Queen Elizabeth High School
108%
Capacity
432
Pupils
1.4x
Demand
About Queen Elizabeth High School
Queen Elizabeth High School is a mixed state secondary for 11 to 16 year olds in Herefordshire, and it’s currently running above its official capacity of 400 pupils with 432 on roll. That overspill is a practical signal of local demand, and the school’s admission data for 2025/26 backs that up: it received 101 applications for 74 places, with 74 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.36. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 23.2%, which is notably higher than the national average for secondary schools, suggesting the school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage. There’s no religious character to the school, and it doesn’t have a sixth form, so pupils typically move on elsewhere after Year 11. Headteacher Martin Farmer leads a school that has clearly become a popular choice locally, even if its intake profile points to some significant challenges around deprivation.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. That’s a marked improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2017, when it was rated Inadequate. The school’s Progress 8 score for 2023/24 is -0.46, which places it below the local authority average of -0.22 and in the bottom 50 nationally. Within Herefordshire, it ranks 10th out of 15 schools on this measure. Attainment 8 sits at 39.6, and the basics measure – the proportion of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs – is 34.7%, compared to 51.4% at grade 4 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 25%, with 9.7% achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above. These figures suggest that while the school is improving its Ofsted standing, academic outcomes remain below both local and national averages, particularly for higher-attaining pupils.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including science labs, a gymnasium, sports hall, theatre, astro turf, art studios, tennis courts and playing fields. Sports provision is varied, with rowing, cross country, swimming, martial arts, badminton, tennis and rounders on offer, and there’s a healthy selection of clubs covering newspaper, debate, art, drama, book club, science, eco, choir and orchestra. SEND support is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing impairment, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. Given the oversubscription and the above-average FSM rate, this is a school that’s clearly valued by local families, but parents should weigh the improving Ofsted rating against the below-average Progress 8 scores when considering whether it matches their child’s academic needs.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Ashfields, Bromyard, Herefordshire, County of, HR7 4QS |
| Headteacher | Martin Farmer |
| Local Authority | Herefordshire, County of |
| Number of Pupils | 432 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 23.2% |
| School Capacity | 432 / 400 (108% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
11 Jan 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (11 Jan 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 6 Nov 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.46)
2552nd of 3,141
Nationally
295th of 371
In West Midlands
10th of 15
In Herefordshire, County of
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/233%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 72 pupils).
- FE college64%
- Sixth form college26%
- Not sustained4%
- School sixth form (stay)3%
- Apprenticeship1%
- Employment1%
96% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed74
101
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
74 families put this school as their 1st choice (73% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:15
Source: qehs.co. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British87.3%
- White (other)7.4%
- Asian1.8%
- Mixed1.3%
- Black0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Queen Elizabeth High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Ashfields, Bromyard
Herefordshire, County of, HR7 4QS
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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