Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School

About Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Swale is one of seven state secondaries in the local authority, ranking third among them by Progress 8 score. That puts it ahead of the pack within its immediate borough, though across the wider Kent authority it sits at 53rd out of 106 same-type schools. The top-performing peers in Kent are selective grammars — Dartford Grammar School, The Judd School, and Dartford Grammar School for Girls — each with Progress 8 scores well above 0.8, so the competition is stiff. Queen Elizabeth's is a mixed, non-selective 11-18 school with no religious character, led by headteacher Amelia McIlroy. It is oversubscribed: for 153 places in 2025/26, there were 535 applications, a ratio of 3.5 applicants per place, and 115 first-preference applications resulted in 102 offers. That level of demand suggests it holds a strong local reputation, even if its headline metrics don't match the selective giants at the top of the Kent table.

Academically, the school's Progress 8 score of -0.22 is below the Kent local authority average of -0.13, placing it in the bottom 50 nationally for that measure. Its Attainment 8 score is 46.7, and 44.3 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is high at 73.6 per cent, though only 17.1 per cent achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2019, the school received an overall effectiveness rating of Good, with Outstanding marks for early years provision and personal development. The most recent ungraded inspection in 2025 noted some aspects were not as strong, but the school retained its Good rating across all key areas including behaviour, leadership, and sixth-form provision. At A-level, the value added score is -0.33, described as below average, with an average points per entry of 25.41, equivalent to a C- grade.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including science labs, a sports hall, art studios, music rooms, and a sixth-form centre. Clubs and activities are a clear strength in parent feedback: 86 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child can take part in clubs and activities, and 84 per cent agreed there is a good range of subjects available. SEND provision covers nine categories including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social and emotional mental health support, though only 21 per cent of parent respondents said their child has SEND, and views on support were mixed — 40 per cent agreed it was adequate, 40 per cent disagreed. The school is heavily oversubscribed, so families applying will need to be strategic. It suits those who value a large, inclusive comprehensive with strong extracurricular breadth and a sixth form, but who are realistic about academic outcomes that sit around the national average.

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