Situated alongside the National Trust's Kingston Lacy estate, Queen Elizabeth's School reaches across a wide East Dorset catchment, drawing students from Sixpenny Handley near Salisbury to the Hampshire border.
Founded by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, whose father occupied the Kingston Lacy estate in the mid-15th century , the school carries 500 years of educational heritage. In recent years, this co-educational comprehensive has invested heavily in contemporary facilities, particularly for sport and technology. The school is currently on a trajectory of improvement following an October 2023 Ofsted inspection rated Requires Improvement, with behaviour and attitudes graded Good. With around 1,450 students across two sites, it operates a house system drawing on Tudor-era names: Lancaster, Stuart, Tudor, Wessex, and York. The school was judged Outstanding in its 2018 SIAMS inspection, with assessors noting that leadership had established a holistic approach rooted in the Christian ethos and commitment to valuing each individual.
This is a comprehensive secondary serving families across a broad geographical area and diverse social backgrounds. The school operates as a Specialist Sports College with excellent facilities in ICT and sport, including a pool, all-weather Astroturf pitch, 12 tennis courts, squash courts, climbing wall, and a large Sports Hall . The contemporary campus reflects the 2011 rebuild, when architects Feilden Clegg Bradley designed the new buildings, with students influencing the design from the start, and the facilities occupied in October 2011.
The school was rebuilt as a demonstration project for sustainable schools, featuring a ground-air heat exchanger system and biomass boilers.
Mr Thomas Neill serves as Principal , having taken up the post in September 2024. The school emphasises high expectations and a Christian ethos where values of respect, integrity, and inclusivity are lived daily, with diversity celebrated and every voice heard . The school positions itself around the concept of "hope" as its central value, echoing the biblical reference Job 11:18: "You will be secure because there is hope."
43% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in GCSE English and Mathematics , a metric below the national benchmark. The Ofsted inspection in October 2023 rated Quality of Education as Requires Improvement, though Behaviour and Attitudes received a Good rating . The school's Attainment 8 score of 45.2 reflects below-average GCSE outcomes when benchmarked against national performance.
The school ranks 2,430th in England for GCSE results (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the middle 35% of schools nationally. This positioning in the middle 35% of schools in England indicates performance in line with the mid-range of English secondary schools. Progress 8, measuring the progress students make from their primary baseline to GCSE, stands at -0.17, indicating pupils have progressed slightly below the national expectation.
97% of pupils complete their main study programme . A-level grades show 41% achieving A*-A-B, below the national average of 47%. The school ranks 1,684th in England for A-level results (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the bottom 40% nationally. For students progressing through sixth form, this suggests moderate challenge in securing higher grades in advanced study.
Students receive valuable guidance regarding future pathways, including an annual careers fair and work experience opportunities, with the school providing unbiased careers education that is regularly evaluated.
Sixth form provision was rated Good by Ofsted . In 2024, 15 students secured Oxbridge places , with the wider cohort split between university (36%), apprenticeships (10%), employment (41%), and further education (2%).
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
41.05%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
While the school offers a broad curriculum, it lacks clarity in defining essential knowledge and skills, with teaching methods not consistently building on prior knowledge, resulting in gaps in understanding.
Assessment practices are inconsistent, failing to identify learning gaps effectively, which allows misconceptions to persist . However, in subjects where the curriculum is stronger, teachers demonstrate necessary subject knowledge, and effective teaching helps students retain what they learn.
The curriculum spans traditional academic subjects alongside vocational pathways. Pupils and sixth-form students receive careers advice including information on higher education and apprenticeships . The school's Journey of Improvement following the 2023 inspection is focusing on curriculum clarity and consistent teaching approaches across all subjects.
Quality of Education
Requires Improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires Improvement
Pupils feel safe and generally conduct themselves well, with the school maintaining high expectations for behaviour that most students meet.
Personal development was rated Good at the latest inspection . The house system provides pastoral oversight, with form tutors and house staff supporting individual students.
The school provides support for a variety of needs including class support, small group teaching in literacy and numeracy, one-to-one teaching, specialised external support, and group work through a teenage drop-in centre addressing social skills and self-esteem.
The school's designation as a Specialist Sports College reflects the breadth of sporting opportunity. The school houses a pool, all-weather Astroturf pitch, 12 tennis courts, squash courts, climbing wall, and a large Sports Hall . Rugby, netball, football, hockey, cricket, and tennis feature prominently, with fixtures occurring regularly including Saturday competitions. The sports programme operates at multiple levels, from recreational participation through to county and national representation. Annual Sports Day has evolved into a two-day festival incorporating charity stalls and music.
Clubs for drama, photography, and jazz are available . The school maintains drama productions at multiple levels of ambition, from year-group performances to whole-school productions. The Music Department includes ensembles and instrumental tuition pathways. Photography and visual arts clubs serve students developing technical and creative skills.
The school offers clubs spanning Drama, Musical Performance, Sports, chess, computing, politics, comics, debating, and Sherlock Holmes societies, designed to cater to varied interests.
Many students engage in extracurricular activities including sports and performances, and participate in events like the Achievement, Confidence, and Enjoyment festival . Clubs typically operate before school, at lunchtime, and after school, with activity schedules varying seasonally.
