Plymouth High School for Girls
St Lawrence Road, Plymouth, PL4 6HTOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Plymouth High School for Girls is a secondary school in Plymouth for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 103 schools in Plymouth. It ranks 3rd of 18 secondary schools in Plymouth. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in September 2011.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 28 September 2011, report published 20 October 2011
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Requires improvement
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 17 April 2024
The school has high expectations for pupils' academic success. Pupils rise to this challenge. They are keen to learn. Pupils behave consistently well in lessons and around the school site. The school's motto of 'for life not school we learn' also reflects the school's desire for pupils to leave as happy, well-rounded individuals. Pupils are proud to attend the school. They say it is a welcoming community. Students that join in the sixth form quickly become part of the Plymouth High family. Many parents say their child is thriving at the school. Pupils learn the attributes of being a successful leader through the many different roles offered. For example, pupils become part of the head student team, or train to become anti-bullying ambassadors, digital leaders, or pupil librarians. Students in the sixth form run a diversity group and take on leading roles in the school's curriculum enrichment week. Pupils look forward to the regular festivals in music, dance and drama which they lead and perform in. Many pupils are passionate about protecting the environment. The school's 'Earth Alliance' now leads change across other schools in the trust. They campaigned for more sustainable paper sources and have organised a 'big energy switch off', for example.
What the school should improve
- Teachers' checks on how well pupils have understood the curriculum are sometimes not precise enough. As a result, some pupils develop misconceptions or have gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that teachers effectively check what pupils know and remember and use this to plan what comes next in the learning cycle.
- Although many pupils are keen readers, they do not always read a range of academic texts to support their learning of the curriculum. Therefore, they are not able to demonstrate a depth and breadth of understanding in different subjects. The trust and school should support pupils to read widely and critically across all subjects.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
103 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
109 students
Average A level grade B-, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
782 pupils on roll, with places for 804
Schools near Plymouth High School for Girls
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth College | 0.4 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 24.7 |
| Lipson Co-operative Academy | 0.8 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 43.5 |
| Stoke Damerel Community College | 1 mile | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | Attainment 8: 35.9 |
| Scott Medical and Healthcare College | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 43.5 |
| Millbay Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 36.9 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Girls
- Admissions
- Selective
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Simon Underdown
- Phone
- 03333602230
- Address
- St Lawrence Road, Plymouth, PL4 6HT
- Local authority
- Plymouth
- URN
- 148369
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.