Queen Elizabeth's Grammar Alford - A Selective Academy
85%
Capacity
533
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About Queen Elizabeth's Grammar Alford - A Selective Academy
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar Alford - A Selective Academy sits within the Lincolnshire local authority, a county with a strong tradition of selective state education. Among the 57 secondary schools in the LA, it ranks 14th by Progress 8 score, placing it comfortably in the top quarter. Its closest competitors in the local landscape are The King's School, Grantham, Grantham College, and Bourne Grammar School, all of which post higher Progress 8 scores. Still, within its immediate borough of East Lindsey, the school ranks 4th out of 12 secondaries, putting it well above the local average. The school is a selective academy, meaning pupils are admitted based on academic ability, and it serves 533 students against a capacity of 628. Headteacher Glen Thompson leads a mixed, non-denominational school with a sixth form, and the most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021 rated it Good across all categories, including behaviour, personal development, and leadership.
Academically, the school delivers strong results that comfortably outpace the local authority average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.28 is well above the Lincolnshire average of -0.06, meaning pupils here make significantly more progress than their peers across the county. The Attainment 8 score sits at 59.1, and 76.3% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The school also places a heavy emphasis on the English Baccalaureate, with 94.6% of pupils entering the EBacc suite of subjects and 38.7% achieving a grade 5 or above across all five components. At A-level, the school's value-added score of 0.23 is rated as above average, and the average grade per entry is a B-, with points per entry at 36.67. The sixth form is relatively small, with 52 pupils in the most recent data, but it performs well, with 16.3% of entries achieving AAB or higher.
The school is well equipped for a comprehensive academic and extracurricular experience. Facilities include a theatre, astro turf, sports hall, sixth form centre, and dedicated art and music rooms. Sports offered range from rowing and martial arts to netball and swimming, while clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. The school also provides targeted support for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. Admissions are competitive: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 191 applications for 85 places, with 105 first-preference applications and 80 first-preference offers. This oversubscription ratio of 2.25 reflects its strong local reputation. Queen Elizabeth's Grammar Alford is a good fit for academically able families in Lincolnshire who want a selective state school with a strong sixth form, solid exam results, and a broad range of activities, all within a relatively small and focused school community.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Station Road, Alford, East Lindsey, LN13 9HY |
| Headteacher | Glen Thompson |
| Local Authority | Lincolnshire |
| Number of Pupils | 533 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 13.5% |
| School Capacity | 533 / 628 (85% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
23 Nov 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 17 Jan 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.28)
879th of 3,141
Nationally
64th of 273
In East Midlands
4th of 12
In East Lindsey
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
38.1
'22/23
36.0
'23/24
36.7
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
2022/2365%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 82 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)65%
- FE college10%
- Sixth form college7%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Employment1%
94% 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
2022/2368%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 56 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
38%
Russell Group
41%
Top-third HE
2%
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)68%
- Employment18%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained4%
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- Business Studies:Single21
- Economics13
- Mathematics13
- Sociology13
- History11
- Biology10
- Chemistry9
- English Literature9
- Design and Technology (Product Design)8
- English Language8
- Physical Education / Sports Studies5
- Computer Studies / Computing4
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
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
21Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed85
191
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
105 families put this school as their 1st choice (55% 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 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%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.2%
- Mixed6.0%
- Asian3.8%
- White (other)2.3%
- 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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half 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
3
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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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
Station Road, Alford
East Lindsey, LN13 9HY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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