The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough
92%
Capacity
1,126
Pupils
1.5x
Demand
About The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough
The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough, is a mixed state secondary in the West Lindsey area of Lincolnshire, and it sits 4th out of 7 schools in that immediate district based on Progress 8 scores. When you zoom out to the whole of Lincolnshire, it ranks 16th out of 57 same-type schools, which is comfortably in the top third. The top-performing peers in the county are The King's School, Grantham, Grantham College, and Bourne Grammar School, all with higher ranking scores. The school is led by headteacher Richard Eastham and has a capacity of 1,230 pupils, currently housing 1,126 students. It is non-denominational with no religious character, does not offer boarding or nursery provision, but does have a dedicated Sixth Form Centre for its 11-18 age range.
Academically, the school has shown clear improvement. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, it achieved a Good rating across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This is a notable step up from its previous inspection in 2021, where it was rated Requires Improvement overall. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score of 0.26 is well above the local authority average of -0.06, and it is classed as 'Above average' nationally. The Attainment 8 score sits at 62.4, and 84.8% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is very high at 94.8%, with 48.2% achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the school's value-added score is exactly average at 0, with a points-per-entry grade of B- and a best three A-levels grade also at B-.
The school is clearly popular and oversubscribed. For the 2025/26 academic year, it received 273 applications for 186 places, with 217 of those as first preferences, resulting in an oversubscription ratio of 1.47. This suggests strong local demand. Facilities are comprehensive and include art studios, an astro turf pitch, a gymnasium, library, sports hall, theatre, chapel, and a sixth-form centre. Sports offered range from rugby and football to rowing and martial arts, while clubs include chess, drama, Model UN, book club, Young Enterprise, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school also provides SEND support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With its strong Progress 8 performance, improving Ofsted record, and wide range of extracurriculars, this school is a good fit for families in the Gainsborough area who want a state education with a clear academic focus and a supportive sixth form.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, West Lindsey, DN21 2ST |
| Headteacher | Richard Eastham |
| Local Authority | Lincolnshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,126 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 10.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,126 / 1,230 (92% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Dec 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 29 Jan 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.26)
925th of 3,141
Nationally
69th of 273
In East Midlands
4th of 7
In West 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
37.9
'22/23
37.7
'23/24
35.8
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
2022/2376%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 186 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)76%
- Sixth form college13%
- FE college6%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Not sustained2%
- 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
2022/2381%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 144 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
47%
Russell Group
55%
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)81%
- Employment8%
- Not sustained4%
- Apprenticeship2%
- 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- Biology67
- Mathematics50
- Chemistry44
- Business Studies:Single42
- Psychology41
- Law31
- Physics26
- History24
- English Language and Literature23
- Geography20
- Physical Education / Sports Studies20
- Sociology20
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
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed186
273
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
217 families put this school as their 1st choice (79% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:30
Source: qehs.lincs.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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 British74.1%
- Asian13.9%
- Mixed5.2%
- White (other)2.6%
- Black0.3%
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
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
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.
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.
7
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
4
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 The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough
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
Morton Terrace, Gainsborough
West Lindsey, DN21 2ST
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Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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