Computing and Information Technology are among the Specialist subjects. The school designates itself a Specialist Sports College reflecting ICT as a strength area alongside physical education. Students access laboratory facilities for sciences and technology-based learning. Coding and computing clubs extend beyond the curriculum for interested students.
This is a non-selective, Church of England academy , meaning entry is not based on academic selection. The school has an official sixth form , with dedicated sixth form admissions and entry requirements. Year 9 entry (age 13) is the typical lower secondary entry point, feeding from middle schools including Allenbourn, Cranborne, Emmanuel CoE, and St Michael's. The school offers places across ages 13-18, with sixth form intake at age 16.
The school is heavily oversubscribed, covering a very wide catchment area in East Dorset . Families interested in application should contact the school for current admissions procedures and any waiting list arrangements.
The school operates Monday to Friday: 8:40am-12:40pm and 1:15pm-3:15pm (with extended day Wednesday finishing 3:30pm) . School day structure accommodates morning and afternoon sessions with a lunch break from 12:40-1:15. On-site parking is available with disability access, and the building is fully accessible with lifts to upper levels.
The campus is fully wheelchair accessible. Transport links into Wimborne town centre are available via local bus routes. Students travel from across East Dorset, with distances ranging significantly based on the broad catchment area.
Recent Ofsted Requires Improvement rating. The October 2023 inspection resulted in an overall effectiveness rating of Requires Improvement, with Quality of Education also rated as Requires Improvement, though Behaviour and Attitudes and sixth form provision received Good ratings . The school is implementing an improvement plan. Families should clarify what specific improvements are underway and timelines for progress with the school directly.
Wide catchment requires realistic travel assessment. Students travel from as far afield as Sixpenny Handley near Salisbury to the north, Alderholt on the Hampshire border to the east, and Blandford Forum to the west . Daily commutes can be substantial. Families should factor transportation time and cost into planning.
Variable curriculum consistency across subjects. While the school offers a broad curriculum, it lacks clarity in defining essential knowledge and skills, with teaching methods not consistently building on prior knowledge, assessment practices inconsistent, and some misconceptions persisting in learning . Progress depends partly on subject choice and teaching quality variation.
Queen Elizabeth's School is a large comprehensive secondary serving a wide East Dorset community, with excellent sports and recreational facilities alongside academic pathways. The school's Requires Improvement rating reflects current challenges in curriculum consistency and assessment practice, though behaviour and pastoral support are rated Good. The school is mid-range for academic outcomes and explicitly non-selective, making it accessible to students of all starting points.
This school suits families seeking a mixed-gender, accessible comprehensive with strong sporting facilities and facilities investment. The broad catchment offers opportunity but requires realistic assessment of travel times. Families considering this school should engage with the school's improvement plan and feel confident that leadership is actively working to address identified weaknesses. Best suited to families who value pastoral care and community breadth over intensive academic selection, and who can support students through a period of curriculum strengthening.
Queen Elizabeth's School was rated Requires Improvement by Ofsted in October 2023, with Quality of Education also rated Requires Improvement, though Behaviour and Attitudes received a Good rating. The school has strong pastoral provision and excellent sports facilities. Academic outcomes at GCSE are below national average (43% achieving grade 5 or above in English and Maths), and sixth form results are similarly below the national benchmark. The school ranks in the middle range of English secondary schools. Families should review the school's improvement plan with the leadership team.
The school houses exceptional sporting facilities including an indoor swimming pool, all-weather Astroturf pitch, 12 tennis courts, squash courts, a climbing wall, and a large Sports Hall. The campus was rebuilt in 2011 using sustainable design with ground-air heat exchangers and biomass boilers. The school also has dedicated Drama, Music, and Art facilities, plus Computing and Science laboratories. All buildings are wheelchair accessible with lifts.
Entry to Queen Elizabeth's School is non-selective. The school does not use academic entrance tests or selection criteria. Places are allocated through the standard local authority admissions process. Sixth form entry at age 16 does have entry requirements (specific grades or subject prerequisites depending on chosen A-level subjects), but admission to Year 9 is based purely on residency and siblings, not achievement.
In 2024, 36% of leavers progressed to university, with 10% entering apprenticeships, 41% entering employment, and 2% to further education. The school provides careers guidance including an annual careers fair and work experience. Fifteen students secured Oxbridge places in the 2024 cohort. The school's sixth form was rated Good by Ofsted and provides access to A-level and vocational qualifications.
The school serves a wide area across East Dorset, drawing students from Sixpenny Handley near Salisbury to the north, Alderholt on the Hampshire border to the east, and Blandford Forum to the west. While most students live in or around Wimborne itself, the catchment is notably broad. The school is heavily oversubscribed. Families should contact the school or the local authority for specific admissions details and catchment maps.
Yes, Queen Elizabeth's School is a Church of England comprehensive academy. The school was rated Outstanding in its 2018 SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) inspection, with assessors noting the school's holistic approach rooted in Christian ethos and commitment to individual development. The school has close links to Wimborne Minster and incorporates Christian values including hope, respect, and community into its daily culture. However, students of all faiths and none are welcome.
Following the October 2023 Ofsted inspection, the school is implementing targeted improvements, particularly in curriculum clarity and teaching consistency. Families interested in understanding the specific improvements underway should contact Mr Thomas Neill (Headteacher) directly via the school website or telephone the school. The leadership team have publicly committed to rapid improvement and welcome enquiries.
Get in touch with the school directly
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