Queen Anne’s School, Caversham has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to providing an outstanding education for girls, confirming that the school will continue as an independent day and boarding school for girls aged 11–18. This commitment has the full support of The United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation, of which Queen Anne’s is part, and reflects a shared belief in the distinctive value of an education designed specifically around girls.
Recent national discussion around girls’ education has brought renewed focus to the challenges and opportunities facing young women today. Following this summer’s GCSE results, BBC News reported that while girls continue to outperform boys nationally, the attainment gap between the sexes has narrowed to its lowest level on record. The report also highlighted wider concerns around girls’ attainment, wellbeing and the influence of social media.
At Queen Anne’s, girls continue to achieve strongly. GCSE outcomes over the past three years have exceeded pre-Covid levels, while the school continues to demonstrate some of the strongest Value Added scores within the independent sector which track pupil’s academic progress. For Queen Anne’s, this reinforces the importance of creating an educational environment in which girls are encouraged to develop real confidence in the classroom, ambition and a strong sense of who they are.
Head, Ms Elaine Purves, said: “Queen Anne’s has a long and proud tradition of educating girls and that remains central to who we are and to our future. With the full support of our Foundation, we remain committed to providing an environment in which girls can flourish academically, socially and personally. There is something very powerful about a school where girls see other girls leading, achieving, taking risks and exploring every possible opportunity available to them.”
At Queen Anne’s, girls occupy every space.
They are the scientists, mathematicians, musicians, athletes, actors, creatives, coders, debaters, entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders. Every day, girls see their peers taking intellectual risks, speaking up, leading teams and succeeding across an extraordinary breadth of subjects and activities. A girls’ education also provides the opportunity to challenge assumptions around subject choice and future careers.
Research published by the Girls’ Schools Association in March 2026, drawing on Department for Education data, found that girls in girls’ schools are significantly more likely to study subjects including Further Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science at A Level than girls in co-educational schools. Gender disparities nevertheless remain in some areas. In Physics, for example, girls continue to represent a minority of A Level entrants nationally.
Ms Purves continued: “One of the great strengths of girls’ education is the opportunity to broaden horizons. Girls should feel equally at home in a science laboratory, on a sports pitch, on a stage, in a debating chamber or leading a team. We want our girls to grow up seeing female achievement in every field as completely normal. Our role is to give them the confidence, curiosity and strength to discover what they enjoy, what they are good at and where their ambitions might take them.”
Progress that speaks for itself
Queen Anne’s results demonstrate the impact of an education focused closely on each individual girl and her progress. The school is ranked 5th out of 344 independent schools nationally for GCSE Value Added academic progress and Number 1 for progress in English. It is also recognised among the UK’s Top 200 sporting schools.
This summer, Queen Anne’s girls achieved another outstanding set of GCSE results, with 29% of all grades at Grade 9, 48% at Grades 9–8 and 68% at Grades 9–7. Among Year 11 pupils taking more than five GCSEs, 100% achieved at least five Grades 9–4 including English and Mathematics. At A Level, the Class of 2026 achieved Queen Anne’s highest proportion of A* grades in eight years, with 25% of all grades at A* and 48% at A*–A.
Students are progressing to destinations including Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, St Andrew’s, Edinburgh and UCL. As ever, they are off to study a wide range of courses, such as Veterinary Medicine, Economics, Law, Marine Biology, Fine Art, Mechatronic Engineering, Classics, Architecture, Mathematics, Geography, Computer Science and AI, Politics and International Relations, Music, English Literature, Psychology, History and Forensic Science
But at Queen Anne’s, success is measured by more than examination results. It is also found in confidence, independence, leadership and aspiration each girl achieves during her time at the school.
Ms Purves added: “We are immensely proud of our results, but progress has always mattered enormously to us. Where a girl starts should never determine where she finishes. Our aim is that every girl leaves Queen Anne’s with the confidence to recognise her own potential and the courage to pursue her ambitions. That belief sits at the heart of our commitment to girls’ education and will continue to shape the future of Queen Anne’s.”
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
Elaine Purves our Headteacher would be happy to be interviewed on this subject if the opportunity was of interest to Editors.
Queen Anne’s School is an independent day and boarding school for girls aged 11–18, set in 35 acres in Caversham, Berkshire.
Queen Anne’s is part of The United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation, which supports five schools and is committed to outstanding governance, educational excellence and expanding opportunities for pupils. The Foundation fully supports Queen Anne’s continued commitment to girls-only education.
QAS Media contact:
Mrs Becky Griffith
Head of Marketing