Founded in 1633, it moved in 1880 from its original location in the High Street to its present 25 acre site within a mile of the city centre. Some of its well-designed buildings date from that time but many new buildings and facilities have been added since the 1980s and it now enjoys first rate facilities on a very attractive open site. The school is fully co-educational and is well-run with high all-round standards and very good examination results. Nearly all junior pupils transfer to the senior school. It prides itself on strong cultural, sporting and extra curricular achievement. Its music is outstanding and there is a strong tradition of performance drawn from all age groups. A good range of sports and high standards achieved, especially in netball, hockey, rugby and cricket. It is well placed for outdoor activities (eg Ten Tors adventure training on Dartmoor) and has a very large voluntary CCF unit. It is closely involved with the life of the city and its university and it has a substantial commitment to support the local community.

Pupils: Total age range 7-18; 843 day pupils (574 boys, 269 girls). Senior department 11-18, 677 pupils (471 boys, 206 girls). Entrance: Main entry ages 7, 8, 11, 13 and 16. Junior assessment; own entrance exam for senior school intake; for sixth-form entry, interview plus 6 GCSEs at least grade B. No special skills required but sport and the arts help. No particular religious persuasion required, but Christians fit most easily. 45% main intake from state schools, plus 50+% new entrants to sixth form.

17+ pa scholarships, value from 450: 10 academic, 1 art, 6 music (awarded at 7, 11, 12, 13 and 16). Up to 21 means-tested Governors' Awards (2 each at 7 and 8, 10 at 11, 2 at 13, 5 at 16). Parents not expected to buy textbooks; lunches extra in senior school; other extras unlikely to exceed 20 (CCF, sixth-form common room etc).

Headmaster: Bob Griffin, in post from 2003. Educated at Wallington High School for Boys and Oxford University. Previously Second Master of Royal Grammar School, Guildford, and Head ofà Modern Languages at Haileybury. Teaching staff: 63 full time, 32 part time. Average age 46.

GCSE: 120 pupils in upper fifth: 95% gained at least grade C in 8+ subjects, 5% in 5-7 subjects. Average GCSE score 67 (65 over 5 years). A-levels: 97 in upper sixth: 19% passed in 4+ subjects; 81% in 3 subjects. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 394.

99% of sixth-form leavers go on to a degree course (40% after a gap year), 12% to Oxbridge. 10% take courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 25% in science and engineering, 4% in law, 45% in humanities and social sciences, 4% in art and design, 8% in vocational subjects eg architecture, land management, 4% others.

GCSE, AS and A-levels. 19 GCSE subjects, 26 AS/A-level subjects (including electronics, AS-levels in critical thinking and world development). Sixth form: Sixth formers take 4-5 subjects at AS-level, 3-4 at A-level. 40% take science A-levels; 40% arts/humanities; 20% both. Key skills portfolio work integrated into sixth-form courses, IT taught as a discrete unit. Vocational: Work experience available; active participation in Young Enterprise. Special provision: Mild handicaps accepted. Languages: French, German and Spanish offered at GCSE, AS and A-level and as non-examined subjects; also Spanish GCSE in sixth form. Regular exchanges (France and Germany). Some pupils go on to become language assistants in France. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject and across the curriculum; certificated ICT key skills. 75 computers for pupil use (7 hours a day), all networked and with email and internet access. Many pupils have own laptops.

Music: Over 35% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Some 15 musical groups including 4 orchestras (total of 250 pupils), choral society (250 pupils) and 4 other choirs, 3 jazz bands. Orchestras regularly perform in School Proms; orchestra, jazz band and chamber choir in National Festival of Youth Music (RFH). Drama and dance: Drama offered, and GCSE and A-level may be taken. New dance studio. Large numbers involved in 4 annual major school productions and some in house/other productions. Pupils regularly accepted at drama school. Art and design: On average, 30 take GCSE, 16 AS-level, 10 A-level. Art facilities open to non-examination pupils and parents. Regular winners of Arkwright DT scholarship.

Sport: Rugby, hockey, cricket, cross-country, netball, swimming, athletics compulsory to a certain age. Optional: tennis, squash, badminton, basketball, canoeing, fencing, golf, volleyball, shooting. Over 60 pupils represent county at cricket, squash, golf, tennis, rugby, badminton, cross-country, hockey, netball, basketball, athletics; U16 an U13 national sailing champions; schoolboy internationals pistol shooting, hockey, rugby; hockey teams very successful nationally (indoor and outdoor); regular boy and girl successes in Ten Tors endurance challenge; sixth formers regularly accepted for British Schools Exploring Society expeditions. Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. CCF optional at age 14-18; 360 participate; regional and county shooting champions. Community service optional in sixth form (100+ pupils). Extensive charity fundraising - up to 10,000 pa. Up to 20 clubs and societies, eg computing, chess, classics, medical, politics and debating.

Uniform: School uniform worn; business dress in sixth form. Houses and prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects, head boy, head girl, head of house and house prefects, appointed by the Head and staff, with advice from outgoing upper sixth. Religion: Christian. Some morning assemblies in chapel. Social: Annual trips abroad. Exchanges to Rennes, Hildesheim. Meals self-service. School shop. No tobacco or alcohol allowed.

Pupils failing to produce homework more than once might expect detention; if caught smoking cannabis on the premises, punishment would be permanent exclusion.

is run by the Chairman, Paul Cann, c/o the school.

Tony Speller, David Bellotti (politicians); Henry Townsend Vodden (former bishop of Hull); Desmond Hamill, Mark Tyler (TV); Nick Barnes (radio); George Woodbridge, Ben Nealon, John Killoran, Max Rubin (actors); Major General Dair Farrar-Hockley; Commander Harry Pennell (explorer, Scott's Antarctic expedition, 1912); General Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley (soldier, author); Sir Charles Collingwood (High Court Judge); Frederick Jane ('Jane's fighting ships' and influential Dreadnoughts design).