Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough 11+ guide
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October 9, 2026
Applying to Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough for September 2028? This guide covers the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools 11+, the qualifying score, how the 188 Year 7 places are allocated and the key dates for September 2028 entry.
Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough 11+ at a glance
Number of places in Year 7: 188 (2027-entry figure — Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough confirms each year's admission number in its determined arrangements, published the spring before entry.)
Qualifying score: the Lincolnshire consortium standard, which for 2027 entry was a combined standardised score of 220 out of 282
Source: Queen Elizabeth's High School 11+ admissions page and Lincolnshire County Council's record of the school's 2027 admission arrangements. Last checked October 2026.
Key dates for September 2028 entry
Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough confirms its exact dates each cycle. For 2027 entry, registration was due by Friday 20 March 2026 (later extended to 15 May), the consortium tests were sat on Saturday 12 and Saturday 19 September 2026, and consortium results came out on Friday 9 October 2026. We couldn't check when registration opened, so we haven't estimated it and that row shows 'To be confirmed'. We'll update this page as soon as the 2028-entry dates are published.
Key dates for Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough 11+ entry in September 2028, with expected windows where the school has not yet confirmed exact dates.
Date
What happens
To be confirmed
Test registration opens — Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough hasn't published this for 2028 entry
Late March 2027
Test registration expected to close
Mid-September 2027
Verbal reasoning test, then non-verbal and spatial reasoning test a week later
Early October 2027
Results expected
Sunday 31 October 2027
Deadline to apply for secondary school places through your home local authority. This date falls on a Sunday.
Wednesday 1 March 2028
National offer day for secondary school places
How to apply to Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough
Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough is selective, so your child needs to sit the 11+ test to be considered for a place.
You register with Queen Elizabeth's High School. For 2027 entry the registration deadline was Friday 20 March 2026, later extended to 15 May; late enquiries go to admissions@qehs.lincs.sch.uk.
Once you have your child's result, you apply by naming Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough on your common application form, which goes to your home local authority. For September 2028 entry the deadline is Sunday 31 October 2027. As it falls on a Sunday, you may find it easier to submit your form in the days before.
Reaching the qualifying score makes your child eligible, but it doesn't guarantee a place. If more qualifying children apply than there are places, the school uses its oversubscription criteria, set out further down this page.
What will my child be tested on?
Lincolnshire's grammar schools share one 11+, run by the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools. The tests are produced and marked by GL Assessment. Every consortium school uses the same tests, so your child sits them once and the result counts for any of the schools.
There are two tests, sat a week apart in September of Year 6: verbal reasoning first, then non-verbal and spatial reasoning. All questions are multiple choice, and your child marks answers in pencil on a separate answer sheet. The non-verbal test is taken one section at a time, following the invigilator's instructions.
Each test has a maximum standardised score of 141, so the highest possible combined score is 282.
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How are places allocated at Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough?
If more children reach the qualifying standard than there are 188 Year 7 places, Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough offers places in the order below. This order comes from the school's admissions policy for 2027 entry. The school sets its 2028-entry policy separately, and we'll update this table if anything changes.
Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough oversubscription criteria in priority order, from the 2027 entry admissions policy.
Priority
Who it covers
1
Looked after and previously looked after children
2
Children with a brother or sister at the school when you apply
3
Children of staff employed at the school
4
Children living 9 miles or less from the school by driving distance, closest first
5
Children registered as Ever 6 FSM (eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years) when you apply
6
Children living more than 9 miles from the school by driving distance, ranked by combined 11+ score
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Every applicant must reach the required standard in the 11+ to be offered a place.
Does Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough have a catchment area?
Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough doesn't have a fixed catchment area, but its criteria give priority to children living 9 miles or less from the school by driving distance. Children living further away come after Ever 6 FSM children and are ranked by their 11+ score.
If children can't be separated, the child with the higher 11+ standardised score goes first, then the child living closest in a straight line. If they're still tied, an independent person draws lots.
If you don't live close to the school, it's worth thinking about how your child will get there every day. How long will the journey take? What transport options are available? Will they be travelling independently or with support?
A longer or more complex journey can affect your child's daily routine, including how much time they have for homework, rest and after-school activities. It's a good idea to think about how manageable the school run will be and whether it will work for your family day to day.
How can I help my child prepare for the test?
The Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools 11 plus can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here's how you can help your child prepare for test day.
Stay on track with a clear plan
One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation is knowing what to focus on, when, and how to make steady progress without it taking over family life.
A clear, structured plan helps your child feel less overwhelmed and more in control. It ensures they build skills in the right order, cover everything they need, and avoid last-minute cramming.
Atom's exam plan makes this easier. Enter your child's target schools and exam dates, and we'll create a personalised weekly plan tailored to the topics they'll be tested on. It shows them what to work on and when, adapts as they improve, and helps them build progress in a calm, manageable way — little and often.
That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path all the way to exam day.
Build smart exam technique
As your child's knowledge grows, practice tests can help them feel more comfortable with the real exam format.
Atom's 11+ practice papers are built to match the format, timing and question styles of real 11+ exams. They're also unlimited — you can download the same paper again and again, and your child will get new questions each time. This helps them practise without repeating the same content.
We've made marking easy for you, too. Simply photograph your child's answer sheets and upload them to Atom. The papers are marked instantly, showing your child's standardised age score (SAS), where they're doing well, and what they should focus on next. You'll also learn how they compare to other children applying to the same school.
Encourage regular reading
Strong reading skills play a big role in 11+ preparation.
Encourage your child to read every day, even for just 10–15 minutes. The key is variety. Mix fiction and non-fiction, different genres, and a range of authors. This helps them become more confident in understanding tone, purpose, and meaning across different texts.
Over time, regular reading will:
broaden their vocabulary
improve comprehension and inference
build confidence in tackling unseen texts
And just as importantly, it can help them enjoy reading — not just see it as exam preparation.
When you're supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they're moving in the right direction — not just how they scored on a single test.
Atom's progress tracking gives you a clear, simple picture of how your child is doing in each topic and the direction they're moving in. You can see where they're on track, where they might need more practice, and spot progress as it happens.
That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady, and focus on what matters most: consistent improvement, not just one-off results.
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Take control of your child’s 11+ preparation.
Not sure if your child is on track for the grammar school 11+? You don’t need to guess what to cover or whether they’re ready. Atom shows you exactly what to practise each week and how they’re performing, so you can stay ahead of the process without the stress.
