West Street, Horncastle, LN9 5AD
A selective co-educational grammar school in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 788 pupils on roll.
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle
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At a glance
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle is a co-educational selective grammar school in Lincolnshire, serving students from 11 to 18. The school has about 788 pupils on roll and is one of the founding members of Horncastle Education Trust. Its local identity is unusually deep: the school says its existence was known in 1327, with official records beginning after Queen Elizabeth I granted the foundation in the sixteenth century.
The academic character combines old grammar-school habits with modern specialist strengths. QEGS describes itself as a high-performing academy specialising in science and modern foreign languages, with a disciplined and harmonious school culture. The trust vision is inclusive and ambitious: every student, whatever their background, should have the right to flourish, achieve and succeed.
The facilities detail is concrete and useful. The school lists 24 teaching rooms, seven science laboratories, three IT suites, smaller IT hubs, workshops and technology areas, plus the Jobson Library with more than 13,000 titles. Sixth form is a visible part of the school, with more than 200 students, including both pupils who continue from Year 11 and students joining from elsewhere.
Admission to Year 7 is for 120 places through the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools. The 11+ uses GL Assessment verbal reasoning and non-verbal or spatial reasoning papers, with age-standardised scores and a qualifying total of at least 220 across the two papers. The school notes that meeting the qualifying level does not guarantee a place. Published measures show Ofsted Good, +0.28 Progress 8, 95.9% grade 5+ in English and maths and 33.3% AAB or better at A level.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Lincolnshire and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Lincolnshire and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Lincolnshire and England.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 788 pupils; 776 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 75.6% | White | 596 |
| Indian | 5.7% | Asian | 45 |
| Any other White background | 4.6% | White | 36 |
| African | 2.7% | Black | 21 |
| White and Asian | 2.4% | Mixed | 19 |
| Any other Asian background | 2% | Asian | 16 |
| Chinese | 1.5% | Asian | 12 |
| Unclassified | 1.5% | Unclassified | 12 |
| Any other ethnic group | 1.3% | Other | 10 |
| Any other mixed background | 0.8% | Mixed | 6 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.8% | Asian | 6 |
| White and Black African | 0.5% | Mixed | 4 |
| Pakistani | 0.4% | Asian | 3 |
| Any other Black background | 0.1% | Black | 1 |
| Irish | 0.1% | White | 1 |
Eligible applicants in the designated free-transport area have priority before eligible applicants from other areas; total 11+ score ranks applicants within each group, with straight-line distance as the tie-break.
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
The Lincolnshire 11+ has separate verbal reasoning and non-verbal/spatial reasoning papers supplied by GL Assessment. Scores are standardised, including age adjustment.
Shared exam route
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle uses the shared Lincolnshire route. Use these common practice resources for the route, then check the full consortium guide for the complete set and current test guidance.
View all Lincolnshire practice papersGL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 1
GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning Paper 1
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 2
GL Assessment Non-Verbal Reasoning Test Booklet 3
Paper 1
Verbal reasoning
Verbal reasoning test
Multiple-choice verbal reasoning test marked from OMR answer sheets.
Paper 2
Non-verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning and spatial awareness test
Multiple-choice non-verbal reasoning and spatial awareness test marked from OMR answer sheets.
Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
English, Maths and Science are not listed in the current published format.
Verbal reasoning
Multiple-choice verbal reasoning test marked from OMR answer sheets.
Non-verbal reasoning
Multiple-choice non-verbal reasoning and spatial awareness test marked from OMR answer sheets.
English
Maths
Science
Registration opens
7 January 2026
PastRegistration closes
31 March 2026
PastFirst test: verbal reasoning
11 or 12 September 2026
Second test: non-verbal reasoning and spatial awareness
18 or 19 September 2026
Results
9 October 2026 at 12:00
Secondary application deadline
31 October 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Register for the Lincolnshire 11+
Registration opens on 7 January 2026 and forms must be returned to the chosen grammar school by 31 March 2026.
Open key datesSit the two reasoning papers
Verbal reasoning is scheduled for 11 or 12 September 2026, followed by non-verbal reasoning and spatial awareness on 18 or 19 September 2026.
Open test detailsReview results and submit the CAF
Results are due on 9 October 2026; the Lincolnshire CAF deadline is 31 October 2026, with National Offer Day on 1 March 2027.
Open timetableLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 69.4 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 66.6 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 62.1 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 66.2 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | B average (40.6 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B average (39.2 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B- average (37.8 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B- average (38.3 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 99% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 99% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 98% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 97% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 1% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 5 June 2024
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Same Lincolnshire area and similar co-ed selective route
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Nearby option with similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
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Best Grammar Schools in Lincolnshire
Compare 15 Lincolnshire grammar schools for 2026: GCSE ranking table, Ofsted, Lincolnshire route, admissions rules, competition, and school profiles.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking that can be filtered by county, school type, and Ofsted before moving into local admissions detail.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Register for the Lincolnshire 11+: Registration opens on 7 January 2026 and forms must be returned to the chosen grammar school by 31 March 2026. 2. Sit the two reasoning papers: Verbal reasoning is scheduled for 11 or 12 September 2026, followed by non-verbal reasoning and spatial awareness on 18 or 19 September 2026. 3. Review results and submit the CAF: Results are due on 9 October 2026; the Lincolnshire CAF deadline is 31 October 2026, with National Offer Day on 1 March 2027.
Registration opens: 7 January 2026. Registration closes: 31 March 2026. First test: verbal reasoning: 11 or 12 September 2026. Second test: non-verbal reasoning and spatial awareness: 18 or 19 September 2026. Results: 9 October 2026 at 12:00. Secondary application deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 5 June 2024.