Queen Elizabeth School
94%
Capacity
1,156
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About Queen Elizabeth School
Queen Elizabeth School in Westmorland and Furness holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, but the real story lies in its academic performance. The school’s Progress 8 score of 0.37 is well above the local authority average of -0.12, placing it third out of 19 secondary schools in the area and in the top quarter nationally. This means pupils here make significantly more progress from Key Stage 2 to GCSE than their peers across Westmorland and Furness. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 58.5 is strong, and 90.6% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The EBacc average point score of 5.16 further underlines solid academic standards, though the school’s maths Progress 8 score of -0.13 suggests that progress in maths lags slightly behind English and the open element of the curriculum.
At A-level, the picture is more mixed. The school’s value-added score of -0.24 is below average, and the progress banding is rated as ‘Below average’. The average points per entry of 33.64 equates to a grade of C+, and 11.5% of entries achieved AAB or higher. With 104 pupils in the sixth form, it’s a sizeable cohort, but the data suggests that while GCSE outcomes are a clear strength, sixth-form students may not make the same level of progress compared with similar students nationally. The school’s Ofsted report noted that behaviour and attitudes are Outstanding, and leadership and management, quality of education, personal development, and sixth-form provision are all Good.
The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 490 applications for 247 places, with 263 first-preference applications and 244 offers made to first-preference families. Facilities include a swimming pool, astro turf, gymnasium, library, and playing fields, and there’s a wide range of clubs from coding and chess to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Model UN. The school supports a broad spectrum of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and physical disabilities. Queen Elizabeth School is a good fit for families who prioritise strong GCSE progress and a well-behaved, structured environment, but those with an eye on sixth-form outcomes may want to dig deeper into the post-16 offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland and Furness, LA6 2HJ |
| Headteacher | David Waugh |
| Local Authority | Westmorland and Furness |
| Number of Pupils | 1,156 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 8.3% |
| School Capacity | 1,156 / 1,228 (94% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Oct 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 24 Nov 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.37)
694th of 3,141
Nationally
73rd of 445
In North West
3rd of 19
In Westmorland and Furness
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
37.9
'22/23
36.2
'23/24
33.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2383%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 103 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)83%
- FE college12%
- Sixth form college1%
- Apprenticeship1%
- Employment1%
98% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2353%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 76 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
38%
Russell Group
43%
Top-third HE
5%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)53%
- Employment30%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained4%
- Further education3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Biology21
- Psychology20
- Mathematics19
- Geography17
- Business Studies:Single15
- Art and Design (Photography)11
- Chemistry11
- History11
- English Language10
- Logic / Philosophy10
- Art and Design9
- French9
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
22Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed247
490
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
263 families put this school as their 1st choice (54% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British94.2%
- Mixed2.5%
- White (other)2.2%
- Asian0.2%
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.
Half 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.
3
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 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
Kirkby Lonsdale
Westmorland and Furness, LA6 2HJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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