Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle
86%
Capacity
788
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle sits within Lincolnshire's state secondary landscape as a strong performer, ranking 3rd out of 12 schools in the East Lindsey local authority area. That places it in the top quarter of its immediate neighbours, with a Progress 8 score of 0.28 putting it well above the local authority average of -0.06. Across the wider East Midlands region, it ranks 63rd out of 273 schools, again landing in the top quarter. The school's closest top-performing peers in the county are The King's School, Grantham, Grantham College and Bourne Grammar School, all of which post even higher Progress 8 scores. With 788 pupils on roll against a capacity of 920, the school is not at full capacity but is clearly in demand: for 2025/26 admissions, it received 248 applications for 119 places, with 156 of those as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.08.
Academically, the school delivers consistently strong results across both key stages. At KS4, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 62.1 and a Progress 8 score of 0.28, which is banded as 'Above average'. The English Baccalaureate entry rate is high at 83.9%, and 67.7% of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the basics measure, 81.5% of pupils secured grade 5 or above in both English and maths. At A-level, the school's value-added score is -0.01, banded as 'Average', with pupils averaging a B- grade per entry and 20.9% achieving at least AAB in facilitating subjects. Ofsted's most recent inspection in June 2024 rated the school Good across all categories, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and sixth-form provision. This represents a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2011, but the school remains a solid choice for families prioritising strong GCSE outcomes and a broad academic curriculum.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, tennis courts, playing fields and science labs, plus dedicated music rooms and art studios. Sports on offer include rowing, rugby, cricket and athletics, while extracurricular clubs range from coding and debate to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN and Young Enterprise. The sixth form is well established, with a dedicated centre and 110 pupils in the most recent cohort. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. With a relatively low free school meals rate of 9.1%, the school draws from a broadly middle-income catchment. It will suit families who value strong academic progress, a structured environment, and a wide choice of enrichment activities, particularly those looking for a grammar-school-style education without the selective entry requirement.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | West Street, Horncastle, East Lindsey, LN9 5AD |
| Headteacher | Simon Furness |
| Local Authority | Lincolnshire |
| Number of Pupils | 788 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 9.1% |
| School Capacity | 788 / 920 (86% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Jun 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 1 Jul 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.28)
877th of 3,141
Nationally
63rd of 273
In East Midlands
3rd 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
40.6
'22/23
39.1
'23/24
37.8
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
2022/2386%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 123 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)86%
- FE college11%
- Apprenticeship1%
- Employment1%
- Not sustained1%
99% 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
2022/2375%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 88 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
29%
Russell Group
33%
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)75%
- Employment18%
- Further education1%
- Apprenticeship1%
- Not sustained1%
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- Psychology34
- History33
- Physics30
- Biology29
- Mathematics26
- Economics23
- Chemistry20
- Geography20
- English Literature19
- Business Studies:Single17
- Religious Studies16
- Film Studies15
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
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed119
248
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
156 families put this school as their 1st choice (63% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:45
Source: qegs.lincs.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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British75.6%
- Asian10.4%
- White (other)4.6%
- Mixed3.7%
- Black0.1%
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.
Better than half of schools in England.
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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Frequently Asked Questions About Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle
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
West Street, Horncastle
East Lindsey, LN9 5AD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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