys uses Quest Assessments with an added school writing task. Devonport High School for Girls and Plymouth High School for Girls share a separate Quest test of two papers with no writing element. Related pages: Devonport High School for Girls and Plymouth High School for Girls.

Registering for the test is not the same as applying for a place. You must also name the school on the Common Application Form submitted to Plymouth City Council by 31 October 2026.

Appeals are heard by Plymouth City Council on the school’s behalf rather than by the school.

How can I register my child for the 11 Plus (11+) exams at Devonport High School for Boys?

1. Complete the 11+ registration form on the school’s own website. It is separate from the familiarisation form, and completing one does not enter your son for the other.
2. Check the closing date on that page. The school’s registration page was still showing September 2026 entry when we last checked on 27 July 2026, so take the date from the school rather than from any third-party summary.
3. Optional: register for a June familiarisation session. Registration opened on Monday 20 April 2026 and closes at 9:00am on Friday 12 June 2026, or sooner if the sessions fill.
4. Sit the papers in September, at the school.
5. Name the school on your Common Application Form to Plymouth City Council by 31 October 2026.

What is the 11 Plus (11+) entrance exam format for Devonport High School for Boys?

Devonport High School for Boys uses Quest Assessments and adds an element of its own:

• An English paper, set by Quest Assessments.
• A maths paper, set by Quest Assessments.
• A Devonport High School for Boys writing task, set by the school.

There is no verbal reasoning and no non-verbal reasoning. The writing task is the difference between this test and the one the two girls’ schools sit, and it is the part that a family preparing from a generic Quest guide is most likely to miss. For how this provider builds its papers, see our Quest Assessments guide.

The familiarisation sessions are worth knowing about

The school runs two familiarisation sessions in June for boys in Year 5. Your son sits a Quest practice maths paper in the sports hall and is given an English comprehension and composition paper to complete at home, with mark schemes so the papers can be used diagnostically. Both papers are free to download from the school’s website afterwards, whether or not your son attends. The school is clear that these practice papers do not fully replicate the real Quest papers and that attending makes no difference to a candidate’s chances.

Devonport High School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) top tips for your child

• Prepare for the writing task. It is the element the girls’ schools do not set, and it is the one most often left out of a Plymouth revision plan.
• Concentrate on English and maths for the Quest papers. There is no verbal or non-verbal reasoning in this test.
• Download the school’s free familiarisation papers. They come with mark schemes and are published whether or not your son attends a session.
• Practise composition to a time limit, with a few minutes to plan first. Planning is what separates a finished piece from an unfinished one.
• Confirm the test dates on the school’s own registration page rather than from a summary elsewhere, and put them in the calendar as soon as they are published.

How to prepare your child for the 11 Plus (11+) Devonport High School for Boys exam

Preparation splits into two halves. The Quest English and maths papers reward Key Stage 2 content worked at speed, and the school’s writing task rewards regular composition practice with a plan. A boy who has only practised multiple-choice papers will meet the writing task cold.

For Devonport High School for Boys 11+ preparation, we recommend the following packs: