Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, in partnership with GEDU Global Education, has announced its first branch campus in India, to be located in Gurugram, and will be opening in August 2026. Founded in 1573 by a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet with a legacy rooted in academic distinction, stands among the most prestigious institutions in the world. Its arrival in India is good news for K-12 education in terms of impact it will have in raising the academic standards and add more to healthy competition.
Spread over 17 acres in Manesar, the campus is being readied and this year, the school will admit 250 students. The full capacity expected in next four years will be 2000. It will be a boarding school with at least 50% boarders and affiliated to Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE). The school accordingly will admit children from age three. However, the inaugural batch this year will be year 9. The leadership for the school will be announced in the coming weeks. By March most of the academic announcements and schedule will be official made known.
Caroline Pendleton-Nash, Chief Executive Officer of Queen Elizabeth’s Global Schools, said, “We’re honoured to bring the heritage, values and exacting standards of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet to Indian students and families. With GEDU Global Education’s long-term commitment to India, we are building a school that will nurture confident, capable and principled young people who are prepared to lead with purpose in a rapidly changing and competitive world.”
Saying that A world-class K12 education will be critical to ensure these individuals seize the opportunities that are presented to them, and support the aspirations of Viksit Bharat 2047, she added: “Children born in India now will be graduating in 2047, entering the workforce of an economic, political and cultural superpower.
Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India. British Council said: “I congratulate Queen Elizabeth’s School on opening its first campus in India, in Gurugram, which will strengthen connections and create greater opportunities for young people in both India and the UK. This Initiative complements the UK-India Vision 2035, to internationalise education and help young people gain a deeper understanding of each other’s countries — especially modern UK and India — while building trust and equipping them with the skills to succeed anywhere in the world.”
The new school in Gurugram, is not a franchise, but an independent entity though linkages and governance structure and inspections, makes it essentially a branch campus. The India campus will reflect the educational philosophy that has made Queen Elizabeth’s School one of the most respected names in global K12 education. It will deliver a curriculum grounded in academic depth, intellectual discipline and holistic development, designed to prepare students for leadership in an increasingly interconnected world.
It is pertinent to mention that Queen Elizabeth’s Global Schools is also opening a campus in Dubai this year. However, the India campus life will be focused on academic excellence and co-curricular activities, providing students with a learning environment drawing inspiration from both the founding school and the wider local context in Gurugram. It will include world-class sport facilities, a swimming pool and specialist creative and performing arts facilities.
Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet was recently named The Sunday Times State secondary School of the Year, also winning national recognition as State School of the Year for Academic Excellence and for A-levels. The school ranked first in the sector nationally for GCSE and A-level results. “We are excited by the potential for international collaboration, which, in time, will build a global network of Elizabethans for the benefit of our new students as well as those within the state sector in Barnet.” commented Neil Enright, Headmaster of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet. “The breadth and depth of our co-curricular activities (from sport to the arts, debating to robotics), bespoke pastoral care and expert guidance, means that we succeed in our enduring mission to produce fully rounded young people who are confident, able and responsible.”
Alba Smeriglio, Deputy High Commissioner, British Deputy High Commission Chandigarh said: “Education is one of the strongest bridges between the UK and India. The opening of Queen Elizabeth’s School in Gurugram is an exciting milestone for UK-India ties and will help nurture skills, promote exchange of best practice, and expand opportunities for young people in Haryana to engage with world-class British education”.
With a second Queen Elizabeth’s School campus planned for 2027-28, GEDU has also committed to investing an additional £150–£200 million over the next three years across India’s K12 and higher education landscape. GEDU’s investments and partnerships in the country reflect its long-term visionof building a network of exceptional K12 and higher education institutions. Through these efforts, GEDU aims to significantly elevate access, quality, and opportunity across India’s education sector, said a statement issued by GEDU.
For more information on school, visit www.qegurugram.com
