Plymouth High School for Girls Review 2026: A selective grammar with a clear thinking-led identity

A girls’ grammar in Plymouth with a long-established academic tradition and a modern, explicitly thinking-led approach to learning. Founded in 1874, the school frames its purpose around learning for life, and it pairs selective entry with a broad cultural offer that includes end-of-term festivals and a strong student leadership structure.

Mr Simon Underdown has led the school since September 2019, and his tenure has coincided with academy conversion and a sharpened emphasis on curriculum design, metacognition, and student voice.

The school is state-funded, so there are no tuition fees. Competition for places is the defining practical challenge, and families considering Year 7 entry need to plan early for the 11-plus timeline and the Local Authority application window.

There is a purposeful grammar-school feel, but it is not solely exam-centred. Student leadership appears structurally embedded, with formal roles such as head student team, anti-bullying ambassadors, digital leaders, and pupil librarians, alongside sixth formers taking visible responsibility for clubs and initiatives.

The house system gives daily life shape and creates a predictable rhythm of inter-house competition and end-of-term festivals. The four houses, Anthony, Kendall, Latimer, and Temple, sit at the centre of that culture, and the school calendar highlights drama, gym and dance, and music festivals as recurring focal points.

A distinctive feature is the school’s public positioning as a Thinking School, with metacognition and “how students think” described as an explicit thread in teaching and whole-school culture. For families who value structured reflection, independent learning habits, and language around thinking processes, that identity will feel coherent rather than cosmetic.

Environmental and civic-minded activity also appears more than tokenistic. The Earth Alliance work is described as influencing practice beyond the school, which signals an outward-facing student culture where projects can extend into trust-wide work rather than staying within a single club.

Academic results are consistently solid, with GCSE outcomes placing the school above the England average overall in the FindMySchool performance context. Ranked 496th in England and 3rd in Plymouth for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), the school sits comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

At GCSE, the Attainment 8 score is 65.3. The Progress 8 score of 0.24 indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points across eight subjects.

Grade distribution shows a sizeable top-end: 24.5% of GCSE entries were grades 9 to 8, and 46% were grades 9 to 7. EBacc outcomes are more mixed, with 34.5% achieving grades 5+ in the EBacc subjects and an average EBacc APS of 5.82.

In sixth form, outcomes are more mid-pack in national terms. Ranked 1,177th in England and 4th in Plymouth for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile).

Grade breakdown at A-level shows 5.0% A*, 16.0% A, and 50.8% A* to B. Compared with the England A-level average, A* to B is slightly higher (50.8% vs 47.2%), while A* to A is slightly lower (around 21.0% vs 23.6%).

For parents comparing local options, the FindMySchool Local Hub pages can be useful for side-by-side comparisons, especially when weighing a selective grammar against high-performing comprehensives and other grammars.

Teaching is likely to suit students who respond well to high expectations, clear routines, and a curriculum with deliberate sequencing. Curriculum intent is framed as ambitious and well planned, with teachers’ subject knowledge described as strong.

The Thinking School identity matters here because it implies more than a set of posters. The school describes metacognition as a core approach, encouraging students to understand not just what they learn, but how they learn. In practical terms, that tends to show up in explicit modelling, deliberate practice, and structured reflection, which can be particularly effective for able students who want to learn quickly and retain securely.

Reading is treated as a foundational habit rather than an assumed skill. Dedicated time for reading for pleasure is referenced, and the library is positioned as an active space, with student roles such as librarians and initiatives that link reading to house points and community activity.

For families whose child thrives on independence, the homework approach may feel sensible. The school states it does not run a single, uniform homework model, instead setting work when it most effectively supports learning, with a timetable designed to help students plan their time.

Where Students Go Next

At sixth form, the destination picture is mixed rather than single-track, which can be reassuring for families who want strong academic ambition without an overly narrow definition of success. For the 2023/24 leavers cohort, 54% progressed to university, 10% to apprenticeships, 18% to employment, and 4% to further education.

Oxbridge progression exists but is not a dominant headline. In the measured period, six students applied to Oxford or Cambridge and one secured a place.

For many families, the most important question is whether students are supported to choose well, rather than pushed towards a single route. Careers guidance is presented as a structured strength, including exposure to alumni talks and deliberate preparation for next steps.

Admission pressure is real, and planning matters. The school’s Published Admission Number for Year 7 is 120, and the school notes it has received more applications than places in recent years.

