General FAQs
What type of school is Queenswood?
Queenswood is an independent day and boarding school for girls aged 11-18. We are a Christian School with a Methodist foundation that welcomes girls of all faiths and none.
How old is Queenswood?
Queenswood was founded in 1894.
Where is Queenswood?
Queenswood is ideally located just 20 minutes north of central London by train. Situated on a beautiful 120 acre campus, our girls benefit from the feeling of green open spaces, yet are still within very easy reach of all that London has to offer. The school is 50 minutes by car from Heathrow, and even closer to London Luton and London Stansted airports and conveniently situated within three miles of the M25 motorway.
Is Queenswood a full boarding school?
Queenswood is run as a seven-day-a-week boarding school with the added flexibility to choose weekly or flexi boarding. We also have day girls who all benefit from the many opportunities that a boarding school can offer. Each weekend, a programme of activities is provided, while the exeat system means that pupils can spend some weekends at home or with their guardian during the year. Day and boarding girls integrate fully into our vibrant community. 
How often do the girls attend Chapel?
The School comes together as a community twice a week in our beautiful Chapel, and there are many special services throughout the year when we welcome families and friends to join us.
The School has a Christian foundation and our aim is to nurture faith through the varied and stimulating regular worship that is at the heart of school life.
Our Chaplain, Rev'd Vindra Maraj-Ogden, is a Methodist minister with many years experience in the pastoral charge of churches.
We welcome those of other faiths or none and we are happy to arrange for them to receive the spiritual support that they need.
Is there Saturday School?
There is no school on Saturdays. If girls are members of competitive sports teams, they are likely to be involved in fixtures most Saturdays. If they are not, the day girls are free to spend their time at home and boarders can enjoy a full programme of weekend activities at school and on exciting school trips to London and further afield.
What are the class sizes?
Class sizes vary depending on the year group and the options that the girls take. On average, girls in Years 7 and 8 will be in classes of 18 or 19. For girls in Years 9-11, class sizes for the most popular subjects can be around 20-22. For A Level subjects class sizes are much smaller, often below ten girls in a class.
Where do pupils come from?
Queenswood draws the majority of its girls from within one hour’s travel of the school. They join from a mix of prep and junior schools and some girls join the Sixth Form at age 16.
We also welcome pupils from across the world, and our school community currently comprises residents of 20 countries. Click on the map below to explore.
How academically selective is Queenswood?
Girls sit entrance examinations to enter Queenswood. However, for us, attitude and potential are equally important as exam results. We are interested in girls who not only enjoy their academic work but who are curious and willing to throw themselves into the huge variety of co-curricular options that Queenswood has to offer. We believe that excellent exam results emerge from a broad-based, rounded education.
Does Queenswood offer scholarships?
Yes, Queenswood offers scholarships in the following disciplines: Academic, Art, Dance, Design and Technology, Drama, Music, Sport, Hockey and Tennis. The majority are offered on an honorary basis and do not carry any fee remission. Please refer to the scholarship brochure below for information.
What is unique about your school?
We are very proud of Queenswood’s personalised learning approach which is totally child-centred, where every child matters. We offer tailored support by subject teachers often while the girls remain in their classrooms. This is in addition to 1-1 support to stretch the top end of academic achievement as well as those requiring support in certain subject areas. The 1-1 teacher-pupil time is provided by highly qualified specialist personalised learning teachers and takes place outside of the girls’ classes. This means greater flexibility and a tightly tailored learning provision for each girl. This is why we achieve such significant added value for the girls, enabling them to achieve consistently at least one grade higher in every GCSE subject compared to their predicted grades following baseline tests on entering the school. Our aim is that whatever the future holds, your daughter will be ready.
Does Queenswood operate any local bus services?
Queenswood operates a door-to-door service for day, flexi and weekly boarders. Routes are based on a maximum travelling time of approximately 50 minutes from school. We have a fleet of dedicated drivers, employed by Queenswood and they are all vetted by the criminal records bureau via the Disclosure and Barring Service. We pride ourselves on offering one of the most flexible and convenient transport services available from senior schools, ensuring that your daughter is collected from home and arrives at school ready to learn.
Does Queenswood operate a coach service to and from airports for international boarders?
Queenswood provides transport at the beginning and end of each term/half-term to and from Heathrow Airport. The only exception is for girls starting their first term at Queenswood because we believe that girls should arrive with their parents or guardians to help settle them in to the school.
Is it better to register as early as possible?
Yes. Registration before the end of Year 5 is highly recommended for entry at 11+.
Do you ask for a reference from the current school?
Yes. References add an important dimension to our understanding of individual pupils.