Torquay Girls' Grammar School

If your daughter is bright, ambitious and happiest when she is being stretched, Torquay Girls' Grammar is the kind of school she may well thrive in. The Good Schools Guide describes it as ideal for "bright, ambitious girls who enjoy a dynamic, fast-paced environment and are prepared to work hard," while also praising its kind, supportive feel. The school has educated girls in Devon for more than a hundred years and remains one of the south west's strongest selective schools. Parents talk about a "refreshingly down-to-earth" ethos rather than an imposing frontage, and pupils are described as bright and vocal, "not frightened to speak up and challenge." From September 2025 the sixth form also takes boys.

The school keeps a fast pace from feeling daunting through separate assemblies for each key stage and older girls mentoring younger ones, summed up by one year 10 pupil who said "as you grow, the school grows with you." The creative subjects are well regarded, with a busy drama block, and sport is a real strength, particularly netball and hockey, both of which have reached recent south west finals. There is a clear mobile phone policy, with phones kept out of sight during the school day.

This is a good fit for a hard-working, confident girl who wants pace, plenty to do beyond lessons, and a school that knows her as a person rather than a score. Led since September 2021 by headteacher Ms Sarah Forster, it is a school that expects a lot and gives a lot back, and tends to suit a daughter who is ready to grow into it.