Devonport High School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2026

Introduction

Devonport High School for Boys is a grammar school for boys aged 11 to 18, with a co-educational Sixth Form. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection rated it ‘good’ with ‘outstanding’ elements, highlighting that pupils enjoy learning at DHSB and behave exceptionally well.

In Years 7 and 8, pupils study a broad range of subjects. At the start of Year 9, they begin three-year GCSE courses in maths, English language, English literature, biology, chemistry and physics, as well as a further four subjects of their choice from the available options. They also have lessons in physical education, religious education, and careers and personal, social and health education, for which there are no exams.

The extra-curricular provision at DHSB is excellent. Ultimate frisbee, badminton, chess and football are just a few of the available activities. Additionally, from Year 9, pupils can participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, which helps them develop teamwork and leadership skills. It also builds resilience and a sense of responsibility.

Pupil wellbeing is a priority at DHSB, with a focus on five ways that every member of the school community can improve their wellbeing: living in the present, exercising regularly, noticing the small things that make you happy, embracing opportunities and experiences that come your way, and spending quality time with people.

For details on applying for a Year 7 place for your son, please read on.

Devonport High School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Admissions

An open evening is held in July for you to attend when your son is in Year 4 or 5. You will listen to a talk by the Head, find out more about the admissions arrangements, meet current pupils and staff members, and view the facilities.

In the summer term of Year 5, the 11+ registration form will be available on DHSB’s website for you to complete. The submission deadline is the end of August, before your son starts Year 6. (Please note that you will need to upload a passport-style photograph of your son.) There will also be an opportunity to register for familiarisation sessions, giving your son the chance to experience the exam environment at DHSB before the actual assessments.

In September of Year 6, over two Saturdays, your son will sit an English Quest assessment, a maths Quest assessment and an English writing paper set by DHSB.

Following the test days, you will receive a letter with your son’s results. He will be in one of three outcome bands: A, B or C. 

• Band A: Your son has passed the tests and can apply for admission to DHSB. 
• Band B: Your son has passed the tests, but his ranking may mean he must join the Year 7 waiting list. 
• Band C: Your son has not passed the tests and cannot be offered a place at DHSB.    

If your son receives an A or B and you want him to attend DHSB, you must complete and submit your local authority’s common application form before the end of October, naming DHSB. Even if your son earns an A or B, DHSB cannot guarantee he will be offered a place in Year 7. You can read the Admissions Policy for more details. 

Candidates who receive an A and have an EHCP that names DHSB will be allocated places first. Then, if there are more applicants than there are places available, priority will be given to:

1. Looked after or previously looked after children with a qualifying score.
2. Adopted children who were previously in state care outside of England.
3. 174 candidates who achieved the highest qualifying scores.
4. Up to six candidates with qualifying scores in receipt of Pupil Premium at the time of the 11+ tests.
5. Other candidates with the highest qualifying scores.    

At the beginning of March, your local authority will let you know which school your son has been allocated.   

For details about the tests your son will take for 11+ entry to Devonport High School for Boys, please read the next section.

Devonport High School for Boys Catchment Area

Does Devonport High School for Boys have a catchment area?

No, the school doesn’t have a catchment area.

How to Prepare for the Devonport High School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam?

We hope that the following tips will help your son excel in DHSB’s 11+ examination:

1. Make reading part of everyday life: Reading a wide variety of texts will develop your son’s vocabulary and reading comprehension, as well as the accuracy of his spelling, punctuation and grammar. If you ask your son questions about what he has read, it will encourage him to think more deeply and analytically.     
    
2. Revise Year 5 work: Your son will be expected to know the information he has been taught in English and maths in Year 5. For this reason, he should revise Year 5 topics. Condensing his notes into key facts will help make this feel manageable.   
   
3. Practise short writing tasks: Setting your son 20-minute creative writing tasks will assist his writing skills. You can review his work with him, discussing what he has done well and asking him to identify two ways he could make it even better. 
   
