If Devonport High School for Boys is on your child's list, preparation should be shaped around how this school actually selects — not generic 11+ advice. DHSB admits through the Plymouth Test, run using Quest Assessments materials, with English and Maths papers plus a school-set DHSB writing task, all sat in September at the start of Year 6. The smartest plan is to build the exact skills those papers reward and to rehearse them under the same time pressure your child will meet on the day. This guide sets out what the school is, how selection works, what to practise, and a calm, realistic timeline — and every resource we point you to is free.
About Devonport High School for Boys
Devonport High School for Boys (DHSB) is the boys' grammar school in Plymouth, one of three selective state schools in the city. Founded in 1896, it is an academy grammar with a mixed sixth form, and entry to Year 7 is decided by the Plymouth Test. Plymouth's selective schools coordinate their testing, so many families sit a single selection test and name more than one school on the local authority's common application form. That coordination makes a strong, well-rounded performance across every paper more valuable than a narrow focus on one subject, and it means the same preparation can open more than one door.
- Location: Plymouth, Devon
- Intake: Boys (Mixed Sixth Form)
- Founded: 1896
- Type: Academy Grammar
- Admissions test: Plymouth Test — Quest Assessments English and Maths papers, plus a school-set DHSB writing task
You can read our full school profile for a snapshot of the school, and always confirm this year's admissions arrangements, registration deadline and open evenings on the official DHSB website. Dates and policy details are set annually and the school's own site is the authority. For a wider view of selective schools in the South West, see our grammar school directory.
How selection works at Devonport High School for Boys
DHSB selects through the Plymouth Test, which is built using Quest Assessments materials rather than the GL Assessment papers used across much of England. This matters, because it means preparation should follow Plymouth's own format instead of a one-size-fits-all national template. For boys applying to DHSB, selection has three parts: an English paper, a Maths paper, and a school-set writing task that DHSB sets itself. All are sat in early September at the start of Year 6, with results returned during the autumn term ahead of the national secondary application deadline.
Register your child in the window the local authority sets during Year 5 — usually the summer term. You cannot sit the test without registering in time, so this deadline is the single most important date to protect. Selection scores are age-standardised, which means a raw mark is adjusted for a child's age in months so that summer-born boys are not disadvantaged against older classmates in the same year group. Two boys who score the same number of raw marks can end up with slightly different standardised scores simply because of their birth month. We do not publish a specific pass mark, because thresholds and ranking rules vary by year and by how many families apply; confirm the school's current criteria for your cohort rather than trusting a figure copied from an old forum post.
The writing task is a distinctive feature. Unlike purely multiple-choice systems, DHSB wants to see how a boy structures and expresses ideas in his own words, so writing cannot be left to chance. A boy who reads widely and writes regularly across Years 4 and 5 arrives with a real advantage here, because fluent, well-punctuated writing is a habit built slowly, not a technique crammed in a fortnight.
What to practise for this test
The Plymouth Test rewards secure core skills applied at speed, plus genuine writing ability. Concentrate your child's practice on these areas:
- English & comprehension: reading a passage and answering inference, vocabulary and grammar questions accurately and quickly. Vocabulary is the single best predictor of comprehension scores, so build it steadily through wide reading rather than word lists alone.
- Maths: the KS2 curriculum up to Year 5, applied fluently — number, fractions, ratio, measures, and multi-step word problems. Times tables to 12×12 that are truly automatic remove a huge amount of friction under timed conditions.
- Writing: the school-set task rewards clear structure, varied sentences, accurate punctuation and a strong opening and ending. Practise planning quickly, writing to a time limit, and proofreading the last two minutes rather than rushing to the final full stop.
- Reasoning under time: even where reasoning is not a separate paper, the thinking skills behind it — spotting patterns, working logically, checking answers — sharpen both English and Maths performance.
Match each skill to free practice on Quest Arena. Use the free worksheet library to shore up whichever subject a first timed paper exposes as weakest, work through our exam guides for technique, and progress to full-length mock papers and Plymouth-format centre-specific mocks as the test approaches. No account is needed to practise, and there is nothing to pay.
A realistic preparation timeline
Good 11+ preparation is a gentle build-up over two years, not a last-minute sprint. This shape works well for a September Year 6 test:
- Year 4: daily reading for pleasure and casual vocabulary talk at the dinner table. Secure times tables to 12×12. No formal papers yet — the goal is confident, curious foundations and a child who enjoys stories and numbers.
- Year 5 (autumn): begin 15–20 minutes of daily topic practice using our free worksheets. Introduce short writing tasks weekly — a paragraph, a description, a letter — and talk through what makes each one clear.
- Year 5 (spring & summer — register): registration windows typically open in the summer term. Confirm the deadline on the school website and note key milestones on our key dates page. Start one full timed mock paper a week and review errors more carefully than scores.
- Final six weeks (August into September): switch to Plymouth-format papers, rehearse the timed writing task, tighten pacing, and keep sessions short and positive. Use our revision hub for quick, targeted top-ups on weak spots.
On the day and after
By test day, the most valuable thing your child can carry into the hall is calm familiarity. A boy who has sat ten timed mocks at the kitchen table treats the real exam as the eleventh. Practical tips: a good night's sleep matters far more than a late-night revision push; a proper breakfast steadies concentration; and a quick reminder of his routine — read the question, decide, mark clearly, move on — prevents costly slips. For the writing task, encourage a one-minute plan before he starts and two minutes to check spelling and punctuation at the end. Coach him to skip a hard question and return to it rather than stalling. Afterwards, avoid a blow-by-blow post-mortem; results depend on the whole set of papers, not the one tricky question he remembers. Keep the mood light, praise the effort, and let him enjoy the rest of the day.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Plymouth Test the same as the GL Assessment 11+?
No. DHSB's Plymouth Test uses Quest Assessments materials, not the GL papers used across much of England. It combines an English paper and a Maths paper with a school-set DHSB writing task, so prepare to Plymouth's format rather than a generic national one.
Is there a writing task, and how do I prepare for it?
Yes — DHSB sets its own writing task. Practise short, timed pieces with a quick plan, varied sentences, accurate punctuation and a clear beginning and ending, then a final proofread. Regular short writing over months beats last-minute cramming.
Is there a pass mark I can aim for?
Scores are age-standardised and thresholds vary by year and applicant numbers, so we do not publish a fixed figure. Aim for consistent, confident accuracy across English, Maths and writing rather than a single target number, and confirm current criteria with the school.