Pupils come from a very wide geographical area, from Bolton to the south and to Colne in the east.

Its new site from 1825 was in the Bull Meadow area (“in the fresh air of the country”) but, as Blackburn itself expanded during the Industrial Revolution, the school there became too cramped.

The new site was on the west side of the town’s Corporation Park, close to Alexandra Meadows, the home of the East Lancashire Cricket Club and also the venue for a number of the early fixtures of the local football club Blackburn Rovers.

During the 1990s, QEGS was a participating school in the Assisted Places Scheme, which saw its pupil numbers grow dramatically.

[2] The Good Schools Guide described the students as "bright, industrious and confident without appearing complacent or alarmingly sophisticated.

[7] In February 2005, the School was commended (amongst other things) for the high standard of pastoral care offered to its pupils by the ISI inspection.

From here, they are escorted to Big School's the main dining hall to enjoy a range of breakfast options.

Points towards the Marsden Merit Trophy are earned by way of credits for good, positive and helpful behaviour, as well as in teams in a range of “academic” activities, such as the keenly contested House Quiz, debating competitions and Maths Challenges.

The school has a strong track record of academic success, with nearly all pupils achieving the nationally recognised benchmark of at least five passes at GCSE grades A*-C, including English and mathematics.