The Queen's School was founded in 1953 when the Synod of the Church of England passed a solution proposed by Cyril Forster Garbett, GCVO (6 February 1875 – 31 December 1955), that a new secondary school should be established.

The school started with fifty-one students, four forms and four teachers in the old Doric Hotel building.

The High School was under the direction of Mrs. Anne Chambers with Mrs. S. E. Clarke as Second Mistress.

The number of students rose from 600 in 1973 to nearly 1000 in 1978 by which time the school had a swimming pool, netball courts, and a new Administrative Block in place of the old Doric Hotel Building.

The school also competed and won the ISSA Girl's Championships for the first time in that year (1978).