Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Penrith

School overview

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Penrith is a secondary school serving Penrith, Westmorland and Furness, classified by the DfE as a converter academy. It has 1,036 pupils aged 11 to 18 on roll. At its most recent graded inspection, Ofsted rated Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Penrith 'Good'. In the most recent GCSE results, pupils achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 64.8, well above the national average of 46. Results have held broadly steady on the previous year. On our composite score, which combines the DfE attainment measures above, this places it among the top 5% of secondary schools in England.

88% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, well above the national average of about 45%. 96% achieved a standard pass (grade 4+) in English and maths. Competition for places is real here - 90% of first-choice applicants were offered a Year 7 place for September 2026 (175 first choices for 158 places). The council's own allocation figures show the last child offered a place for 2026 lived 18.50 miles away in a straight line — that distance is not a fixed catchment and moves each year. After Year 11, 99% of its leavers went on to education, an apprenticeship or work that they stayed in for at least two terms. Overall pupil absence was 5.6%. There are about 17.8 pupils per teacher. Its intake is relatively advantaged, with around 5% of pupils eligible for free school meals in the last six years versus about 24% nationally. When comparing schools, it is still worth visiting in person to see whether the atmosphere and approach suit your child. This overview is generated automatically from the latest published DfE performance tables and Ofsted data; figures are rounded, and you can check the originals via the official links above.