Southend-on-Sea / Southend-on-Sea 11+
Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 0BP
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy
1
A selective boys grammar school in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,292 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective boys grammar school in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,292 pupils on roll. Westcliff High School for Boys Academy serves boys aged 11-18 and keeps a full sixth form on site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,292 pupils on roll and 185 Year 7 places.
From a family point of view, admissions are likely to be one of the most important parts of the picture. The current route includes CSSE, with 185 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks high by grammar-school standards. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
The academic side of the school is backed by enough published data to give families a useful starting point. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.93 and Attainment 8 at 77.3. 98.3% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 42.3% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 71% moving into higher education.
The wider offer currently includes Combined Cadet Force, Sport. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. Taken together, those features make Westcliff High School for Boys Academy the kind of school that rewards careful research into travel, admissions detail, and day-to-day fit, not just headline outcomes.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Southend-on-Sea and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Southend-on-Sea and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Southend-on-Sea and England.
SS0 to SS9 forms the local priority area; up to 148 places are reserved for that area, including up to 15 preferential-consideration places.
Looked after and previously looked after children
Applies to candidates who pass the selection tests.
SS0-SS9 local quota
Up to 148 places are reserved for candidates living in SS0 to SS9, including up to 15 preferential-consideration places.
Outside priority area
Places remaining after the local quota include up to 4 preferential-consideration places for candidates outside SS0 to SS9.
Rank order
Within each area category, higher passing marks are allocated before lower passing marks.
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy currently uses CSSE. The published format currently lists 2 papers. Published weighting: English 50% / Maths 50%. Scores are published as age-standardised.
This school uses the shared Essex (CSSE) consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Essex (CSSE) guidePaper 1
English
CSSE English paper
Sixty-minute English paper with additional reading time.
Paper 2
Maths
CSSE Mathematics paper
Sixty-minute mathematics paper.
English and Maths are included in the published format.
Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning, Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning
Science
Creative writing
CSSE registration opens
12 May 2026
CSSE registration closes
19 June 2026
Special adjustments deadline
26 June 2026
CSSE 11+ tests
19 September 2026
Tuesday test day
29 September 2026
CSSE results emailed
12 October 2026
Common Application Form deadline
31 October 2026
National Offer Day
1 March 2027
Register with CSSE
Complete the CSSE registration form by 19 June 2026.
Open CSSE guideSit the CSSE tests
The CSSE test has separate English and mathematics papers.
Open CSSE guideSubmit the Common Application Form
Name Westcliff High School for Boys on the home local authority form by 31 October 2026.
Open CSSE guideLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 79.7 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 78.2 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 77.3 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 77.6 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | A- average (46.6 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B+ average (42.1 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | A- average (45.6 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B+ average (43.3 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 100% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 100% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 98% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 22 November 2023
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Southend-on-Sea area and similar boys' selective route
Same wider selective region and a similar admissions route
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Southend-on-Sea
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Compare the best grammar schools in Southend-on-Sea for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Southend-on-Sea sits within the Essex (CSSE) route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Grammar Schools in Essex
Compare the best grammar schools in Essex for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Essex sits within the Essex (CSSE) route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Boys' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best boys grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
FAQ
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy currently uses CSSE.
1. Register with CSSE: Complete the CSSE registration form by 19 June 2026. 2. Sit the CSSE tests: The CSSE test has separate English and mathematics papers. 3. Submit the Common Application Form: Name Westcliff High School for Boys on the home local authority form by 31 October 2026.
CSSE registration opens: 12 May 2026. CSSE registration closes: 19 June 2026. Special adjustments deadline: 26 June 2026. CSSE 11+ tests: 19 September 2026. Tuesday test day: 29 September 2026. CSSE results emailed: 12 October 2026. Common Application Form deadline: 31 October 2026. National Offer Day: 1 March 2027
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 22 November 2023.