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Queen Elizabeth’s School pupils have secured 49 offers from Oxford and Cambridge this year – a figure only surpassed by last year’s all-time record.

This year’s tally, comprising 34 offers from Cambridge and 15 from Oxford, takes the total number of Oxbridge places offered to QE pupils over the past three years to 157.

2025 is also shaping up to be another strong year for QE applicants more generally: other universities have not yet completed the process of making offers, but already 94% of Year 13 already hold at least one offer, many of them from world-leading universities on prestigious courses, from Medicine to Modern Languages.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “I extend my sincere congratulations to all our successful Oxbridge applicants. This stellar success is due reward not only for their dedication to their A-level studies and to wider interests, but also for their careful preparation for the university admissions tests and interviews.

“I thank my colleagues in the QE Futures programme for providing deeply informed and meticulous support and advice to the boys both before and during the admissions process. I am also grateful to the many alumni and other friends of the School who conducted mock interviews for these and other university applicants in the autumn.”

This year’s offers have come from 25 colleges, with the single highest number – five – from Gonville & Caius at Cambridge. They are for a considerable breadth of courses, from Oxford’s famous Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) degree to Architecture and Materials Science.

Ten boys have offers to read Medicine at Oxford and Cambridge, and nine to study Mathematics. The five boys securing offers for Computer Science constitute a new QE record.

Boys have also gained apprenticeships with blue-chip firms such as Goldman Sachs and Deloitte.

Assistant Head (Pupil Destinations) James Kane said: “While we congratulate these Oxford and Cambridge applicants, they will be very aware that it’s not over yet: they will need to continue working hard to achieve their required grades! But they are an excellent group and we have great confidence that not only will they take up their places, but will then enrich their respective colleges in the years to come.

“More broadly, we are delighted with the successes across the Year 13 cohort. Although many universities have not yet completed their offer processes – including LSE, all American universities and several universities offering Medicine – 38 UK universities have awarded offers to QE students so far. These include all four universities in the top 10 of the QS global rankings, namely Imperial College London, Oxford, Cambridge, UCL.

“A special mention goes to musician Harrison Lee, who has received offers to study Composition at both the Royal Northern College of Music and Trinity College of Music, as well as an offer for the joint course between the Royal Northern College of Music and Manchester University. Receiving offers from specialist Music conservatoires is an absolutely tremendous achievement – these are very competitive and specialised courses.

“As ever, we are mindful that some excellent Oxford and Cambridge applicants will be disappointed, but looking to the other offers being received by the year group it is clear that there are many different routes that will be similarly exciting and rewarding.”

Queen Elizabeth’s School has today been announced as the Sunday Times Schools Guide top State Secondary School for A-levels 2025, jointly with Henrietta Barnett School.

QE also came second (just behind Henrietta Barnett) among state-funded schools in the overall Sunday Times Parent Power rankings for the year, which are based on both A-level and GCSE results. This year’s A-level cohort performed very strongly indeed at the highest grades – 52.9% of A-levels taken were at A* – while the story was similar at GCSE, with 87% gaining grades 8-9.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “We celebrated a fantastic set of A-level results in August, and it is now great to receive independent confirmation that our leavers’ performance places this School at the very pinnacle of the country’s state schools. In fact, QE is in truly rarified company across all UK schools – whether in the maintained or independent sectors.

“At QE we support our students to be free-thinking scholars, going beyond their exam courses to seek out new insights and new solutions. We focus on excellence across the board, with a very extensive programme of academic and extra-curricular enrichment delivered through our QE Flourish programme. Boys receive individual support through bespoke tutorials, while our Personal Development Time programme equips them to navigate our fast-changing world, helping them become kind and responsible citizens.

“We encourage boys to start thinking ahead early in their time here: our QE Futures operates across all year groups, inspiring boys by creatively presenting a range of exciting opportunities for higher education and their eventual careers. Extensive support and detailed guidance are offered to pupils as they approach university applications. The fruits of this may be seen in the outstanding destinations of our students. Fifty-four of the 2024 cohort will be taking up places at Oxford or Cambridge; perhaps even more remarkably, 55% received offers from a university in the QS World Top 5.

“Since we are a selective school, it is true that our boys are very bright, but the evidence shows QE brings out the very best from them. Our Progress 8 value-added measure at GCSE was +1.22, which means that pupils here achieved on average more than a grade higher in their GCSEs than would have been expected based on their attainment at primary school.

“In short, QE offers, as we like to say, a state school education like no other – a very rounded educational experience, which nurtures as well as stretches our highly able pupils.”

Today’s announcement adds to QE’s long record of success in the annual Parent Power academic rankings. In addition, QE has also won the separate Sunday Times Parent Power State Secondary School of the Year award three times, for 2001, 2007 and 2022 – an award which recognises overall achievements across all aspects of the School’s life.

