Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, DN21 2ST
A selective co-educational grammar school in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,126 pupils on roll.
The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough
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At a glance
The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough is a co-educational selective grammar for ages 11 to 18, with around 1,126 pupils and a long-standing place in Lincolnshire's grammar-school system. The school presents its identity through three words on its crest and homepage: Tradition, Achievement and Opportunity. That combination matters, because QEHS does not describe itself only through examination results; it also stresses care, academic challenge and access to a broad range of enriching co-curricular activities.
The academic offer is organised through curriculum, subject, assessment and exam-results areas, with a sixth form that has its own admissions, courses, prospectus, mindset, leadership and enrichment pages. The homepage links this everyday culture to QEHS Learner Standards: behaviour for learning, learning to learn and leadership for learning. Student comments on the school site point to academic and STEM clubs, subject drop-ins, the Year 8 extended project route and the Higher Project Qualification, giving a concrete sense of stretch below GCSE.
Co-curricular life is broad and visible. QEHS signposts extra-curricular activities, house information, learning outside the classroom, music, productions, societies and activities, sport, PSHE, student leadership and careers. Duke of Edinburgh and sport sit alongside a wider picture of clubs, trips, leadership roles and support. This is a grammar school where the sixth form, house system and enrichment menu appear central to daily life.
Year 7 admission has 188 places and uses the Lincolnshire 11+. The test has separate GL Assessment verbal reasoning and non-verbal or spatial reasoning papers, with scores standardised and age-adjusted. A total standardised score of at least 220 across the two papers is the Lincolnshire qualifying level, though qualification is not itself an offer. Qualification opens eligibility, while allocation still follows the school's published oversubscription policy; the verified essentials for this overview are the PAN, test provider, two-paper structure and qualifying standard. Public measures show Ofsted Good from 2023, +0.26 Progress 8, 92.7% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 15.7% 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 1,126 pupils; 1,116 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| White British | 74.1% | White | 834 |
| Indian | 5.6% | Asian | 63 |
| Any other Asian background | 3.7% | Asian | 42 |
| White and Asian | 2.8% | Mixed | 31 |
| Any other White background | 2.6% | White | 29 |
| Chinese | 2.4% | Asian | 27 |
| Pakistani | 1.8% | Asian | 20 |
| African | 1.5% | Black | 17 |
| Any other mixed background | 1.5% | Mixed | 17 |
| Any other ethnic group | 1% | Other | 11 |
| Unclassified | 0.9% | Unclassified | 10 |
| White and Black African | 0.5% | Mixed | 6 |
| Traveller of Irish heritage | 0.4% | White | 5 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.4% | Mixed | 5 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.4% | Asian | 4 |
| Any other Black background | 0.3% | Black | 3 |
| Caribbean | 0.1% | Black | 1 |
| Irish | 0.1% | White | 1 |
will be used to allocate places. (See What Happens if the School is Oversubscribed, below, for details) Inf...
will be used to allocate places. (See What Happens if the School is Oversubscribed, below, for details) Information about the admissions procedure is published in a booklet entitled "Going to School in Lincolnshire", which can be obtained free of charge by contacting the County Council (on 01522
or on the Lincolnshire County Council web site at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk. Children who want a place at a g...
or on the Lincolnshire County Council web site at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk. Children who want a place at a grammar school must firstly have qualified under the selection arrangements. However, it is the school, working with the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools (LCGS), and not the LA, which carries out the testing procedures. The LA has delegated to individual grammar schools the work of administering the 11+ tests which are used to identify those children who are suited to a grammar school place. Details of the admissions procedures and the testing arrangements are given below. The Number of Places Available The
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 High School, Gainsborough 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 | 67.2 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 64.6 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 62.4 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 62.5 | 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 (37.9 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B- average (37.7 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B- average (35.8 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | C+ average (34.2 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 | 98% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 97% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 95% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 2% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 14 December 2023
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 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.
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 High School, Gainsborough 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 High School, Gainsborough is currently rated Good following the latest published inspection dated 14 December 2023.