Founded in 1633, it moved in 1880 from its original location in the High Street to its present 25-acre site within a mile of the city centre. Some of its well-designed buildings date from that time but many new buildings and facilities have been added since the 1980s and it now enjoys first rate facilities on a very attractive open site, which it shares with its junior school. The school has been fully co-educational since the 1990s. It is well-run with high all-round standards and very good examination results. It prides itself on strong cultural, sporting and extra curricular achievement. Its music is outstanding and there is a strong tradition of performance drawn from all age groups. A good range of sports and high standards achieved, especially in netball, hockey, rugby and cricket. It is well placed for outdoor activities (eg Ten Tors adventure training on Dartmoor) and has a very large voluntary CCF unit. It is closely involved with the life of the city and its university and it has a substantial commitment to support the local community.
Pupils: Age range 11-18; 679 day pupils (441 boys, 238 girls). Entrance: Main entry ages 11, 13 and 16. Own entrance exam; for sixth-form entry, interview plus 6 GCSEs at least grade B. No special skills required but sport and the arts help. No particular religious persuasion required, but Christians fit most easily. 45% from state schools at age 11, 50% sixth-form intake. Some 40% from own junior, Exeter Junior school.
Academic scholarships and exhibitions, in the form of a prize, awarded at main entry points; 7 music scholarships awarded at 11, 12, 13 and 16. Also means-tested Governors' Awards (at 11, 13 and 16). Parents not expected to buy textbooks; other extras unlikely to exceed £20 (CCF, sixth-form common room etc), plus lunches.
Headmaster: Bob Griffin, in post from 2003. Educated at Wallington High School for Boys and Oxford University. Previously Second Master of Royal Grammar School, Guildford, and Head of Modern Languages at Haileybury. Teaching staff: 66 full time, 24 part time. Average age 45.
GCSE: 100 pupils in upper fifth, 98% gaining at least grade C in 8+ subjects. A-levels: 77 in upper sixth, 25% passing in 4+ subjects, 72% in 3 subjects, with an average final point score of 400.
99% of sixth form leavers go on to a degree course (40% after a gap year), 15% to Oxbridge. 15% take courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 28% in science and engineering, 4% in law, 39% in humanities and social sciences, 4% in art and design, 6% in vocational subjects such as architecture, land management, 4% others.
GCSE, AS and A-levels. 19 GCSE subjects, 26 AS/A-level subjects (including electronics, AS-levels in critical thinking and world development). Sixth form: Sixth formers take 4-5 subjects at AS-level, 3-4 at A-level. 40% take science A-levels; 40% arts/humanities; 20% both. Key skills portfolio work integrated into sixth-form courses, IT taught as a discrete unit. Vocational: Work experience available; active participation in Young Enterprise. Special provision: Mild handicaps accepted. Languages: French, German and Spanish offered at GCSE, AS and A-level and as non-examined subjects. Regular exchanges (France and Germany). Some pupils go on to become language assistants in France. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject and across the curriculum; certificated ICT key skills. 75 computers for pupil use (7 hours a day), all networked and with email and internet access. Many pupils have own laptops.
Music: Over 35% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Some 23 musical groups including 5 orchestras (total of 250 pupils), choral society (250 pupils) and 5 other choirs, 4 jazz bands. Ensembles regularly perform in National Festival of Youth Music (RFH). Drama and dance: Drama offered, and GCSE and A-level may be taken. Large numbers involved in 4 annual major school productions and some in house/other productions. Pupils regularly accepted at drama school. Art and design: On average, 30 take GCSE, 16 AS-level, 10 A-level. Art facilities open to non-examination pupils and parents. Regular winners of Arkwright DT scholarship.
Sport: Rugby, hockey, cricket, cross-country, netball, swimming, athletics compulsory to a certain age. Optional: tennis, squash, badminton, basketball, canoeing, fencing, golf, volleyball, shooting. Over 50 pupils represent county at cricket, squash, golf, tennis, rugby, badminton, cross-country, hockey, netball, basketball, athletics; U16 national sailing champions; schoolboy internationals in shooting; hockey teams very successful nationally (indoor and outdoor); regular boy and girl successes in Ten Tors endurance challenge; sixth formers regularly accepted for British Schools Exploring Society expeditions. Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. CCF optional at age 14-18 (some 360 participate); regional and county shooting champions. Community service optional in sixth form. Extensive charity fundraising - up to £10,000 pa raised. Up to 30 clubs and societies, including computing, chess, classics, medical, politics and debating.
Uniform: School uniform worn; suits in sixth form. Houses and prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects, head boy and girl, deputy head boy and girl, house captains and house prefects, appointed by the Head and staff, with advice from outgoing upper sixth. Religion: Christian. Some morning assemblies in chapel. Social: Annual trips abroad. Exchanges to Rennes, Hildesheim. Meals self-service. School shop.
Pupils failing to produce homework more than once might expect detention; if caught smoking cannabis on the premises, punishment would be permanent exclusion.
is run by the Chairman, Paul Cann, c/o the school.
Tony Speller, David Bellotti (politicians); Henry Townsend Vodden (former bishop of Hull); Bob Wigley (City entrepreneur); Desmond Hamill, Mark Tyler (TV); Nick Barnes, Sara Orchard (radio); George Woodbridge, Ben Nealon, John Killoran, Max Rubin, Matthew Goode (actors); Major General Dair Farrar-Hockley; Brigadier Steve Hodder (Commander of the Army in the South West); Commander Harry Pennell (explorer, Scott's Antarctic expedition, 1912); General Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley (soldier, author); Sir Charles Collingwood (High Court Judge); Frederick Jane ('Jane's fighting ships' and influential Dreadnoughts design).
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