Queen Elizabeth’s School is entering a partnership with educational business Global Education (GEDU), who will be establishing three new schools overseas under the Queen Elizabeth’s School banner.

The new schools will bear the QE branding and name. Whilst delivering a curriculum appropriate to their location, the QE international schools will draw upon the QE Barnet approach and aspire to its excellent record of achievement.

Opening affiliated schools overseas is an established model for leading UK independent schools but it is believed that this is the first time that a UK state school has followed this path.

The revenue received from this enterprise over time will be invested into significant capital expenditure projects, including new and improved facilities at the QE Barnet campus.

There are initial plans for three schools, two in India and one in the United Arab Emirates. In India one school is planned in GIFT City (a new financial and technology hub in Gujarat province) and the other in Gurugram (a satellite city near Delhi). The schools will be run as separate entities and each will have their own headteacher, senior leadership team and dedicated teaching staff.

Unlike QE Barnet, the QE international schools will be co-educational, and some will be through-schools accepting children from kindergarten to Sixth Form. Also, unlike QE Barnet, the international QE schools will be fee-paying and not state funded.

The international schools will be managed by GEDU, who will work with each school’s dedicated leadership and staff teams on the ground. The timeline for the launch of the new schools will be finalised in the coming months.

Global Education (GEDU) is a UK registered and UK based education business with a strong track record of establishing, operating, and growing successful education brands in both the UK and overseas. There are currently 60,000 students in GEDU educational establishments across the world.

GEDU are providing all of the investment for this project and will run the international schools.

Almost two-thirds of all GCSEs taken at QE were awarded the highest-possible grade, with pupils today celebrating across-the-board successes.

The 65.8% for grade 9s was one of three records set at the School: the proportion of GCSEs given grades 8-9 (both equivalent to the former A* grade) hit an all-time high of 86.2 %, as did the figure for grades 9-7, reaching 96.3%.

All 188 boys in Year 11 achieved the benchmark of at least five passes at grades 9-7, with high achievement on display across all subjects.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “These are brilliant results from an impressive cohort who exemplify the School’s mission to produce ‘confident, able and responsible’ young men.

“They were in Year 7 when we had the first Covid-19 lockdown. Today’s results demonstrate their focus and determination during that difficult period and since, as well as the quality of provision they received. They have embraced all the opportunities that the QE experience offers and balanced a broad range of co-curricular involvements with the highest levels of academic accomplishment.”

Highlights of today’s results include:

• 26 boys achieving straight 9s across all their GCSEs
• A 6.4% increase over last year in grade 9s to 65.8%, which was also a 9.4% increase over 2019 (different marking regimes applied during the pandemic-affected years of 2020–2022)
• A 3.2% increase over 2023 and 6.8% increase on 2019 for grades 8-9
• For grades 9-7, a 2.9% increase over last year and 5.5% increase since 2019.

Drilling down into the figures reveals strong performances across the curriculum. Results for the Sciences and for Mathematics were as impressive as ever, with the average grade for Maths (taken by all boys) hitting 8.9. Humanities subjects, foreign languages and Product Design were also exceptionally strong.

The Headmaster added: “These grades set the boys up well for the transition to their A-level studies and should be a source of great pride and confidence.

“We aim to support them to reach the best universities, to thrive there, and to become leaders in their respective fields in their adult lives. They have shown that there should be no ceiling on that aspiration.

“I must also recognise the support they have received from parents and family members, from their teachers and from other members of staff at the School. The spirit of friendship, collaboration and healthy competition among peers is also of great benefit. Together this helps to create and sustain an inspiring learning environment in which boys can be swept along in a collective will to succeed.”

The record GCSE results follow a very strong set of A-level outcomes last week, with Queen Elizabeth’s ranking as the top-performing state secondary school nationally according to The Times’ results day league table.

Click on any of the images below to access a gallery of photos from results day.

The biggest-ever Year 13 at Queen Elizabeth’s School are today celebrating a strong set of A-level results, maintaining an unbroken record of top-level academic performance stretching back almost two decades.

The benchmark figure for the proportion of grades at A*–B remains above 95% for the 19th consecutive year. In addition, more than half the grades awarded to QE’s 173 final-year pupils were again at the highest-possible grade, A*, with almost a quarter of the year group achieving straight A*s.

The results cap a year that has seen QE pupils amass a formidable collection of university offers: 62 of them came from Oxford and Cambridge, a new School record; no fewer than 55% of boys secured offers to a university in the World Top 5 QS rankings; and 22 of the UK’s 24 Russell Group made offers to QE applicants.

The Year 13 students sat a grand total of 582 A-levels – an increase of 40 over last year. While Economics, Mathematics and the Sciences remained as popular as ever, there was a surge in take-up of other subjects offered under the School’s wide curriculum, ranging from English and Music to Philosophy, Government & Politics and Product Design.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “There are many, many happy QE students today who now look forward to taking up places on the best courses at the best universities in the world. My congratulations go to them both on their results and on the hard work and determination that led to them.

