Queens' School Review 2026: Outstanding State Academy with Exceptional Breadth

When Alexandra School moved to Aldenham Road in 1966, and Bushey Grammar School occupied the opposite side of the same street, nobody foresaw the transformation that would follow three years later. In 1969, these two schools amalgamated to form Queens' School, a move that created something more than the sum of its parts. Today, Queens' sprawls across 52 acres of playing fields and modern facilities, making it the largest co-educational state school in Hertfordshire. With nearly 1,700 students and a recently refreshed school name reflecting its historic origins, this academy serves families across southwest Hertfordshire and beyond. An Ofsted inspection in March 2025 awarded Outstanding across all five categories, placing the school firmly among England's most impressive state secondaries. The Results speak volumes: Attainment 8 of 53.5 outpaces the local authority average, A-level grades sit meaningfully above England typical performance, and a steady stream of leavers progress to Russell Group universities and competitive degree programmes.

Stepping onto either side of Aldenham Road, you encounter the physical legacy of two distinct institutions held together by a pedestrian underpass and unified pastoral vision. The north site, formerly Bushey Grammar, retains its traditional institutional character. The south side, formerly Alexandra School, offers a different architectural flavour. What binds them is the House system, four vertical structures (Attenborough, Franklin, Turing, and Seacole, each named after pioneering scientists) that give a school of 1,700 a genuinely human scale. Students speak of strong identity within their house, and inter-house competitions in sports and music create visible bonds.

At changeover, the atmosphere is purposeful without feeling frantic. Students move with clear direction. Staff stand at transitions. The tone is one of friendly expectation rather than military precision. Jonathan Morrell, headteacher since approximately 2014, leads a school explicitly committed to the motto "Dare to be Great", a philosophy that threads through everything from pastoral messaging to the naming of enrichment programmes.

The recent Ofsted inspection found behaviour and personal development to be Outstanding, noting that students show positive attitudes to learning and collaborate well. The House system was specifically praised as fostering safety and belonging in what could otherwise feel like an enormous institution. Students report that bullying is rare and that staff are responsive when concerns arise.

GCSE Performance

In 2024, 29% of grades achieved the top bands (9-7), a figure well below the England average of 54%. However, this headline masks a more nuanced picture. The Attainment 8 score of 53.5 sits slightly above the local authority average of 50.2, and well above the England average of 45.9. Progress 8 of +0.2 indicates pupils make above-average progress from their key stage 2 starting points, a key measure of how much the school adds to prior attainment (FindMySchool ranking). The school ranks 1,173rd in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool data), placing it in the typical performance band (25th to 60th percentile), in line with the middle range of schools.

The English Baccalaureate entry rate was 30%, with students achieving grades 5+ in 30% of entries, notably below both local and national participation. This reflects the school's genuine comprehensiveness; not all students follow the traditional academic breadth pathway, and the school makes space for vocational and technical routes from Year 9 onwards.

A-Level Performance

The sixth form, which admitted around 400 students into Years 12 and 13 (both internal progression and external entry), delivered stronger results. In 2024, 56% achieved grades A*-B, exceeding the England average of 47%. A*/A grades accounted for 28%, again above the England average of 24%. The school ranks 810th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool data), placing it in the typical performance band, reflecting solid sixth form performance within the middle range.

These results suggest a sixth form intake that skews toward stronger applicants or students who've successfully navigated the school's earlier pathways. The school offers 26+ A-level subjects, including less common options like Russian and History of Art, indicating a curriculum that caters to genuine academic ambition without narrowing into a purely STEM or traditional core.

Destinations

Of the 168 students who left at the end of 2023-24, 72% progressed to university, 6% entered apprenticeships, 12% went directly into employment, and 1% pursued further education. These figures suggest a school serving a realistic spread of aspirations rather than a wholly university-focused cohort. The previous Ofsted report (2019) had specifically praised the breadth of outcomes, and this remains a strength: students exit into diverse paths with genuine support.

