Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School (QEGS) was founded in 1585 as a school of Christian religious character. The original “Old School” is in the centre of the town but from 1909 teaching has been based on The Green Road Site where the school developed as a mixed Grammar School.
In 1973, the Ashbourne County Secondary School on Old Derby Road closed and amalgamated with QEGS to form a single comprehensive school operating on split sites, serving children of all abilities from Ashbourne and the surrounding area between the ages of 11 and 18.
The school remained a ‘split site’ school until February 2003 when completion of new buildings saw the transfer of all Lower Site students to the ‘New’ school on The Green Road. In 2006 a new Technology Block was added to this site and The Green Road site now accommodates over 1100 Year 7 to Year 11 students.
The Sixth Form continues to be based in separate buildings which have also been extended to provide a superb environment for post 16 education although some practical lessons are still taken on The Green Road Site. In 2010 an extension consisting of mainly classrooms, was opened at the Sixth Form Centre and the private study area was upgraded.
In 2011, to continue to provide the very best education for our students, QEGS converted to become a Phase 2 Academy School (this means we have no sponsor company). The school takes full responsibility for its own financial matters and educational provision.
The pastoral structure of the school has recently been strengthened through the use of the traditional QEGS Houses of Boothby, Cokayne, Hull & Spalden, with an increased emphasis on student leadership in all areas of school life.
Our overall aim remains: ‘In Good Spirit; Excellence for All’
