Motto | Aude Sapere Dare to be Wise |
---|---|
Established | 1915 |
Type | Grammar school, Academy |
Religion | Church of England |
Headmaster | Dr Nicholas Smith MB BS |
Location |
30 Shiphay Lane Torquay Devon TQ2 7DY UK Coordinates: 50°28′37″N 3°33′13″W / 50.47703°N 3.55349°W |
Local authority | Torbay |
DfE URN | 136506 Tables |
Ofsted | Reports Pre-academy reports |
Students | 851 |
Gender | Girls |
Ages | 11–18 |
Houses |
Beal Jackson Robertson Wilkinson Cross |
Colours | Navy and Royal Blue |
Website | Torquay Girls Grmmar School |
Torquay Girls' Grammar School is a selective grammar school for girls aged 11–18, in Torquay, Devon, UK. It became one of the first schools to achieve Humanities Specialist School status in September 2004, and is one of the first to offer the AQA Baccalaureate. On 1 February 2011, the school officially gained academy status. It is a member of the South West Academic Trust - a collaboration of seven high-performing grammar schools and Exeter University. The examination results regularly place the school in the top twenty state girls' schools nationally.
The school, which was founded in 1915, settled at its current location in 1939. While the school continues to use its original building, the interiors have been updated and additional buildings have been added, including the Haystacks building (Art, English and Geography) in 1995 and the Roberts building (languages, history, new library/learning resource centre) in 2007. In July 2008, the Cross building was officially opened - the new music and drama block.
The school purchased its own residential study centre in Tregourez, Brittany, in 1990. Pupils in years 7 and 9 stay there during May/June as a form to encourage social interaction and improve their French.
The most recent Ofsted inspection was in 2011, with the result being it was found to be 'outstanding in all categories'.
The school motto is 'Aude Sapere', meaning 'dare to be wise'.
The grounds of the school include:
Upon entering the school in year 7, each girl is put into one of five forms and in one of five houses. These forms contain all the girls of that house in that year. This means all girls in e.g. 7B are of Beal house, and in year 7. There are given five such houses and therefore five forms in a year group. Younger sisters are usually put in the same house as older sisters.
The girls stay in these houses. They are taught in these form groups for most subjects in years 7-8, but some other subjects are taught in ability groups (e.g. maths) or in the case of technology, alphabetically, as there is not enough room in the tech rooms for all the form to be taught at the same time.
Each house is named after a past headteacher.
The two Lower Sixth forms used to share the Lower Sixth common room in Shiphay Manor, owned by the Boys' Grammar, while the two Upper Sixths share the Upper Sixth common room in the Sixth Form (formerly 'E') Block of the Boys' Grammar.