Do you know why grammar schools are popular schooling options among parents in the United Kingdom? They're not only free, but also selective — which often reflects a strong academic environment. If you are looking for an established grammar school for your son in London, you should consider Queen Elizabeth's School.
This article provides parents and students with a comprehensive overview of Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet, highlighting its achievements and detailing the admissions process to help ensure successful enrollment.
📚 Overview of Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet
Before we delve deeper into the admissions process, let’s take a look at what sets Queen Elizabeth’s School apart as a state school, particularly in terms of its academic and co-curricular excellence.
🎓History and Prestige
Founded in 1573, Queen Elizabeth's School received its titular name because it was established by royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I.
One of the oldest state schools in England, it was originally located in Tudor Hall on Wood Street, Chipping Barnet, before relocating to its current site on Queen’s Road, Barnet.
Steeped in royal heritage and centuries of academic tradition, the school continues to thrive both academically and beyond the classroom — maintaining a legacy of excellence that spans more than 450 years for boys aged 11 to 18.
Here are some of the school's key awards 1 and accolades:
- Ofsted Outstanding Rating: The school was rated “Outstanding” in all five inspection categories in 2022, marking its sixth consecutive top rating
- Evening Standard Academic Excellence Award: QE received the Evening Standard School of the Year Award for Academic Excellence (presented by the Secretary of State for Education)
- Sunday Times State Secondary School of the Year: The school has won this prestigious national title four times, including 2026 and 2022
🎯Academic Achievements
Queen Elizabeth's School is one of the most academically successful secondary schools in England, with a significant focus on achieving A/A* grades at GCSE and A Level. 2
2025 GCSE level A & A* grades
2025 A Level A & A* grades
A total of 44 students received Oxbridge offers based on their 2025 A-Level results, with many students also receiving admissions to Russell Group universities in the UK.
English
Engineering
Modern & Medieval Languages
Music
Geography
Psychology
History
Cambridge’s Natural Sciences
Oxford’s Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
This is a huge feat for Queen Elizabeth's School as a state school that offers premier free education to its students.
One of the most inspirational learning environments we’ve ever come across that offers an exceptional and rounded education that even private schools struggle to compete with.
Good Schools Guide, 2025
🏫Facilities and Extracurricular Activities
Beyond the classroom, the school offers a wide range of sporting facilities and activities, including cricket, rugby, athletics, and water polo, to rival schools such as St. Paul's Girls School.
Additionally, QE is famed for its broad and ever-evolving clubs and societies to cater to the boys' interests and skills, whether it's chess, comics, or computing.
The school also offers ample opportunity for musicians; ensembles for string, brass, and woodwind instruments, to name a few. Even for those who can’t play an instrument, there are plenty of extracurricular activities, like drama or the arts, for your child to get involved in. These sorts of activities may cost extra, but they are nowhere near the costs of attending some private schools like King's College London.
Fun Fact: QE students have achieved national and international success in extra-curricular fields, including winning the VEX IQ Robotics World Championships and leading the UK in the British Biology Olympiad.
👨🎓Notable Alumni
Queen Elizabeth's School believes in producing young men who are confident, able, and responsible. The school's alumni are called Old Elizabethans (OE). Notable examples include:
- Demis Hassabis: Co-founder of Google DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs
- Jay Shetty: Podcaster, author, entrepreneur, and life coach
- Robert Rinder: Criminal barrister and television personality
📊 Admissions Process
Queen Elizabeth's School is one of the most academically selective and prestigious grammar schools in the UK. Admission to the school is only open to students entering Year 7. For Sixth Form, the school accepts applications only from its existing pupils. 3
📅 Key Dates and Deadlines for Sept 2027 Entry
1st May 2026
The entrance request application is open
2nd July 2026
Attend the school open day and take a guided tour
8th July 2026 (noon)
Deadline for the completed entrance test request form
16th & 17th Sept 2026
Applicants will sit multiple-choice tests in Maths and English at QE
18th Sept- 1st Oct 2026
Marking of the papers (marks will be combined for both subjects)
1st Oct 2026
Results of the entrance exams will be emailed to parents. Successful applicants will have a further school tour during working hours
31 Oct 2026
Common Application Form (CAF) deadline
1st March 2027
Check with your local housing authority whether the applicant has been offered a place
📍Entrance Test Details
The entrance test consists of two sections, for English and Maths, both completed on the same day.
⭐Paper 1 (English)
- Multiple-choice questions that evaluate comprehension and literacy
- Aligned with Key Stage 2 curriculum skills, with a specific reading comprehension task
- Test duration: 50 minutes
⭐Paper 2 (Maths)
- Multiple-choice questions that evaluate topics like number, measurement, geometry, and statistics.
