ADMISSIONS FOR ENTRY IN YEAR 7 SEPTEMBER 2026

TEST DAY – SATURDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2025

OPEN DAY – THURSDAY 26TH JUNE 2025

To gain a place in Year 7 at the start of the academic year students need to have taken the 11+ examinations. The same tests are set by each of the selective schools in Torbay and are scheduled at the same time – so the scores achieved can be shared between schools when necessary.

So that parents can have a good idea whether an application for a selective school place would be successful, candidates are able to sit the selection tests before the closing date for the Common Application Form with your local authority. This is called Testing before Preference. 

To take the tests you have to complete the registration form (link to online form at the bottom of this page will be available from Mid-March 2025) and this will automatically be received by us.  If you require a form to complete and post into the school, please email secretary@churston.torbay.sch.uk. The deadline for receipt of application forms this year is MIDDAY ON WEDNESDAY 16th JULY 2025 WHERE POSSIBLE or MIDDAY ON TUESDAY 2nd SEPTEMBER 2025 at the very latest. It means you must register your child to sit the tests by midday on 2 September 2025 at the very latest. Your application will be acknowledged and in the week prior to the tests you will be provided with further details regarding the procedure for the test day (you will be allocated either an AM or PM session). This information will be sent to you either via email.

Registrations after this deadline will only be accepted for testing for the first round of allocations in exceptional circumstances, which must be evidenced, such as a bereavement of an immediate family member or a move to the area from outside of Torbay or Devon. 

All registrations received after midday on 2 September, where there are no exceptional circumstances, will be considered for testing in March 2026, after the initial round of allocations; it is likely that such testing will be for a place on the waiting list; late tested candidates will not be considered before any who applied and were tested on time. 

The tests themselves will take place on Saturday 20 September 2025. Registration for the tests does not count as an application. A common application form must also be submitted to the local authority where the child lives by 31 October 2025. (Further details below).

We’d recommend that your child takes the exams at the school you expect to be your first choice. This isn’t essential, but it makes sense for your child to start getting some experience of the building and the staff.

You only register to take the tests with one school – you’re not applying for a place at this stage.

Late notification of the testing timetable by child’s primary school or otherwise will NOT be accepted as a reason why a timely registration was not possible.

For children taking the 11+ exam at any other grammar schools outside of Torbay, will also need to take the Torbay 11+ exam on 14th September 2024. Results from 11+ exams taken outside of Torbay will not be considered by ourselves. 

Catch-up date

If your child is unable to take the tests on the above dates due to illness, or another significant and acceptable reason, they will be offered a chance to take them on the catch up test date (evidence may be required). You’ll need to discuss any such arrangement with the school as soon as possible. The catch up date for this year is 26th September 2025. Children sitting these tests will be considered alongside those children who sat the tests on 20th September 2025.

“Everyone is supportive and I’ve made lots of friends who care about me. Also, Student Services is good because the staff are really nice and supportive” – Year 7 Student

Special arrangements

Some children need special access arrangements such as enlarged papers, extra time, or special rooming requirements. Please discuss these with the school as soon as possible to allow these provisions to be made, and before the registration deadline. We will ask for information to verify the request.

The tests

Our Admissions policy explains how the 11+ scores are handled and our criteria for admission.

You can also take a look at the GL familiarisation material which tells you what you need to know about this test, and gives you some sample questions. You only need to look at the material for English and Maths as they are the only two elements that you will be tested on. 

Since 11+ tests vary from one area to another, it’s important to note that the free familiarisation materials are generic and may differ from our own test’s exact specifications.  These differences may include the length of papers, the types of questions covered, and/or the level of difficulty.

Our One Stop Guide answers other questions you may have about the exams themselves and the application process.

ADDITIONAL FAMILIARISATION MATERIAL AVAILABLE TO PUPIL PREMIUM STUDENTS

What happens next?

The school will send you a guidance letter issued on, or as soon as possible after 13th October 2025 which indicates on the basis of your child’s performance in the exams, whether an application to a selective school is recommended. 

This letter will not provide details of the scores, or provide a ranking, but simply indicates whether your child is likely to receive a place at a selective school. It is not an offer of a place and it cannot guarantee a place because applications have not been made at this stage so the number requesting admission to a particular school are not known.

Taking this information into account, you  must then complete the Common Application Form for the Local Authority by 31 October 2025 (you can do this online). You will need to list three schools you would like your child to attend, in order of preference.

However, where a parent names the School on a Common Application Form but the child has not been registered on time, (midday on 2 September) and there are no exceptional circumstances for this, there can be no offer of a place as there will not be a test score. 

The Local Authority will advise you which school your child has been allocated on National Allocation Day, 2 March 2026.

If you have any queries at all regarding this process, please email the Admissions Officer, Mrs Vanessa Wolf via vanessa.wolf@churston.torbay.sch.uk or call 01803 842289 option 3 (term-time only).

Admission Documents11+ Registration Form