Plymouth College, based in the maritime city of Plymouth with the moorland, countryside and coastal landscapes of Devon and Cornwall close to hand, has been at the forefront of education in South West England since its foundation in 1877. It amalgamated in 1896 with Mannamead School for boys in Plymouth, founded in 1854. The School became fully co-educational in 1995 and in 2004 merged with St Dunstan’s Abbey for Girls.
Numbers. Currently there are 510 pupils in the school (300 boys and 210 girls) from ages 3 to 18.
Buildings. The Senior School stands on high ground in Plymouth. The buildings include Science Laboratories, Art and Craft rooms including extensive facilities for photography and print-making, the Dining Hall, an Assembly Hall in which concerts and plays are performed as well as a well-equipped Design and Technology Block. The grounds in Ford Park include a rifle range and an indoor, 25m heated swimming pool. Playing fields at Ford Park are supplemented by two other fields close by. There is an on-site astro surface and the school has use of a full-size AstroTurf pitch for hockey nearby. In 2004 a hospitality suite and Music School opened and in 2011 two new boarding houses were established. The Boarding Houses have undergone a two-year refurbishment programme since 2016. The Sixth Form has its own dedicated Centre with its own Bistro and 2016 saw the opening of the Michael Ball Drama Studio, opened by its namesake who is an old boy of the school. Another old boy, Tom Daley, opened the new Strength & Conditioning Gym in 2018. There is also an outdoor education centre located on Dartmoor.
The Preparatory School, for pupils aged 3–11, is on the same site as the Senior School and benefits from the extensive facilities.
Organisation. Below the Sixth Form, pupils are set in some areas so that pupils may proceed at a pace best suited to their abilities. Pupils are organised in 4 Houses and participation in house events is actively encouraged. Each pupil is under the supervision of a Tutor and Head of Year who report to the Assistant Head. In Years 7–10 Form Prefects are appointed. Every pupil is expected to play a full part in games and other school activities outside the classroom. Pupils in Years 10 and above also take part in our enrichment programme which includes The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, CCF (all 3 sections), Sports Leaders Award and a wide range of other activities. All pupils take part in a PSHEE programme, with careers advice starting in Year 7. English (Language and Literature), a Modern Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology are taken by all to GCSE. Normally three more are chosen by the pupils
Sixth Form. The Sixth Form is based on tutor groups with approx. twelve pupils in each group. Pupils usually study three subjects at A Level, with four being studied in exceptional circumstances. In addition, our Sports Baccalaureate is an alternative to A Levels and includes a BTEC in Sport & Outdoor Education as well as qualifications in other sporting and outdoor activity areas. Tutors keep a pastoral and academic watch on the pupils’ performance, feeding information to the Head and Assistant Heads of Sixth Form.
Sixth Formers are well prepared for universities and careers both in the UK and overseas, including scholarship advice for the US, with detailed university advice starting in Year 9.
Games. Rugby, Football, Cricket, Hockey, Netball and Swimming are the major sports. There is also Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Cross-Country Running, Fencing, Sailing, Shooting and Tennis. Games are compulsory but more senior pupils have a wide range of options available to them.
School Activities. Pupils take part in a wide range of activities. There is a contingent of the CCF with Navy, Army and Air Force Sections. There is also The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and adventure training as well as participation in Ten Tors each year. Pupils in Year 10 participate in a Sports Leaders scheme with local primary schools. A number of overseas expeditions are also organised each year. School Societies cover a range of activities from Mountain Biking to Young Enterprise. There is also a very good and active Outdoor Education department which offers pupils opportunities in such activities as Bushcraft, Caving and Kayaking.
