Plymouth High School for Girls

What Plymouth High School for Girls does

Plymouth High School for Girls is a state selective Grammar school located in Plymouth, England, founded in 1874 and operated as part of the Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT). The school serves approximately 600 girls across Years 7-11 and a co-educational Sixth Form of over 200 students, providing academically selective secondary education through the 11+ examination process. Its core offering centres on a rigorous Grammar school curriculum leading to GCSEs and A-Levels, with documented outcomes including 80%+ university progression, one-third of university-bound students securing Russell Group places, and an unbroken record of placements at Oxford, Cambridge, and medical schools.

The school's principal programmatic differentiator is the Hummingbird Formula 24 (F24) electric kit car racing programme, operated since 2011 in partnership with the Greenpower Education Trust. The programme integrates STEM disciplines through hands-on construction of kit cars from over 500 components, performance analytics, communications, and media production across five sub-teams. A second kit car (Xanthus), gifted by sponsor Becton Dickinson in 2024, has expanded student participation. The school also operates the Arbor Parent App for payments, Unifrog for university/careers research, and standard digital platforms for remote learning. As a certified "Thinking School," the institution embeds metacognition and cognitive skill development across its curriculum, supported by dedicated programmes such as Aim High for elite university preparation and a Healthcare Careers Advisory service.

Revenue is generated entirely through UK state education funding via Local Authority and Department for Education grants, as the school operates as a publicly funded academy within TSAT. Education is free at the point of use for admitted students, with immaterial ancillary charges (e.g., locker rental at £5/year). The go-to-market model is selective admission: candidates sit the 11+ examination (offered twice in September each year) for Year 7 entry, with in-year admissions for Key Stages 3, 4, and 5 and a separate process for Sixth Form. Marketing is conducted through the school website, virtual tours, open events, prospectuses, and newsletters targeting prospective families in the Plymouth catchment area.

Name

Plymouth High School for Girls

Legal name

Plymouth High School for Girls

Website

https://phsg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1874

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Plymouth High School for Girls is a UK state selective Grammar school founded in 1874, serving approximately 600 girls in Years 7-11 and 200+ co-educational Sixth Form students in Plymouth, England. It is part of the Thinking Schools Academy Trust and operates the Hummingbird Formula 24 STEM racing programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education (Grammar School)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Grammar school education
• Secondary education
• Sixth form studies
• Selective education
• STEM enrichment

Headquarters

HQ city

Plymouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. State-Funded Education: As a state selective Grammar school within the Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT), Plymouth High School for Girls is funded through government education funding (Local Authority and Department for Education). Education is free at point of use for admitted students. Revenue supports staffing, facilities, curriculum delivery, and extracurricular programmes including the Hummingbird racing team.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

State selective Grammar school founded in 1874 delivering academically rigorous secondary education to approximately 600 girls in Years 7-11 and a co-educational Sixth Form with over 200 students. The school delivers Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 (GCSE) curriculum, A-Level programmes, university and careers guidance, and runs the Hummingbird Formula 24 electric kit car racing STEM programme. Education is free at the point of use, funded through UK government education grants via the Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT).

Product overview

Plymouth High School for Girls is a state-selective grammar school founded in 1874, offering secondary education (Years 7-11) to approximately 600 girls, plus a co-educational Sixth Form with over 200 students. The school's educational offering is structured as a unified educational service centred on its core secondary and post-16 programmes, complemented by a distinctive STEM initiative (Hummingbird Formula 24 Racing Programme with its sister programme Xanthus), comprehensive career and university guidance services, and a broad range of extra-curricular clubs and activities. The school also provides digital tools including the Arbor Parent App for payments and communications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80% of students progress to university (2023 data)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greenpower Education TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Greenpower is the international STEM development organisation that oversees the Formula 24 (F24) electric kit car racing series. Greenpower hosts numerous South-West and national heats of 90-minute 24-Volt electric car races. The school has been running its Hummingbird F24 racing car since 2011, competing in 45 races. Greenpower provides the racing framework, regulations (standardised batteries and motors), competition structure, and awards. The programme is a core STEM enrichment initiative at the school.
• BD Plymouth Plant (Becton Dickinson)coreTechnology or IntegrationBD's Plymouth manufacturing facility is the school's local industry partner. BD notes Plymouth has the highest concentration of manufacturing employment on the south coast of Britain, with 60% of all employment in Plymouth being STEM-related. BD plant staff provide training sessions for the Hummingbird team and mentor students in STEM disciplines, offering real-world industry insight and career exposure.
• Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThinking Schools Academy Trust is the multi-academy trust of which Plymouth High School for Girls is a member. TSAT provides the 'Thinking School' pedagogical framework, governance, shared educational resources, and collaborative opportunities including trust-wide student council meetings. The trust encompasses multiple schools sharing best practices and educational philosophy centred on developing cognitive thinking skills.
• National Apprenticeship ShowminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe school takes students to the National Apprenticeship Show as part of their tutorial programme, providing exposure to apprenticeship opportunities and pathways. This supports the school's degree apprenticeship guidance programme.
• UCAS ConventionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe school takes students to the UCAS Convention as part of university application preparation, providing direct access to university admissions representatives and information about higher education options.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Greenpower Education Trust: Operates the Formula 24 racing series in which PHSG's Hummingbird team competes. Not a peer school but a programme/ecosystem enabler providing the competition framework, regulations, and award structure that anchor PHSG's distinctive STEM offering.

Direct peers

• Plymouth College: Independent co-educational school in Plymouth offering secondary and sixth form education. Competes with PHSG for the same Plymouth families seeking academic rigour, though on a fee-paying rather than state-funded basis.
• Torquay Girls' Grammar School: State selective girls' grammar school in Devon, operating a similar selective 11+ admissions process within the same South West region. Comparable in student profile, university progression ambitions, and selective girls-only structure.
• Devonport High School for Boys: State selective boys' grammar school located in Plymouth, sharing the same 11+ admissions market and competing directly with PHSG for high-achieving Plymouth applicants. Operates within the same state-funded grammar ecosystem.
• Altrincham Grammar School for Girls: State selective girls' grammar school outside Manchester with a comparable selective 11+ admissions model and strong university progression record. Mirrors PHSG's girls-only Years 7–11 structure and grammar school positioning.
• Tiffin School: Highly selective state boys' grammar school in Kingston upon Thames, consistently among the UK's top-performing state schools on university progression. Comparable in selectivity, outcomes focus, and state-funded grammar model.
• Henrietta Barnett School: State selective girls' grammar school in Hampstead, London — one of the UK's highest-performing state schools. Directly comparable in selective girls-only intake, university outcomes, and extracurricular STEM enrichment profile.

Regional players

• Thinking Schools Academy Trust: Multi-academy trust of which PHSG is a member; encompasses other schools sharing the Thinking Schools pedagogical framework, governance, and trust-wide collaboration structures. Provides strategic operating context and resource-sharing comparable to a sister-school network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PlymouthHighSchoolforGirls
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plymouth-high-school-for-girls

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plymouth High School for Girls