Schools by area › Blackburn with Darwen › Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–19 · Free school
West Park Road, Blackburn BB2 6DF · qegsblackburn.com · 01254 686300
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Sept 2019
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 47
- average Attainment 8 score. Blackburn with Darwen 45.4, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 873
- 87% of 1,000 places
- Local authority
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 23%
- First language not English
- 20.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 126 families put the school first and 167 places were offered; 87% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 167 | 126 | 0.8 | 87% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 153 | 115 | 0.8 | 89% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 165 | 173 | 1▲ | 72% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 102 | 131 | 1.3▲ | 54% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 104 | 126 | 1.2▲ | 53% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 47, and 36.9% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Blackburn with Darwen it was 45.4, and across England 46.
In 2018/19, 82% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 11% the higher standard.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (29.5 points per entry).
Key stage 2 results
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2018/19 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲82% | 65% | ||
| ●11% | 11% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●106 | 104 | ||
| ▲108 | 105 | ||
| ▲109 | 106 | ||
Progress scores 2018/19: reading +0.10, writing +0.10, maths +1.60
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●47 | 46 | ||
| ▼36.9% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲68.1% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲75.9% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.30 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 39.3 | −3 |
| Sixth form college | 10.7 | −0.2 |
| Further education | 38.6 | +0.6 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.1 | +1.4 |
| Employment | 0.7 | −1.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.9 | +4.3 |
| Activity not captured | 0.7 | 0 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72 students | C (29.5) | Average +0.03 | |
| 72 students | C (29.5) | Average +0.03 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 81 | C- (25.4) | -0.33 |
| 2022/23 | 91 | C- (27.1) | — |
| 2021/22 | 68 | C+ (33.1) | — |
| 2018/19 | 52 | C (31) | +0.25 |
| 2017/18 | 69 | C- (26.9) | -0.39 |
| 2016/17 | 108 | C (29.9) | -0.11 |
| 2015/16 | 71 | C (30.3) | -0.34 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 57 | −10.6 |
| Further and other education | 15.1 | +13.6 |
| Further education | 5.8 | — |
| Other education | 9.3 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 9.3 | +6.4 |
| Employment | 5.8 | −14.8 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 8.1 | +6.6 |
| Activity not captured | 4.7 | −1.2 |
Ofsted
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 25 September 2019, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework. An ungraded inspection in Mar 2025 found: Some aspects not as strong.
- Outcome
- Some aspects not as strong
- Inspected
- 4 Mar 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Sept 2019
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Sept 2019Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years Outstanding Sixth form Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
May 2017Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
What parents said
44% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (48 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 44%
- Replies
- 48
- 5% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 87% who raised concerns
based on the 60% who had a child bullied
based on 10 parents (21%) with SEND