 | 1573 | The School was founded following a request of a charter by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, after whom the first School house, Leicester, was named. Queen Elizabeth I granted the charter and the School was established in Tudor Hall, Wood Street. The second School house, Underne, was named after Edward Underne, Rector of East and Chipping Barnet, who was primarily responsible for raising funds for this building. |
| 1640-50s | After prospering initially, the School suffers financially in the aftermath of the English Civil War It is rumoured that one of the Headmasters during this period was beheaded by the Roundheads due to his support for the Royalists. |
| 18th century | QE was by now progressing steadily again. |
| 1828 | William Grant Broughton, an Old Elizabethan, was appointed Archdeacon of New South Wales. He subsequently became the first Bishop and Metropolitan of Australia. Broughton, the third house at the School was named in his memory. |
| 1885 | With the School outgrowing its Wood Street premises, in 1885 a Governor, H E Chetwynd Staplyton, bought a plot of land behind the Jesus hospital. The fourth School house, Stapylton, was named after him. Today this Stapylton field stands in front of the main School building and is used for rugby and cricket. |
| 1930 | The School moved to its present, much larger site in Queen’s Road when Hertfordshire County Council erected modern buildings behind the playing fields. Headmaster E H Jenkins began his 31-year period in office. |
| 1938 | A swimming pool was added. |
| 1941 | Despite bomb damage to the refectory, hall, craft room and chemistry laboratory on a Saturday in January 1941, the boys were back in lessons on the following Tuesday. |
| 1954 | Harrison, the fifth School house, was founded, named after two masters and School benefactors, G.W.N. Harrison and E.W. Harrison. |
| Late 1950s | Pearce, the sixth and final School house, was founded and named after John Pearce, a very longstanding Second Master. |
| 1961 | Led by new Headmaster Timothy Edwards, the School undertook a period of reorganisation, the Fern Building was added and the number of boys entering the School doubled. |
| 1971 | QE began its 23-year period as a comprehensive school. |
| 1988 | Under the Headship of Eamonn Harris, the School achieved self-governing Grant Maintained Status in 1988. |
| 1994 | QE began to admit pupils on the basis of ability again. |
| 1999 | Dr John Marincowitz became the 39th Headmaster and the School gained Foundation Status. |
| 2006 | The School’s new swimming pool opened. |