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The Devon Grammar Shift to Quest Assessment: What It Means for Your Child's 11+

The landscape of the 11+ is evolving, and for parents across Devon, the recent transition of several grammar schools to Quest Assessment has understandably raised questions. Navigating selective admissions can feel like deciphering a complex code, but it does not need to be a stressful experience for your family.


Having steered families through shifting educational testing formats during my time as headmaster, and now directing my own tutoring consultancy at TutorElite, I have seen first-hand that calm, strategic preparation is always the best approach. Here is a straightforward breakdown of what this change means, the crucial dates you must know, and how to prepare effectively.


The Divided County: Who is Using What?

Devon no longer has a single, uniform 11+ testing arrangement. For 2027 entry, the county is split by two different assessment providers.

Area

Grammar Schools

11+ Exam Provider

East Devon

Colyton Grammar School

Quest Assessments

Plymouth

Devonport Boys, Devonport Girls, Plymouth Girls

Quest Assessments

Torbay

Torquay Boys', Torquay Girls', Churston Ferrers, The Spires College

GL Assessment

If you are targeting the Torbay consortium, the familiar GL Assessment format remains in place. However, if your sights are set on Colyton or the Plymouth grammars, your child will be sitting papers set by Quest Assessments.


What is Quest Assessment?

Quest Assessments is an assessment product developed by Atom Learning. It is designed to evaluate a child's academic fluency and reasoning potential based entirely on primary curriculum foundations.

One notable feature of Quest Assessment is that success depends less on mastering specialist verbal or non-verbal reasoning techniques and more on secure English and mathematics developed through everyday classroom learning. Children who read widely, are fluent with numbers, and can apply their knowledge thoughtfully are well placed to succeed.

The assessment structure for the Quest schools typically involves:

  • English Comprehension: A multiple-choice paper testing reading, spelling, punctuation, and grammar, based entirely on the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum.

  • Mathematics: Multiple-choice questions based on Key Stage 2 content, with no material beyond Year 5 of the National Curriculum.

  • Creative Writing (School Specific): Colyton Grammar and Devonport High School for Boys also include a written task to differentiate candidates who are clustered around the cut-off score.


The Paper-Based Reality

Although Quest (via Atom Learning) is well-known in the independent sector for its adaptive online assessments, the Devon grammar schools use its paper-based multiple-choice format. Logistically, coordinating hundreds of children on computers in a sports hall is simply not feasible for most consortiums.

This format changes the preparation strategy in a few crucial ways:

  • The Linear Challenge: A paper test cannot adapt to a child's answers. It is strictly linear, meaning standard Key Stage 2 questions will be mixed with progressively more demanding questions designed to identify the top percentiles.

  • Optical Mark Recognition (OMR): Because answers are recorded on a separate Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) answer sheet, children need to practise transferring answers accurately.

  • The Annotation Advantage: The distinct benefit of a physical paper is the ability to actively engage with it. Children can underline key evidence in reading comprehension passages and do their rough working out visibly next to the maths problems.


Crucial Dates for 2027 Entry (Testing in September 2026)

Because the Devon schools operate under different consortiums, the actual testing and registration dates are split depending on which schools you are targeting.


East Devon: Colyton Grammar School

Colyton condenses its Quest Assessment into a single testing day.

  • Registration Deadline: Friday, 31st July 2026.

  • 11+ Test Date: Saturday, 12th September 2026.


Plymouth Consortium (DHSB, DHSG, PHSG)

The Plymouth consortium spreads the Quest Assessment across two consecutive weekends to reduce fatigue.

  • Registration Deadline: Monday, 31st August 2026.

  • Test Date 1 (Quest English): Saturday, 12th September 2026.

  • Test Date 2 (Quest Mathematics): Saturday, 19th September 2026.

(Note: Parents will receive results in mid-October 2026, giving them a clear picture of their child's standing before the final common application deadline on 31st October.)


Navigating Preparation

This shift is positive news for families who want to avoid the high-pressure, hothouse environment often associated with the 11+. Because Quest Assessments rely on the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum, preparation should be an extension of your child's everyday learning, not an entirely separate syllabus.

Here is how I practically support my own students, and how you can guide your child at home:

  1. Prioritise Core Foundations: Ensure they are entirely secure in their times tables, mental arithmetic, and core grammar rules. Accuracy and fluency here will pay far higher dividends than practising abstract reasoning puzzles.

  2. Drill Exam Mechanics: Make sure all timed practice involves a separate OMR sheet so this administrative task becomes second nature. I teach my students to identify a "time-sink" question, skip it, and secure the easier marks further down the page without losing their nerve.

  3. Encourage Aggressive Pencil Use: Remind them to annotate the test booklet heavily—crossing out wrong answers, underlining clues, and making their working out visible.

  4. Embrace the Writing Element: If targeting Colyton or Devonport Boys, regular, short bursts of creative writing are crucial. Focus on planning (the initial 5 minutes are vital) and crafting engaging, technically accurate prose rather than writing pages of waffle.


The move to Quest Assessment is not a hurdle to fear; it is simply a clearer reflection of your child's primary education. Keep the focus steady, keep the pressure low, and the results will follow.


Essential Links for Devon 11+ Admissions (2027 Entry)

To help you navigate the registration process, here are the direct links to the official admissions pages and relevant local authorities. Remember, you must register with the school to sit the 11+ exam, and you must submit a Common Application Form (CAF) to your local authority to actually apply for a school place.


School Admissions Pages (Register for the 11+ here):

Local Authority Admissions (Submit your school preferences here before 31st October 2026):

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