Music & Performing Arts. There is an excellent school choir that sings at all major school events, concerts, and church services throughout the school year. The school orchestra, like the choir, provides music at school events and concerts. In addition to these groups the school has various small ensembles that are run by the visiting specialist instrumental teachers. The school has a thriving house drama and music competition that attracts whole school support. As well as the formal/organised music making there are innumerable student-led bands that help to ensure that the music department is a vibrant environment. Tuition is provided on all orchestral instruments, including percussion. Voice, piano, organ and all types of guitar lessons are also available. Speech and drama lessons (LAMDA) are offered to all students. The music and drama departments work together on large-scale productions. The drama department offers drama clubs to all year groups. Both departments work with a number of visiting performers/practitioners throughout the year; these are usually focused on specific year groups or examination groups. There are annual music and drama scholarships and instrumental exhibitions.
Boarders. With pupils from all over the world, the boarding houses are run by an enthusiastic, experienced and friendly team who are responsible for all aspects of boarders’ welfare. There is also a good mix of activities at the weekends including ten-pin bowling, ice skating, beach visits, cinema trips, surfing, moorland walking and horse riding.
The Boarding Houses are situated on the senior school campus: one for boys, one for girls (approximately 40–50 in each) and two smaller satellite houses.
Admission. Admission to the Senior School is normally based on the College Entrance Examination for boys and girls over 10½ and under 12 on 31st August of the year of entry, but it is also possible to enter at other points during the academic programmes. Admission to the Preparatory School is from the age of rising 3. For admission to the Senior and Prep School, please contact admissions@plymouthcollege.com. Scholarships and Bursaries. There are a variety of Scholarships and Awards for Academia, Art, Music, Drama and Sports and High Performance Sports. These are typically awarded for Year 7, 9 and Sixth Form Entry. In addition to scholarships, means tested bursaries of up to half fees are available. Further information, email admissions@plymouthcollege.com. Bursaries are means tested.
Fees per Term (from January 2025). Prep School from Reception £,637.20 to years 5 & 6 £5,017.20. Senior School: Day: Years 7–8 £6,384, Years 9–11 £7,275.60, Sixth Form £7,563.60. Boarding: Years 7–8 £13,209.60, Years 9–11 £14,439.60, Sixth Form £15,142.80. Weekly Boarding: Years 7–8 £10,599.60, Years 9–11 £11,523.60, Sixth Form £11,814. Occasional boarding is available at £75 per night and for up to a maximum of 14 nights a term. Fees include VAT.
Fees include stationery and games. There are no supplementary lunch charges for full boarding pupils. Music lessons are extra.
Armed Forces and sibling discounts are available.
Charitable Status. Plymouth College is a Registered Charity, number 1105544. Its aim is to provide private education for boys and girls.
Governors & Staff:
Head: Mr Peter Watts
Senior Deputy Head: Mr A R Carr, MA St Andrews
Head of Prep: Miss J Newnham, BEd Cheltenham & Gloucester College of Higher Education
Deputy Head (Academic): Mr P Grey, BSc Open AMInstP
Deputy Head (Co-curricular and Operations): Mr P M Mutlow, BA Durham
Assistant Head (Pupil Welfare) & DSL: Mrs B Field, BSc University of York
Bursar: Mr T Williams (Prep and Senior School)
Head of Marketing and Admissions: M P Gilchrist, BSc Loughborough
Teaching Staff:
