Admissions FAQs

The test typically takes place in September of Year 6 - so for a September Year 7 start, your child would sit the test the previous autumn. We'll publish the specific date each year as soon as it's confirmed. Registering your interest is the best way to make sure you don't miss it.

The 11+ tests English and maths. These areas are designed to give a clear, rounded picture of your child's ability and academic potential. The test is standardised so every child sits the same paper under the same conditions.

There is a standardised pass mark, but the exact threshold changes year on year depending on the cohort. We'd rather talk you through this properly than reduce it to a number on a page - please get in touch with our admissions team, who will be happy to give you the most up-to-date guidance.

No. Your child can only sit the 11+ test at one selective school in Torbay. It’s usually best to register with the school you most hope they will attend, but the guidance letter you receive after the test will indicate whether they have reached the standard for all of the Torbay selective schools that use the same assessment.

This is something we hear often, and we want to reassure you. Anxiety doesn't mean a child isn't suited to Churston - many of our students have found that, once they're here, they thrive in a community of like-minded peers where they no longer feel out of place. If your child has particular needs or circumstances that you feel are relevant to their performance on the day, please contact our admissions team before the test. We'll always do our best to make sure every child has a fair opportunity.

We work hard to make the move from primary school as smooth as possible. Once places are confirmed, we're in regular contact with families and our partner primary schools to share information and begin the process of getting to know your child. We hold dedicated transition days in the summer term, and your child will start in September as part of a tutor group that quickly becomes their anchor point. The first few weeks at Churston are designed with belonging in mind - and most students find that they settle in faster than they expected.

None at all. Churston Ferrers Grammar School is a state-funded grammar school - there are no tuition fees, no admissions fees, and no charges for the core elements of your child's education. We are free to attend at every year group. Some optional activities - such as certain school trips or extra-curricular experiences - may carry a voluntary contribution, but your child's education will never be conditional on any payment.

Sixth Form admissions work differently from Year 7. Applications for Year 12 are made directly to Churston - not through the local authority. We look for students who meet our entry requirements for the A Level subjects they wish to study, and we welcome applications from both our own Year 11 students and external applicants. Details of our Sixth Form entry requirements and the application process are on the Sixth Form section of this website.

Unlike Year 7 admissions, Sixth Form applications are made directly to Churston, rather than through the local authority. We welcome around 50–60 external students into Year 12 every year. You can find full details of the application process on our main Sixth Form Admissions page.

To join the Sixth Form, students must achieve a minimum of a Grade 6 in five GCSE subjects, as well as at least a Grade 5 in both English Language and Maths. Some specific A-Level subjects may also have their own individual grade requirements.

Absolutely. We hold dedicated Sixth Form open events during the year where you can explore the dedicated Sixth Form Centre, meet Mr Shellum and the team, and speak to current students. If you can’t make an open event, use the contact form above to enquire about a personal visit.

The change was motivated by our commitment to Social Justice - one of Churston’s core values - and to making a real difference in our local community.

Areas close to the school, notably in Paignton and Brixham, are among the most deprived not just in the South West but in all of England.  Students from under-resourced backgrounds are the ones who stand to benefit the most from a Churston education; it is an important part of our work to increase levels of aspiration and attainment in our community.  

The previous allocation system, which was based purely on rank order of 11+ scores, positively incentivised the development of an 11+ tutoring culture; however, tutoring is simply not financially accessible to a significant proportion of the families in our local area.  And when looking at the scores of children who pass the 11+, it is noticeable that children from these areas of Paignton and Brixham are disproportionately overrepresented in the bottom 40% of children who obtain a qualifying score.  In a system where not everyone with a qualifying score can access a place, and where places were allocated on rank order of score, this led to the entrenching of privilege in the school allocation system.

The relative population densities of Paignton and Brixham, compared to the wider South Devon area, mean that we have always taken the majority of our students from schools in Paignton and Brixham; the 15 schools in Torbay we have named as feeder primaries have always dominated our intake.  For September 2026 entry, approximately 80% of the children offered a place - 131 of the 160 -  would have obtained a place under our previous policy.

We have fine-tuned our policy for September 2027 entry, protecting our commitment to the under-resourced in our community and providing additional reassurance for aspirational families beyond our immediate locality. Firstly, we have removed our siblings priority clause. Put simply, it felt unfair that a qualified child with a sibling already at the school should get a place ahead of a higher-scoring child without.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly in terms of optimising the school’s composition, we have changed how we set our ‘pass mark’ - the score that determines whether or not a child is eligible for a place at Churston.  By controlling the determination of the eligible score, we give ourselves more control over the number of students from the 15 named feeder schools that we will deem eligible for a place, allowing us to ensure that a more reasonable proportion of places are therefore accessible to students from beyond these schools.

The first step is a private conversation with our school. There's no lengthy formal process to begin - just get in touch with us directly, and a member of our team will explain what's available, what we'd need from you, and how to take it forward. We keep all enquiries completely confidential.

Support can be used for a range of school-related costs, including uniform, PE kit, stationery and equipment, school trips, and any other expenses that form part of a full Churston education. We assess each application individually to make sure the support is genuinely useful to your family.

Completely. Information shared with us in connection with an application is treated with the strictest confidence and shared only with those at the school who need to know in order to administer the support. We're committed to making sure no student is ever made to feel singled out or different as a result of receiving financial help.