The 11-plus timeline is clearly set out. For September 2026 entry, registration opened on 28 April 2025, the registration deadline was 31 August 2025 (noon), the tests ran on 13 and 20 September 2025, results were issued on 17 October 2025, and the Local Authority secondary application deadline was 31 October 2025. National Offer Day for that cycle fell on 2 March 2026 (because 1 March was a Saturday).

For September 2027 entry, the school’s timeline shows a different testing provider, with Quest Assessment English comprehension (no writing) and Quest Assessment Maths on 12 and 19 September 2026, and results issued on 15 October 2026.

Demand data in the most recent published admissions dataset used here indicates 362 applications for 120 offers, which is just over 3 applications per place. That ratio is a useful reality check: even strong candidates face competition.

Families who are distance-sensitive should use the FindMySchoolMap Search tool to check travel time and practicality, even though selective entry is the primary gatekeeper. For grammars, the day-to-day experience is shaped as much by logistics as by the test.

Open events are part of the planning cycle. The school states it typically holds open days in June and September, and recent open evenings have followed that pattern, with booking not always required.

The pastoral model looks structured, with both formal systems and peer-led elements. Anti-bullying ambassadors are explicitly named as a student leadership role, and the school’s approach to online safety and relationships education is described as age-appropriate and intentionally planned.

A grammar environment can intensify comparison and pressure, so the practical question is whether the school balances stretch with support. Signals here include the prominence given to student voice structures, the range of enrichment activity, and a culture that appears to value contribution as well as grades, from environmental campaigning through to festivals and house events.

The sixth form being mixed adds another dimension. Students joining at 16 are explicitly described as integrating quickly, and that matters for families considering a Year 12 move from a different secondary.

The enrichment offer is unusually easy to evidence because it is broken down into named clubs and leadership-led programmes, not just generic categories. Debate Club runs every Friday lunchtime and is led by sixth form student leaders, giving younger years regular contact with older students in an academic setting.

Creative arts are also prominent. Musical Theatre Club runs weekly at lunchtime and is framed to include the “behind the scenes” mechanics, lighting, costume, and production, as well as performance.

For students who prefer making and doing, Yarn Club is a simple but telling example of the school’s breadth. It is open to all years, explicitly welcomes beginners, and positions lunchtime as a time to build skill and community around a shared activity.

The arts offer is supported by practical provision too. Art Homework Club gives supervised access to equipment and workspace for coursework and creative work, which can make a real difference for GCSE and A-level students managing deadlines.

Sports and teams exist as well, but the school is candid that some clubs may involve weekly payments where external facilities or coaches are used. That is useful context for families budgeting for the real cost of participation.

The school day begins with registration at 08.40 and runs through to the end of Period 5 at 15.30. Reception hours are stated as 08.00 to 16.00 on weekdays during term time.

This is not a school with nursery provision, and it is a secondary setting, so wraparound care is not typically framed in the primary-school “before and after school club” model. Families needing supervised early drop-off or late pick-up should check the school’s published arrangements for the most up to date guidance.

Open events typically run in June and September, and a virtual open day is available for families who want an initial orientation before attending in person.

• Selective entry pressure. The 11-plus process is central to admission, and the timeline is specific and early. Families should plan realistically for the registration window, test dates, and the Local Authority application deadline.

• Assessment provider change. The published timelines show GL Assessment papers for September 2026 entry, and Quest Assessments for September 2027 entry. This matters for preparation, so families should confirm the correct provider for their cohort.

• Academic reading depth. A stated improvement priority is developing wider, more critical academic reading across subjects, beyond reading for pleasure. Students who already enjoy reading will likely benefit; those who avoid reading may need encouragement to build that habit.

• Costs beyond “free”. This is a state school with no tuition fees, but some clubs can involve payments where external facilities or coaching are used. Families should factor in participation costs alongside uniform, trips, and optional activities.

Plymouth High School for Girls is a serious, high-expectations grammar with a distinctive thinking-led narrative that appears to be reflected in practical structures, not just messaging. GCSE outcomes are strong in the FindMySchool context, sixth form outcomes are solid, and student leadership, festivals, and named clubs add breadth to what could otherwise become a narrow exam culture.

Who it suits: academically able students who enjoy challenge, can handle competitive entry, and will make use of enrichment, leadership, and the thinking-focused teaching culture. The limiting factor is admission, so families should treat the timeline as non-negotiable and plan well ahead.