“After emerging from the pandemic, this year group really threw themselves into the huge range of extra-curricular opportunities delivered through our QE Flourish programme, and that was no doubt a factor in their success in gaining such stellar university offers.

“Moreover, they have benefitted from the expert guidance provided through our new QE Futures programme, preparing them not only academically, but also helping them find their path in life as they identify and develop interests and broader skills. We’ve always said that outstanding results are an outcome of an education at QE, not the sole purpose of one!”

Notwithstanding QE’s position among the UK’s educational élite handful of leading schools across both the independent and state sectors, there is no question of it resting on its laurels, Mr Enright added. “We are continually looking forward with advances in our digital strategy and pastoral curriculum, while seeking to enhance our estate to deliver further opportunities for participation and excellence.

“This year sees the opening of a new studio for drama and oracy; there has been much focus on helping students communicate orally, alongside being able to communicate in writing in projects and exams. We also have ambitious plans for future investments into sports facilities, following on from new facilities for music and robotics in recent years.”

The year group have excelled in a wide range of extra-curricular activities throughout their time in the Sixth Form. For example:

• Two robotics teams flying the flag for Britain at the Battle for Vegas – the only teams from outside North America to attend the VEX event in the desert resort;
• Arjun Patel, Nathan Woodcock and Tharun Dhamodharan reaching the national final of the Pro Corda chamber music festival for schools as part of an U19 Saxophone Quintet; and
• Shivam Singh, Yash Patel and Om Patel winning a design competition run by Homerton College, Cambridge, with their project which aimed to protect construction workers’ hearing.

“We hope that students and parents can be proud of their efforts and achievements,” Mr Enright said. “School staff are on hand to work with anyone who needs support on results day and beyond.”

“Wherever our leavers are heading next, they should be equipped with the confidence, ability and responsibility to thrive. They have formed close friendships, and we have enjoyed seeing them grow as young adults. We are delighted to be welcoming them into our fast-developing alumni community, QE Connect, which provides them with opportunities to support one another in their future endeavours and to continue to help those following in their footsteps. They are Elizabethans for life!”

Click on any of the images below to see a selection of photos from results day.

Teacher and Old Elizabethan James Clarke won QE’s first-ever Leader Award from the Jack Petchey Achievement Award Scheme, having been nominated by his pupils.

Mr Clarke (OE 1999–2004), who leaves QE this summer after a dozen years in the PE department, was presented with his award alongside nine student winners drawn from Years 10–12.

QE’s ten recipients received their awards just a few weeks after the death of businessman and philanthropist Sir Jack Petchey at the age of 98. The award scheme that bears his name recognises outstanding young people aged 11-25 across London and Essex.

Headmaster Neil Enright said: “Many congratulations to James. His passion for rugby is well-known, but the award also rightly recognises his commitment to helping students reach their full potential, both academically and in their extra-curricular activities. He takes with him our best wishes as he moves to a new position with Bermudan rugby.

“I also congratulate the nine pupils who have won awards for their contributions to School life, which covered a wide range of endeavour, from music to mentoring.”

Mr Clarke is pictured, top, receiving his award from the Deputy Mayor of the Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich, and then at Sports Day, where he anchored the staff team to victory in the day’s traditional finale, a 16 x 100m relay known as the QE Mile. He received the Leader award for his dedication to coaching and mentoring, recognising that this has gone beyond the rugby field.

Pupils winning awards were:

• Harrison Lee, Shrey Tater​, Chanul Athukoralage​ and Shreyas Mone​ in Year 12
• Karan Somani​, Sejal Bobba​ and Muhammad Ammaar Hurzuk​ in Year 11
• Noah Morley​ and Ahsan Rahman in Year 10.

Harrison Lee has led junior strings and various music ensembles, dedicating himself to enhancing their performances. He also consistently plays in School concerts, thus showcasing his passion for Music.

Shrey Tater is also involved with Music, with his contributions to the Senior Choir being recognised, along with his commitment to helping with extra-curricular activities, particularly with the younger years.

Shreyas Mone’s award reflected his role as an ambassador for the International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition (IAAC). ​The citation added: “He is also known for his exceptional and captivating Physics blog, where he shares fascinating insights, making complex concepts easily understandable.”

Sejal Bobba is a candidate for the Barnet Youth Parliament, known for his role as a positive influence and role model for younger generations. He is actively involved in the School’s debating society and was also recognised for his friendly personality, always being willing to engage in conversations with anyone needing help.​

For the two youngest award-winners, Ahsan Rahman was reported to shine as a peer mentor, providing valuable support to new Year 7 boys dealing with examination stress and sharing strategies to avoid low grades. A committed sportsman and strong coach, he leads by example, on and off the field. ​

And Noah Morley is another exceptional musician, participating in six Music clubs per week and in numerous concerts. In addition to engaging in sports, he also contributes to the School community by assisting with House assemblies.​