Mr E S Agobiani, LLB University of Leicester (Classics, History and Head of Sixth Form)
Miss P J Anderson, MA Emmanuel College Cambridge (Head of Classics)
Mr R Atkinson, BA Exeter (History)
Mrs E Bales, BA Warwick (Teacher of Year 2)
Mrs A C Blunden-Currie, BA Exeter (Biology)
Mr B Bryan, BSc Northampton (Head of Psychology, Deputy Head of Middle School)
Mrs A-L Chubb, BA Wolverhampton (Head of History)
Miss A R Croot, BA Plymouth (Head of English)
Mrs P de Jager, BPrimary Ed, Rhodes University (Assistant SENCo)
Mrs S Dutta, BA Brighton (Pre-School Teacher)
Mr R L Edwards, BA University of Wales (English, Director of Rugby and Deputy Head of Sixth Form)
Mrs J Eglinton, BMus Royal Northern College of Music, MMus (Director of Performing Arts & Music)
Miss C Ellis, BA Leeds (Teacher of Year 3)
Mrs A J Escott, BA Plymouth (Head of Art and Photography)
Mrs E Fabian, BEd University of St Mark & St John (PE and Form Teacher of Year 6 )
Mr S Fenwick, BA Exeter (College of St Mark & St John) (PE and Games, Head of Hockey and Deputy Head of Lower School)
Mr M Gibbs, BSc University of Exeter & University of Oxford (Head of Biology)
Mrs A E Green, BSc Nottingham (Maths)
Mr J Gregory, BA Birmingham (Business Studies and Economics)
Mrs C Haffenden, BA Cardiff (Art)
Mrs F Hanvey, BEng Strathclyde (Head of Wider Curriculum (Prep) & Teacher of Prep STEM)
Miss K Haynes, BSc Plymouth (Geography)
Mr G Hughes, BA University of Glamorgan (Head of Business and Economics)
Miss N S L Husband, BA Queen Margaret (English and Drama)
Mr L Ilott, BEd De Montford (Head of Boarding, PE and English)
Mr C Irish, BSc Birmingham (Director of Sport and PE and Maths)
Mr D A Jones, BSc Birmingham (Head of Mathematics)
Mr N Jones, BSc Coventry Polytechnic (Teacher of Maths)
Dr S Jordan, PhD Dundee (Biology)
Mrs N Lisney, BA Plymouth (Head of Design Technology)
Mrs F Lister, BEd University of St Mark & St John (Pre-School Teacher)
Mr G J Llewellyn-Rees, BEng Brunel, MEng Heriot Watt, MBA Imperial College (Head of Physics)
Mrs J Manuel, BEd Exeter (Head of English (Prep) & Teacher of Year 1)
Mr D J Martin, BA Warwick (Religious Studies)
Mr P J McCormack, BSc Exeter (Head of Chemistry)
Mrs F McWilliam, BA University of West of England (Teacher of Reception and Head of EYFS)
Mrs R Moore, BA Open University (English and Head of Lower School)
Mrs L Moulding, BSc Surrey (Pre-School Teacher)
Mrs C Murray, BSc Warwick & Queen’s College Cambridge (Biology)
Dr A Norris, BSc Liverpool PhD (Maths)
Miss L M Odendaal, BA Stellenbosch (Maths and PE, Deputy Head of Sixth Form)
Mrs N Paice, BA College of St Mark & St John (Head of Geography)
Mr C Paull, BA Plymouth (Head of Maths (Prep) & Teacher of Year 4)
Mr P J Randall, BA Oxford Brookes (French, Spanish and Head of MFL)
Mr O Rees (Head of Outdoor Education)
Miss A Reynaud, BA Plymouth (Product Design)
Mr J Richards, LLB University of Law, Bristol (English and Head of Middle School)
Mrs C Riley-Harling, BSc University of St Mark & St John (PE and Head of Netball)
Miss C P Sherratt, BSc Plymouth (Maths)
Mrs J Smith, BA University of London (Teacher of Year 2)
Mrs C Spence, BA Manchester (Teacher of Year 1)
Mrs L St John, BA Plymouth (English, French, Spanish and Form Teacher of Year 5)
Mr R Stubbs, G.Mus Hartlepool, FTCL, ARCM (RE, Music and Form Teacher of Year 6)
Mrs S Sullivan, BA Glasgow School of Art (Art)
Mr J Thompson, BSc University of Plymouth (Physics)
Miss E D Tremaine, BEd De Montfort (Head of PE and Sport, Sports Baccalaureate)
M P Underwood, BEd University of St Mark & St John (PE, English and Form Teacher of Year 5)
Miss F Venon, Licence D’Anglais Université de St Etienne Maitrise (French)
Mr N Watson, BEd Leeds Metropolitan University (Computer Science)
Mrs E White, BA University of London (Head of Religious Studies)