Remarkably, one student secured a place at Cambridge and none at Oxford in the measured cohort, though across the broader sixth form, the school typically sees single-digit Oxbridge entries most years. Ten combined applications with one offer and one acceptance represents realistic figures for a comprehensive sixth form. Beyond Oxbridge, students progress regularly to Russell Group institutions including Durham, Bristol, Exeter, and Edinburgh, with particular strength in competitive programmes like Medicine (18 entrants to medical school in 2024).

The 2025 Ofsted inspection awarded Outstanding for quality of education. Teaching is structured and clear, with strong subject knowledge among staff. Lessons observed by inspectors showed skilled questioning and engaging activities that stimulate interest quickly. The school operates a broad curriculum at Key Stage 3, with setting in core subjects from Year 9 onwards.

From Year 9, students select option subjects that form their GCSE pathway. The school deliberately offers both traditional academic routes and vocational alternatives, BTECs in sport, hospitality, and digital media sit alongside A-levels in classical subjects. This flexibility reflects the school's comprehensive character and allows students to find genuine fit rather than forcing everyone through a single mould.

The outdoor classroom, a dedicated teaching space within the extensive grounds, is actively used for geography, biology, and environmental studies. Teachers describe the space as enabling pupils to "experience their learning from the classroom in real life," a practical application that lifts abstract concepts into tangible engagement.

Music tuition is available to those who wish it, and the school runs specialist music aptitude places (5% of intake), suggesting a committed cohort of young musicians. Drama productions occur throughout the year, with recent productions including High School Musical and other substantial theatrical undertakings. The Creative Arts department encompasses Art, Photography, Drama, and Design Technology, with dedicated staff leading each discipline.

With 12 all-weather sports pitches across 50 acres of playing fields, Queens' possesses facilities that genuinely set it apart. The outdoor environment is a constant presence in school life, not a luxury add-on. This translates directly into an extensive extracurricular sports curriculum. Students participate year-round in rugby, netball, football, hockey, athletics, rounders, cricket, basketball, and tennis. The school's sporting success is notable: sixth-form Sports Academies in Football and Basketball operate in partnership with Watford Ladies Football Club and Warriors respectively, providing elite coaching pathways for serious athletes whilst they complete their academic studies.

Beyond sport, the richness of provision spans music ensembles (the inter-house music competition is an annual highlight), drama productions involving substantial casts and orchestras, and a Combined Cadet Force that is "regularly praised for providing cadets with a wide range of challenging activities which test practical skills, promote resilience, responsibility and leadership." Sixth-form students organise Friday debates addressing contemporary social, moral, cultural, and political issues, a form of intellectual citizenship that surfaces real thinking.

The Library holds structured roles including Year 7 Library Champions (elected pupils who promote reading for pleasure and curate displays), suggesting that information literacy and a reading culture are actively valued. Art Club, Humanities Club, and subject-specific enrichment sessions appear regularly in the school's social media calendar. The Outdoor Classroom hosts both structured lessons and enrichment activities, creating genuine integration between curriculum and environment.

Students can participate in residential trips and foreign expeditions, with an international link to a partner school in Taiwan that facilitates exchanges allowing pupils to "broaden horizons, learn about different cultures and create global links." The "Dare to Know" work experience programme gives pupils insight into employment pathways beyond the traditional academic route.

The House system itself becomes an activity hub, with inter-house competitions in sports, music, and other disciplines creating visible rivalry and belonging. Students take on House roles, participate in House-organised events, and develop leadership through House structures.

Queens' is a partially selective school. 35% of Year 7 places are allocated based on performance in the South West Herts Consortium academic ability test (mathematics and verbal reasoning). A further 10% of places are reserved for aptitude in music and sport respectively (5% each). The remaining 55% of places are allocated by distance and sibling status.

Demand is intense. In the most recent reported admissions data, 1,550 applications were made for 251 primary-to-secondary transition places, representing a 6.18:1 ratio. For the academic-ability pathway, high scores in the entrance test do not guarantee a place if the quota is oversubscribed with higher scorers. Families must also complete a Supplementary Information Form to invoke the academic criterion.

