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School profile Verified 11 September 2026

Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea 11+

Southend High School for Boys

Prittlewell Chase, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 0RG

A selective boys grammar school in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,325 pupils on roll.

Grammar school Boys Academy converter Ages 11-18 Sixth form CSSE
UK rank
UK Rank #80
Year 7 places
180
Competition ?
High
Ofsted ?
Outstanding
11+ route
CSSE
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On this page

At a glance

Key facts

GCSE rank
UK Rank #80
Sector
Grammar school
Admissions
Boys only
Assessment
CSSE
Places in Year 7
180
Competition ?
High
Catchment
You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Ofsted ?
Outstanding

Overview

Southend High School for Boys is a selective boys' grammar in Southend-on-Sea, serving ages 11 to 18. The school presents itself as a high-expectation grammar where pupils are happy and prosper, and where academic standards are sustained through structured support and guidance. The school has about 1,325 pupils on roll, including the sixth form.

The academic offer is broadest in the sixth-form material. SHSB describes a sixth form of around 450 students based in a dedicated, purpose-built centre with its own common room, canteen, study rooms, ICT suite, pastoral office and a study area in the main school library. Students normally choose four A levels, with the Extended Project Qualification available, and the school links recent results to Oxbridge and Russell Group progression.

The same sixth-form pages give the best view of wider school life: personal development, health and wellbeing, cooking, mindfulness, volunteering in local primary schools, team sports and Duke of Edinburgh all appear there. Drama, sport and community volunteering also appear, so the school reads as academically ambitious but not narrowly classroom-bound.

Year 7 admission has 180 places and uses the CSSE 11+ route: a 60-minute English paper with additional reading time and a 60-minute mathematics paper, standardised and weighted equally. SHSB reserves up to 150 places for applicants in SS0-SS9, with preferential-consideration places inside and outside the area, and the remaining places allocated by marks under the published policy. Ofsted judged the school Outstanding in June 2024; GOV.UK shows +0.74 Progress 8, 98.9% grade 5+ in English and maths, and 26.7% AAB or better at A level.

Key points
Assessment route
CSSE across a 2-stage process, covering English and Maths.
Places and demand
180 places in Year 7 and High
Catchment
You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Results
98.9% grade 5+ in English and maths and 73.8 Attainment 8
Sixth form
Sixth form available with 26.7% AAB or better and 68% in higher education.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Southend-on-Sea and England.

School Local authority England
GCSE benchmark comparison Latest GCSE benchmark measures for Southend High School for Boys, Southend-on-Sea, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M EBacc APS EBacc %
Attainment 8
73.8
Grade 5+ English and maths
98.9%
EBacc APS
6.61
EBacc entry
56.7%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Southend-on-Sea and England.

School Local authority England
Attainment 8 trend line Attainment 8 over time for Southend High School for Boys, Southend-on-Sea, and England. 100 80 60 40 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25

Destinations

Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Southend-on-Sea and England.

Education Apprenticeships Employment Other / unknown
Destinations stacked bar comparison Year 11 destinations for Southend High School for Boys, Southend-on-Sea, and England across education, apprenticeships, employment, and other or unknown destinations. 0 50 100 School Local auth. England

School details
Sector
Grammar school
School type
Academy converter
Application
Local authority CAF
Gender
Boys only
Age range
11-18
Headteacher
Mrs Rachel Worth
Pupil roll
1,325 pupils
Sixth form
Yes
Trust
Southend High School For Boys Academy Trust
FSM ?
7.4%
EAL ?
7.3%
EHCP ?
1.5%

Facilities

Library

Extracurriculars

Drama

Ethnicity

Pupil ethnicity

Whole-school roll of 1,325 pupils; 1,317 had a recorded ethnic group.

White 60.6% Asian 20% Mixed 8.4% Black 9.7% Other 0.8% Unclassified 0.6%

Location and contact

Address

Address
Prittlewell Chase, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Postcode
SS0 0RG
Area
Southend-on-Sea
Exam area
Southend-on-Sea 11+

School leadership

Headteacher
Mrs Rachel Worth

School contact

School email
enquiries@shsb.org.uk
School phone
01702606200

Admissions contact

Admissions team
Southend Admissions Team
Admissions email
admissions@southend.gov.uk
Admissions phone
01702212934
Open in Map Open school website

Admissions
Year 7 places
180 places (2027 entry)
Applications listed
1,058 applications (2025 entry)
First preferences
259 first preferences (2025 entry)
Competition ?
High
Who can apply
You can apply from any area, but living in the published local area gives priority for some or all places.
Pass mark note
CSSE papers are standardised and weighted equally. Each school then applies its published pass mark and oversubscription criteria; passing does not guarantee a place.

Entry is through the CSSE 11+. SHSB reserves up to 150 of 180 places for applicants in SS0-SS9, with preferential-consideration places inside and outside the area.

The priority area covers SS0, SS1, SS2, SS3, SS4, SS5, SS6, SS7, SS8 and SS9. Up to 150 places are reserved for this area, but an outside-area route remains.

Oversubscription and eligibility

  1. 1

    Looked after and previously looked after children

    Applicants who pass the selection tests and meet the statutory looked-after or previously-looked-after definition.

  2. 2

    Catchment preferential consideration

    Up to 15 of the 150 catchment-quota places are for catchment applicants entitled to preferential consideration, ranked by marks.

  3. 3

    Catchment applicants

    Remaining catchment quota places are for passing applicants in SS0-SS9, ranked by marks.

