The Queen's School

Welcome to Queen’s – where girls ignite their potential

Located within Chester’s historic Roman walls, The Queen’s School is a vibrant, forward looking independent day school for girls aged 3–18. With around 400 pupils across our Lower School, Senior School and Sixth Form, our boutique scale ensures every girl is known, challenged and supported as an individual.

A leading selective GSA Independent day school, Queen’s is one of the North West’s top performing girls’ schools, consistently achieving excellent GCSE and A level results, with pupils progressing to leading universities including medical and Oxbridge places, as well as highly competitive STEM and arts pathways. Academic ambition sits alongside an equally strong commitment to character, confidence and wellbeing, shaped through outstanding pastoral care and a culture where every girl feels she can step forward and have a go.

Our location gives pupils a unique advantage: a city-powered programme of co-curricular and enrichment opportunities rooted in partnerships across Chester, from business and leadership experience opportunities to collaborations in sport, culture, science and community life. This outward-facing ethos continues through our alumnae network, which regularly connects current pupils with inspiring former Queen’s students now excelling in fields from medicine and law to academia, engineering, the arts and global leadership.

Sport is a core pillar of school life. Queen’s has a strong sporting heritage, with girls representing club, county and national teams. The school has recently invested in a major programme of sports development, including a professional grade hockey pitch beneath Chester’s city walls, elite coaching expertise, and our commitment to the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration on Women and Sport, championing equity and lifelong participation for girls.

Alongside sport, our rich cocurricular offer spans performing arts, debating, enterprise, leadership and more – reflected in our widened suite of scholarships in Academics, Sport, Music, Drama and Art. This breadth ensures every girl can discover, shape and ignite her potential through her own unique passions.

The History of the School

Founded in 1878, The Queen’s School has a proud history of pioneering opportunity for girls. From the first sixteen pupils, two progressed to Cambridge – the first of many in a long tradition of academic ambition and achievement.

The trailblazing spirit that gave Chester its first female solicitor and first lady mayor now powers alumnae shaping every corner of modern life. Think F1 engineering, award winning wildlife filmmaking, DNA launched into space, international art prizes, cyber security, couture fashion, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Team GB, global tech leadership, national journalism, music videos for Ed Sheeran and even a Great British Bake Off appearance. Queen’s girls show up everywhere business, culture and innovation are happening.

Our Senior School still stands on its original site on the Chester City Walls, gifted by the Duke of Westminster and developed with the support of leading local families. Today, we blend this historic setting with Georgian, Victorian and contemporary buildings, while our Lower School continues to thrive on its longstanding Liverpool Road site.

Much has changed since 1878, but our values-driven approach endures. Our motto, Honour Wisdom, remains at the heart of everything we do.

Working at Queen’s

Colleagues at Queen’s describe the school as warm, ambitious and deeply supportive. Professional development is a priority: we invest in staff growth at every career stage, from Early Career Teachers as part of the ECF to aspiring and established leaders. As a member of the Girls’ Schools Association, staff access national networks, training and subject expertise.

Teachers at Queen’s are passionate about their subjects and equally committed to helping girls achieve their full potential. High academic expectations are paired with genuine care and curiosity about each pupil, enabling staff to set stretching yet personalised targets. At the Senior School, this includes the preparation of students for entry to highly competitive higher education courses, including Oxbridge.

Our continually evolving digital strategy includes personal iPads for all pupils and teachers, robust technical support and a well established virtual learning environment that enhances teaching and learning across both sites.

Staff play an active role in the wider life of the school through clubs, enrichment activities, trips and community events – an important part of what makes Queen’s dynamic, collaborative and rewarding to work in.

Queen’s provides an excellent range of staff benefits, including access to a competitive pension scheme, participation in the Government Childcare Voucher programme, discounted school lunches, free staff parking, and a generous pro‑rata 50% tuition fee remission for staff daughters.