Saturday 8th February 2025 • Promotional Content


Education & Schooling Te Modern Family


9


Headteacher Sarah Forster (centre)


Top Grammar leads the way N


ot only is Torquay Girls’


Grammar the only state- funded secondary school in


the Plymouth-Exeter radius to have received an Outstanding judgement from Ofsted in the new framework, but it’s also in Te Times Top 100 Schools nationally for academic results. Headteacher Sarah Forster changed


the admissions test last year to ensure all girls can access the test by only including national curriculum English and maths, removing the non-verbal reasoning aspect. Te new 2026 admissions policy


goes that step further in prioritising places for Torbay children — those living in Torbay and attending a Torbay primary school — whilst at the same time increasing the planned intake to 188. Sarah Forster said, “We are


retaining our status and identity as a grammar school, as every pupil will need to achieve the qualifying score on our admissions test. “However, we are aware of our


physical location in Torbay and will be pleased when we see more bright girls from the Bay in our school as a result of this change. “We


are significantly oversub-


and this is why we are also increasing the number of places available.” Tis grammar


school is revolu-


tionary in changing its admission policy to specifically create places for local pupils in an area where the number of pupil premium children in primary schools is among the highest in England. Tis is hot off the heels after the full


Ofsted inspection in 2023 in which the


school achieved Outstanding


in every single category of the new framework, making it one of a small number of state secondary schools to achieve this judgement. When asked what aspect of the Ofsted success she was most proud of, Sarah Forster said, “I was pleased that Ofsted recognised how pupils are encouraged to become ‘history makers’ of the future and ‘our high ambition for what pupils can achieve academically is balanced with a focus on them becoming a well-rounded person.’ People some- times expect a grammar school to focus only on results but our focus is on the whole child. Our school opens doors for pupils, with house culture at the core of our success, instilling that purposeful sense of belonging. “Te school has a strong commit-


scribed and more popular than ever, ment to its vision: ‘to equip students


for a future in which they have academic qualifications, character skills and high self-esteem, enabling them to make decisions that lead to long, happy and content lives.” Te Sixth Form @TGGS has recently


become mixed-sex and is open to all 16-year-olds who meet the admis- sions criteria. You do not need to have attended the school previously to attend the Sixth Form. If you are interested in joining the exceptional Sixth Form, there’s a free Sixth Form taster day for all Year 11 students on February 14, with tours also available outside this time.


Torquay Girls’ Grammar is an Outstanding Top 100 secondary school making a ‘revolutionary change’ to its 102-year-old approach to admissions, making it more accessible to local families and putting local Torbay children at its heart


To visit, tours are available on 19 March and 8 May,


with an open evening on 24 June, bookable online: tggsacademy. org/schooltours


Torquay Girls’ Grammar School T: 01803 613215 tggsacademy.org


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