  4. 4

    Outside-catchment preferential consideration

    Up to 3 of the outside-catchment places are for outside-area applicants entitled to preferential consideration, ranked by marks.

  5. 5

    Outside-catchment applicants

    Remaining places are for passing outside-area applicants, ranked by marks until PAN is reached.

  6. 6

    Final tie-break

    Equal marks for the last place are resolved by preferential consideration, then straight-line distance.

Admissions policy

Southend High School for Boys admissions criteria 2027

2027 entry

Information booklet

CSSE Information Guide 2027 entry

2027 entry

Exam and test format

The CSSE 11+ entrance test format

round 150 places available each year.

Assessment route
CSSE
Papers and stages
2 papers
Format
Mixed format
Weighting
English 50% / Maths 50%
Age standardisation
Published as age-standardised

Official exam resources

Past papers and practice materials

CSSE releases earlier entrance-test papers and mark schemes. The year shown is the entry year; check the current test format before using an older paper. Official guidance

Essex (CSSE) test guide

Papers and rounds

  1. Paper 1

    English

    CSSE English paper

    Sixty-minute English paper with ten minutes additional reading time.

  2. Paper 2

    Maths

    CSSE Mathematics paper

    Sixty-minute mathematics paper based on Key Stage 2.

What the test includes

English and Maths are included in the published format.

Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Science are not listed in the current published format.

Included

  • English

  • Maths

Not listed

  • Verbal reasoning

  • Non-verbal reasoning

  • Science

Application

Key dates

Get date reminders
Find open days and plan a visit

  1. CSSE registration opens

    12 May 2026

    Past

  2. CSSE registration closes

    19 June 2026

    Past

  3. Special adjustment request deadline

    26 June 2026

    Past

  4. CSSE 11+ test date

    19 September 2026

  5. Reserve CSSE test date

    29 September 2026

  6. CSSE results sent by email

    12 October 2026

  7. Local authority application deadline

    31 October 2026

  8. National Offer Day

    1 March 2027

  9. Open afternoon

    19 October 2026

    From 2.15pm.

How to apply

  1. 1

    Check the school's 2027 admissions criteria

    Use the school criteria for PAN, priority area quotas, preferential consideration, and tie-break rules.

    Read criteria
  2. 2

    Register with CSSE

    Register for the CSSE 11+ from 12 May 2026 by the absolute deadline of 19 June 2026.

    Register with CSSE
  3. 3

    Sit the CSSE 11+

    The main CSSE test date for 2027 entry is 19 September 2026.

    View CSSE guide
  4. 4

    Submit the local authority application

    Name the school on the home local authority application by 31 October 2026.

    View application guidance

Official admissions documents

Admissions policy

Southend High School for Boys admissions criteria 2027

2027 entry

Information booklet

CSSE Information Guide 2027 entry

2027 entry

Results

Inspection
View report
Outstanding

Latest inspection: 13 June 2024

Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Outstanding

Quick summary

  • Overall effectiveness: Southend High School for Boys was rated Outstanding across all inspected areas. The report describes a highly academic school with a strong sense of community, expert teaching, respectful conduct, extensive enrichment and pupils who see themselves as a positive force for change.
  • Quality of education: Inspectors found a broad, rich and highly ambitious curriculum that often goes beyond national curriculum or exam requirements. Examples included Year 10 work on mathematical proof and sixth-form art that showed considerable depth, supported by passionate specialist teachers.
  • Behaviour and attitudes: Pupils manage their behaviour very well because responsibility and respect are woven into school life. The report noted tolerance, mature lunchtime conduct with minimal supervision, strong peer support and pupils who know what doing the right thing looks like.
  • Personal development: Personal development is visible in pupils' moral purpose and leadership beyond the school. The report highlights pupil-led work on neurodiversity awareness, a lasting Old Southendian community and a vast enrichment offer designed around pupils' talents and interests.
  • Leadership and management: Long-standing and newer leaders were credited with building a culture of excellence that is not limited to exam results. Inspectors described an ethos that develops decency, community and high standards, with safeguarding arrangements reported as effective.
  • Sixth form provision: The sixth form shares the school's Outstanding judgement. The available report evidence points to demanding academic work, especially in art, and to the same wider culture of expert teaching, strong support and enrichment that helps pupils pursue their interests fully.

Similar schools and comparisons

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Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.

Shortlist comparisons

Compare Southend High School for Boys with Westcliff High School for Boys Academy Compare Southend High School for Boys with Colchester Royal Grammar School

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Related pages and guides

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What assessment types does Southend High School for Boys use?

Southend High School for Boys currently uses CSSE.

How do I apply to Southend High School for Boys?

1. Check the school's 2027 admissions criteria: Use the school criteria for PAN, priority area quotas, preferential consideration, and tie-break rules. 2. Register with CSSE: Register for the CSSE 11+ from 12 May 2026 by the absolute deadline of 19 June 2026. 3. Sit the CSSE 11+: The main CSSE test date for 2027 entry is 19 September 2026. 4. Submit the local authority application: Name the school on the home local authority application by 31 October 2026.

When are the key dates for Southend High School for Boys?

CSSE registration opens: 12 May 2026. CSSE registration closes: 19 June 2026. Special adjustment request deadline: 26 June 2026. CSSE 11+ test date: 19 September 2026. Reserve CSSE test date: 29 September 2026. CSSE results sent by email: 12 October 2026. Local authority application deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027. Open afternoon: 19 October 2026

What does the latest inspection picture look like for Southend High School for Boys?

Southend High School for Boys is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 13 June 2024.