The catchment for non-selective places extends to specific postcodes (WD3–7, WD17–19, WD23–25, AL2 south of M25, and surrounding areas), but demand means even within the catchment, distance is a factor. Siblings of existing students receive priority, and children in local authority care are placed first.

Entry to the sixth form follows a different pathway, with minimum GCSE requirements (typically grades 5 or above in English Language and Mathematics, and a minimum Best 8 Point Score of 35). Applications close in early February for September entry, and the sixth form admits both internal students and external applicants.

The school day runs from 8:50am to 3:20pm. There is no on-site breakfast club or after-school care explicitly mentioned, though sixth form students operate some independent structures. Students are expected to be present throughout the school day unless prior permission has been granted. The school operates a structured calendar with half-term breaks and longer holidays aligned to the academic year.

Transport is a consideration given the split-site nature and the absence of a formal single campus. Bushey Station (approximately 20 minutes by train to London Euston) sits within reasonable proximity for some families. The school's location near Bushey Grove Leisure Centre and the Purcell School of Music on the north side, and the Metropolitan Police sports grounds and Powerleague facility on the south side, creates a vibrant local context.

A range of support services are available, including counselling, peer support structures, and formal provisions for students with SEND. The school holds an Inclusion Quality Mark, indicating proactive SEN provision.

The House system is central to pastoral provision. Each house contains all year groups and is led by Heads of Year, with dedicated staff assigned to form groups of 6–8 students. This vertical structure means older and younger students mix naturally, and older students often serve as mentors.

The 2025 Ofsted inspection rated Personal Development as Outstanding and Behaviour and Attitudes as Outstanding. Pupils are described as showing positive attitudes to learning and collaborating well. The school actively promotes a culture where students feel safe and where "OK to be different" is a genuine operating principle.

A counsellor visits weekly to support students who may be struggling emotionally. The school's explicit commitment to student character development, alongside academic achievement, shapes the tone of interaction. Staff know students across the vertical House structure, and multiple adults can respond if a student raises concerns.

Safeguarding is taken seriously, with formal policies and training in place. The school's structure (the physical distance between sites, the House system, the leadership emphasis) appears geared toward preventing students from getting lost in a school of 1,700.

Partially selective entry. 35% of Year 7 places are allocated by academic test. This creates a competitive, academically-skewed intake compared to a fully comprehensive neighbouring school. Families should understand that being offered a place by distance does not mean their child is in the top ability band; some form groups will have a mix of test-passers and distance-allocated students. The social dynamics of a school with a selective cohort differ from a purely non-selective one.

Split-site campus. With two sites separated by Aldenham Road and linked by an underpass, logistics are more complex than a single-site school. Some students may spend double lessons or entire days on one site, requiring adjustment. The underpass itself is a significant infrastructure feature; weather, timing, and flow can affect the practical experience of moving between sites.

High demand and distance volatility. The school has been oversubscribed for years, and admission by distance can shift year-to-year. Families considering the school on the basis of distance should verify their precise postcode status against current admissions criteria. Proximity provides priority but does not guarantee a place.

A-level subject breadth without specialisation. The sixth form offers 26+ subjects but does not operate a narrowly specialist pathway (e.g., no medical school-specific programme or engineering centre). Students pursue individual choices within a broad framework, which suits some learners better than others.

Queens' School is a comprehensive secondary academy that genuinely balances academic ambition with genuine breadth. The 2025 Ofsted inspection's five Outstanding grades confirm this is a school where teaching is strong, students are safe, and leaders are thinking carefully about holistic development. Results are solid without being elite; a school for students who want to work hard and explore a genuine range of possibilities rather than a narrow apex.

Best suited to families within the catchment area or postcode preference zones who want a large, well-resourced state school with a visible House system, strong sports provision, and genuine access to music and the arts. The academic selection (35% of intake) means some pupils will be higher-attaining, creating a competitive peer group for those admitted on merit. The split site is a reality to navigate but also creates distinct communities within a large school. For families in the postcodes or nearby, seeking a state secondary where their child can pursue sports, music, or drama seriously whilst also sitting strong exams, this is a genuinely appealing option.