The school, which was founded in 1915, settled at its current location in 1939. While the school continues to use its original building, the interiors have been updated and additional buildings have been added, including the Haystacks building in 1995 and the Roberts building in 2007. In July 2008, the Cross building was officially opened – the new music and drama block. The school purchased its own residential study centre in Tregourez, Brittany, in 1990. Pupils in years 7 and 9 stay there during May/June as a form to encourage social interaction and improve their French. This building has since been sold. The most recent Ofsted inspection was in 2011, with the result being it was found to be 'outstanding in all categories'. The school motto is 'Aude Sapere', meaning 'dare to be wise'.
Fields, including a large green area between the Girls' school and Boys' school, referred to as 'The Paddock'
Forms and Houses
Upon entering the school in year 7, each girl is put into one of five forms and in one of five houses. These forms contain all the girls of that house in that year. This means all girls in e.g. 7B are of Beal house, and in year 7. There are given five such houses and therefore five forms in a year group. Younger sisters are usually put in the same house as older sisters. The girls stay in these houses. They are taught in these form groups for most subjects in years 7–8, but some other subjects are taught in ability groups or in the case of technology, alphabetically, as there is not enough room in the tech rooms for all the form to be taught at the same time. Each house is named after a past headteacher.
Beal
Jackson
Robertson
Wilkinson
Cross
Sixth form
The two Lower Sixth forms used to share the Lower Sixth common room in Shiphay Manor, owned by the Boys' Grammar, while the two Upper Sixths share the Upper Sixth common room in the Sixth Form Block of the Boys' Grammar. Now two new buildings, a new Sixth Form block, and a new music and drama suite, have been finished and the sixth form have lessons in their new block. There are still two common rooms, one in the Girls' school and one in the neighbouring Boys' school. The Sixth Form have lessons in the purpose-built Sixth-Form block, in the main school and some lessons are shared with the neighbouring Torquay Boys' Grammar School allowing students to benefit from each school's specialities, when they have facilities that are not offered in the Girls' school.