- Aligned with Key Stage 2 maths content taught up to the start of Year 6
- Test duration: 50 minutes
The entrance test consists of two sections, for English and Maths, both completed on the same day. Upon marking, the scores of the tests will be standardised and combined. Only applicants who score a combined score of 225 or higher will be eligible to be considered for admission.
📝 Application Procedure
Step 1: Complete and submit the Entrance Test Request Form, which can be accessed and submitted electronically from the admissions section of the School’s website on the 1st of May. Physical copies are also available upon request.
Step 2: Complete the Common Application Form (CAF) and return it to your local authority by the specified date (usually on 31st October 2026). It is important to indicate Queen Elizabeth School as one of your preferred schools for a favorable application result. 4
The CAF is the official mechanism for allocating school places across all state schools, including grammar schools like Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet.
Even if your child does not pass or sit for the entrance test, the local authority needs the CAF to know your school preferences and to offer a place elsewhere if necessary.
Applying to other schools? Find out more about St Paul's school admissions procedure.
🔍 Admission Criteria and Cut-Off Scores
The rule of thumb for admission is this: All places are offered based on the total score from the two entrance test papers. The higher the score, the greater the chance of admission.
✅ Selection Criteria
Under the latest admissions guidelines, the Published Admission Number (PAN) for entry at age 11 for the year commencing September 2027 is 180 students.
To be offered a place, applicants must rank among the top 180 candidates based on their test scores and list Queen Elizabeth’s School as one of their preferences on the Common Application Form (CAF), and submit the form before the deadline.
If two or more applicants achieve the same score, places are allocated based on the straight-line distance from the child’s home to the school, with priority given to those living closer.
The address used must be the child’s permanent home address (not a childminder’s or business address); if parents live separately, the address where the child usually lives and attends primary school will be used.
📈 Historical Cut-Off Scores
Every year, the cut-off score for QE's entrance test is different. It is highly dependent on two factors:
- The number of applicants who take the tests
- The number of applicants who meet the minimum combined score requirement
Even if the student meets the combined score requirement, he is not guaranteed a place at the school, as there could be many students who score higher, as shown in the table below.
While the combined score requirement for 2024 and 2025 are 220, only students who score 235 and above are offered a place (cut-off score).
| Year of Admission | Number taking entrance tests | Number reaching minimum standard required | Number of applicants | Minimum combined score requirement | Lowest score gaining admission (excluding appeals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3294 | 742 | 839 | 220 | 235 |
| 2025 | 3433 | 764 | 809 | 220 | 235 |
Important note: QE recently announced that the combined score requirement for the upcoming 2027 entry is 225 or higher, so you can imagine that the cut-off score would be higher.
Find out more about Putney High School's admissions procedure.
✍️ Preparing for the Entrance Test
After reviewing the entrance test format and the combined score requirement, let's look at how to prepare and master the right revision strategies for the QE entrance test.
📖 Recommended Study Materials
The school website offers dedicated QE Barnet study resources to help students familiarise themselves with core skills that are tested for both English and Maths.
Familiarisation materials
Practice papers
💡 Study Tips and Strategies
Now, let's align your goals with the right study tips and strategies.
The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
Mark Twain
📌Tip 1: Practice with sample papers
The questions for the entrance test are meant to evaluate a student's core skills in the two subjects, so practising and getting used to the format is especially important. Pupils often struggle when they come to the exam because they are not used to the style of questions.
To enhance your preparation, you can attempt the sample papers under timed conditions. Set a timer of 50 minutes to build confidence and pacing. At the same time, make sure to balance structured revision with breaks to avoid burnout.
📌 Tip 2: Take personalised lessons with a private tutor
If you are looking for tutors who teach English and Maths, just head to Superprof to find the perfect tutor. Simply search for the subject you need help with. Don't forget to enter your current location so you can find the tutors located closest to you.
Having personalised guidance can help your child to identify their strengths and weaknesses. With the right feedback, he would be able to improve faster.
We hope you have found this article insightful. All the best in your application!
References
- Awards & Accolades - Queen Elizabeth’s School. (2025, December 5). Queen Elizabeth’s School. https://www.qebarnet.co.uk/about-us/school-performance/awards-accolades/
- Clubs & Extra-Curricular - Queen Elizabeth’s School. (2018, March 29). Queen Elizabeth’s School. https://www.qebarnet.co.uk/beyond-the-classroom/clubs-extra-curricular/
- Admissions Process - Queen Elizabeth’s School. (2026, March 2). Queen Elizabeth’s School. https://www.qebarnet.co.uk/admissions-information/admissions/
- Enright, N. J., Gaskell, A. N., & Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet. (2027). Criteria for admission & Our admissions guide for parents | September 2027 admissions. https://www.qebarnet.co.uk
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