A boys grammar school in Barnet with a long-standing academic reputation and a highly selective Year 7 route.
Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet
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At a glance
Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet is a selective boys' grammar for ages 11 to 18, usually known simply as QE. Its identity is unusually historic even by grammar-school standards: the school traces its foundation to a Royal Charter granted by Elizabeth I in 1573, and its present site on Queen's Road still carries that sense of long institutional memory. The school has about 1,314 pupils on roll, including the sixth form.
Academically, QE presents itself through the language of free-thinking scholarship. The curriculum is broad, demanding and unapologetically intellectual, with modern foreign languages, creative arts, personal development, the EPQ and sixth-form study all visible parts of the offer. Drama and music pages show the same seriousness outside the core academic subjects, with music taught through a large peripatetic team and a wide co-curricular programme.
The wider life of the school has depth as well as polish. School life includes debate, chess, Combined Cadet Force, robotics, sport and music, supported by facilities including sports hall, library, music rooms, performing arts spaces and science laboratories. The school also publishes targeted 11+ support for disadvantaged pupils, which sits alongside its wider meritocratic language.
Year 7 admission has 180 places. Candidates sit two multiple-choice GL papers, one in English and one in mathematics, in a single session; scores are age-standardised and combined, and for 2027 entry boys need 225 or higher to be eligible for consideration. That score is a threshold, not an offer guarantee, because places are allocated by rank. Ofsted judged QE Outstanding in May 2022, and GOV.UK shows +1.22 Progress 8, 99.5% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 83.8% AAB or better at A level.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Barnet and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Barnet and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Barnet and England.
January 2025 school census
Whole-school roll of 1,314 pupils; 1,308 had a recorded ethnic group.
| Recorded group | Share | Category | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian | 58.6% | Asian | 770 |
| Any other Asian background | 11.9% | Asian | 156 |
| Chinese | 6.8% | Asian | 90 |
| Pakistani | 4.4% | Asian | 58 |
| Bangladeshi | 4.3% | Asian | 56 |
| Any other White background | 2.8% | White | 37 |
| White and Asian | 2.4% | Mixed | 32 |
| White British | 2.2% | White | 29 |
| Any other ethnic group | 1.9% | Other | 25 |
| Any other mixed background | 1.8% | Mixed | 23 |
| African | 1.5% | Black | 20 |
| Unclassified | 0.5% | Unclassified | 6 |
| Any other Black background | 0.3% | Black | 4 |
| White and Black African | 0.2% | Mixed | 3 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 0.2% | Mixed | 3 |
| Caribbean | 0.1% | Black | 1 |
| Irish | 0.1% | White | 1 |
There is no catchment area. For 2027 entry, boys need a combined standardised score of 225 or higher to be considered. The 180 places then go to the highest-ranked eligible applicants, with straight-line distance from the child's permanent home address used only to break tied scores.
There is no catchment area. If scores are tied, straight-line distance from the child's permanent home address to the main school gate is used as the tie-break. Childminder and business addresses are not accepted, and separate-parent cases use the address where the child usually lives.
Reach the qualifying standard in the entrance tests
For 2027 entry, boys need a combined standardised score of 225 or higher to be eligible to be considered. Meeting that standard does not guarantee an offer.
Places go to the highest-ranked eligible applicants
If 180 or more boys reach the standard, the school offers the 180 places to the applicants ranked highest by their combined entrance-test score.
Straight-line distance breaks tied scores
If applicants are tied on score, rank order is set by straight-line distance from the address point of the child's permanent home address to the main school gate. Childminder and business addresses are not accepted, and separate-parent cases use the address where the child usually lives.
Independent random ballot if a final tie remains
If candidates are still tied for the last available place after the distance check, the final place is decided by a random ballot supervised by someone independent of the school.
Information booklet
Admissions guide for parents (2027 entry)
2027 entry
Appeals
Appeals timetable
2026 entry
2024
235
Initial offer score
Unofficial2023
232
Initial offer score
Unofficial2022
234
Initial offer score
Unofficial2021
232
Initial offer score
Unofficial2020
229
Initial offer score
Unofficial2019
232
Initial offer score
Unofficial2018
229
Initial offer score
2017
224
Initial offer score
2016
226
Initial offer score
2015
222
Initial offer score
2014
223
Initial offer score
2013
227
Initial offer score
Candidates sit two multiple-choice papers, one in English and one in mathematics, in a single session. The scores are age-standardised and combined into one overall score. For 2027 entry, boys need 225 or higher to be eligible, but offers still depend on rank because only 180 places are available.
Paper 1
English
English paper
Multiple-choice English paper in the September entrance examination.
Paper 2
Maths
Maths paper
Multiple-choice maths paper in the September entrance examination.
English and Maths are included in the published format.
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Science are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
Entrance test form opens
1 May 2026
PastEntrance test request forms become available for September 2027 entry.
School open day
2 July 2026
Open day with the Headmaster and guided tours.
Deadline for test requests
8 July 2026, Noon
The completed entrance test request form must be received by noon.
Entrance test day 1
16 September 2026
Candidates sit the entrance tests on one of the two published September dates.
Entrance test day 2
17 September 2026
Second published entrance test day.
Reserve entrance test
23 September 2026
This reserve date is only for boys who missed the main test days because of illness or another approved reason.
Entrance test outcomes sent
1 October 2026, Provisional date
Eligible applicants are told whether they have met the required standard.
CAF deadline
As published by your home local authority
Families must submit the Common Application Form to their own local authority by its deadline.
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Offers are issued by the home local authority and QE Barnet confirms waiting-list positions for eligible boys not offered a place.
Complete the entrance test request form
Submit the school's online or paper entrance test request form once it opens for September 2027 entry.
Open admissions processReturn the form by noon on 8 July 2026
Late forms are not accepted for the September 2026 entrance tests, so families need the school's acknowledgement before the deadline passes.
Check deadlinesSit the two September entrance papers
Candidates sit one multiple-choice English paper and one multiple-choice mathematics paper on 16 or 17 September 2026.
View test datesIf eligible, submit your CAF through your home local authority
Only boys who reach the Governors' required standard can be considered, and families must still list QE Barnet on the Common Application Form by their own local authority's deadline.
View the full processLatest 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 | 86.3 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 85.5 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 86.6 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 85.6 | 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 | A*- average (55.8 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | A+ average (53.3 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | A+ average (52.4 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | A+ average (52.7 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 | 100% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 100% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 100% | 98.7% | 91.8% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 100% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 18 May 2022
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Nearby London option with a similar admissions route
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
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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FAQ
QE Barnet currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Complete the entrance test request form: Submit the school's online or paper entrance test request form once it opens for September 2027 entry. 2. Return the form by noon on 8 July 2026: Late forms are not accepted for the September 2026 entrance tests, so families need the school's acknowledgement before the deadline passes. 3. Sit the two September entrance papers: Candidates sit one multiple-choice English paper and one multiple-choice mathematics paper on 16 or 17 September 2026. 4. If eligible, submit your CAF through your home local authority: Only boys who reach the Governors' required standard can be considered, and families must still list QE Barnet on the Common Application Form by their own local authority's deadline.
Entrance test form opens: 1 May 2026. School open day: 2 July 2026. Deadline for test requests: 8 July 2026, Noon. Entrance test day 1: 16 September 2026. Entrance test day 2: 17 September 2026. Reserve entrance test: 23 September 2026. Entrance test outcomes sent: 1 October 2026, Provisional date. CAF deadline: As published by your home local authority. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
QE Barnet is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 18 May 2022.