Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School is a mainstream secondary school in Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen, for children and young people aged 11 to 19. In January 2026, 89 of its 873 pupils (10.2%) were getting SEN support and 13 (1.5%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–19
- 873 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Blackburn with Darwen.
10.2% get SEN support
89 of 873 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
1.5% have an EHC plan
13 of 873 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Speech, language and communication36
- Social, emotional and mental health29
- Moderate learning difficulty16
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia9
- Autism6
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Free school
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 873 (places for 1,000)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Claire Gammon (Acting Head)
- Part of
- Qegs Blackburn Academy Trust
- Free school meals
- 23% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Blackburn with Darwen
- School reference (URN)
- 141165
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Blackburn with Darwen council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, September 2019; some aspects not as strong (March 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in September 2019.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsOutstanding
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Some aspects not as strong (ungraded inspection, March 2025).
Contact and getting there
West Park Road, Blackburn, BB2 6DF
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 0.8 miles
- Newfield School Special school · Ages 4–19 1.9 miles
- Eden School Special school · Ages 8–16 · Ofsted: Good 2.2 miles
- Shadsworth Infant School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 2.2 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Queen Elizabeth's Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 11.1%, EHC plans 3.4% 0.0 miles
- Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 11.6%, EHC plans 4.6% 0.3 miles
- St Silas's CofE Primary School Primary · Ages 5–11 · SEN support 18.3%, EHC plans 6.4% 0.3 miles
All mainstream schools in Blackburn with Darwen SEND schools in Blackburn with Darwen
Questions about Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
How many pupils at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 89 of the 873 pupils (10.2%) were getting SEN support and 13 (1.5%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are speech, language and communication needs (36 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (29 pupils) and moderate learning difficulties (16 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School?
Through Blackburn with Darwen council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School?
You can ask for Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy, about 0.8 miles away.
Where is Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School?
West Park Road, Blackburn, BB2 6DF, in Blackburn with Darwen.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.