Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
91%
Capacity
1,298
Pupils
1.2x
Demand
About Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Derbyshire Dales holds a Good rating from Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection in 2014, and an ungraded inspection in 2024 confirmed the school remains Good. The inspection report rated leadership and management as Outstanding, while sixth-form provision was judged Good. The school’s most telling academic metric is its Progress 8 score of -0.25, which places it below the Derbyshire local authority average of -0.11. This means that, on average, pupils at this mixed 11-18 state secondary achieve about a quarter of a grade less per subject across eight GCSEs than pupils with similar starting points nationally. The school ranks 26th out of 46 similar schools in the local authority, and third out of three schools in the Derbyshire Dales area. Its Attainment 8 score sits at 46.5, and just under two-thirds of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths.
At A-level, the picture is more positive. The school’s value-added score of 0.32 is classed as above average, meaning students typically achieve better than expected given their prior attainment. The average points per entry is 37.7, equivalent to a B- grade, and the best three A-levels average out at a B- as well. Just under a fifth of entries achieved grades AAB or higher. The sixth form has 117 pupils, and the school runs a full range of academic subjects. At GCSE level, the English Baccalaureate entry rate is 23.3%, with 16.1% of pupils achieving the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. The school’s EBacc average point score is 4.1. Compared with its previous inspection, where overall effectiveness was Requires Improvement, the school has clearly made progress, particularly in leadership.
The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 249 applications for 201 places, with 198 first-preference offers made. It has a Christian religious character and a headteacher, Scott Garrity, leading a large school of 1,298 pupils, close to its capacity of 1,420. Facilities include a library, gymnasium, science labs, sports hall, theatre, art studios, music rooms, tennis courts, a sixth-form centre, and a chapel. Sports on offer include cricket, netball, rugby, rowing, and gymnastics, while clubs range from coding and Model UN to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech and language difficulties. With 18% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it serves a broadly representative intake. This school suits families who value strong leadership and a sixth form that adds real value, but who are realistic about GCSE outcomes that sit slightly below the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Christian |
| Address | The Green Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire Dales, DE6 1EP |
| Headteacher | Scott Garrity |
| Local Authority | Derbyshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,298 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.0% |
| School Capacity | 1,298 / 1,420 (91% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Jan 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (24 Jan 2024): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 26 Nov 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.25)
2126th of 3,141
Nationally
171st of 273
In East Midlands
3rd of 3
In Derbyshire Dales
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
44.0
'22/23
36.1
'23/24
37.7
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
2022/2356%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 217 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)56%
- FE college26%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Employment7%
- Not sustained2%
- Sixth form college1%
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
2022/2369%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 141 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
24%
Russell Group
31%
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)69%
- Employment20%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Not sustained4%
- Further education1%
- Other education1%
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- Geography33
- Psychology30
- Mathematics27
- Economics25
- Biology23
- Sociology22
- Business Studies:Single19
- Chemistry19
- History17
- Government and Politics14
- English Literature13
- Physical Education / Sports Studies13
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
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed201
249
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
198 families put this school as their 1st choice (80% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:15
Source: queenelizabeths.derbyshire.sch.uk. 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 British88.9%
- White (other)4.9%
- Mixed2.5%
- Asian1.0%
- 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.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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
2
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's Grammar 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
The Green Road, Ashbourne
Derbyshire Dales, DE6 1EP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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