4. Build vocabulary in a fun way: Playing Scrabble and Boggle together is a fun way to broaden your son’s vocabulary. Have a dictionary handy so your son can look up any word he is unsure of.
   
5. Enhance arithmetic skills: Your son can practise his arithmetic skills in a variety of settings. In a shop, you can ask him to add up the items in your basket. In the car, you can ask him to add up numbers on number plates.   
   
6. Prioritise wellbeing: Ensure your son gets plenty of sleep, eats well and exercises regularly, as this will help his mental and physical health. It is also important that he continues with activities he enjoys and has time to relax. Praise him for his time and effort, and remind him that mistakes are part of the learning process. 
   
7. Use practice tests: Working through our DHSB 11+ practice tests will allow your son to become proficient in answering the types of questions he will encounter in his 11+ examination for entry to DHSB. He can also use them to identify any weak areas he needs to address. By the time he takes the real exam, he will feel confident and be ready to deliver a strong performance.

The section below outlines our recommended resources for Year 7 entry to Devonport High School for Boys.

Devonport High School For Boys 11 Plus (11+) Practice Exam Papers

To help your child successfully prepare for the Devonport High School For Boys 11 plus exam, we highly recommend the following 11+ practice tests:

English

12 Products

The following resources will comprehensively prepare your child for the Devonport High School For Boys (DHSB) 11+ English exam.

Practice Papers

11+ English (Grammar Schools) Pack 1

11+ English (Grammar Schools) Pack 2

11+ English (Grammar Schools) Pack 3

11+ English (Grammar Schools) Pack 4

11+ English (Grammar Schools) Pack 5

11+ English: Spelling Pack 3

11+ English: Punctuation

11+ English: Sentence Completion

11+ English (Grammar Schools) Comprehension Pack 1

11+ English (Grammar Schools) Comprehension Pack 2

11+ English: Inference Skills Pack 1

11+ English: Inference Skills Pack 2

English Bundle

You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the English section of the Devonport High School For Boys 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more.

View Bundle

Mathematics

25 Products

The following resources will help your son successfully prepare for the Devonport High School For Boys (DHSB) 11+ mathematics exam.

Practice Papers

11+ Mathematics (Grammar Schools) Pack 1

11+ Mathematics (Grammar Schools) Pack 2

11+ Mathematics (Grammar Schools) Pack 3

11+ Mathematics (Grammar Schools) Pack 4

11+ Mathematics: Algebra (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Angles & Degrees (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: BODMAS (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Estimation & Place Value (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Factors & Multiples (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Fractions, Decimals & Percentages (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Measurements (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Money (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Operations (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Perimeter, Area & Volume (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Position & Direction (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Probability (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Problem Solving (Grammar Schools) Pack 1

11+ Mathematics: Problem Solving (Grammar Schools) Pack 2

11+ Mathematics: Properties of Shapes (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Ratio & Proportion (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Sequences (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Special Numbers (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Speed, Distance & Time (Grammar Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Statistics (Grammar Schools)

Mathematics Bundle

You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the Mathematics section of the Devonport High School For Boys 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more.

View Bundle

Creative Writing

5 Products

The following material provides students with extensive preparation for the 11+ creative writing paper.

Practice Papers

The Complete Guide to 11+ Writing

11+ English: Writing Prompts

11+ English: Rewrite & Improve

11+ English: Spelling Pack 1

11+ English: Spelling Pack 2

Creative Writing Bundle

You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the English Writing section of the Devonport High School For Boys (DHSB) 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more.

View Bundle

Please do contact us if you have any questions about our resources. We will do our best to help you. We want to take this opportunity to wish your son all the best in his 11+ examination for entry to Devonport High School for Boys.

The information provided about DHSB was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware that there may be future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you need clarification on anything. School contact details are provided within the post.

Please note that Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publishers of the Quest paper assessments, the DHSB English writing paper or any other test publisher.