Westcliff High School for Boys Academy
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy at a glance
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy is a boys’ grammar school in Westcliff-on-Sea for students aged 11 to 18, with about 1310 pupils. Year 7 places are given through the CSSE 11+, and the school has a sixth form.
For September 2026 entry it offered 182 places and was the first choice of 280 families — about 1.5 for every place. 71% of all applications came from families in other council areas.
In 2024/25, 98% of its GCSE students achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths, against 45% across England’s state schools. Its A-level students averaged B+ per entry, and 42% achieved AAB or better including at least two facilitating subjects. 71% of sixth-form leavers went on to university (destinations measured in 2022/23).
Getting in: the 11+ and how places are given
- Test
- CSSE 11+
- Set by
- Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), which writes its own papers
- What it covers
- English (including a writing task) and maths
How places are given
Each school sets its own qualifying score and priority rules; several rank applicants by score within catchment or priority areas.
How to register and apply
Register on the CSSE website in the summer term of Year 5 — one test covers every consortium school. Name the schools on your secondary application by 31 October.
Admissions rules change each year. Check the school’s current admissions policy — area details last checked October 2026.
Scores needed for a place
| Entry | Measure | Applies to | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2025 | Lowest score offered | Inside priority area | 309 |
| Sept 2025 | Lowest score offered | Outside priority area | 351 |
| Sept 2024 | Lowest score offered | Inside priority area | 303 |
| Sept 2024 | Lowest score offered | Outside priority area | 355 |
| Sept 2023 | Lowest score offered | Inside priority area | 303 |
| Sept 2023 | Lowest score offered | Outside priority area | 349 |
Scale: CSSE total standardised score (English and maths). Sources: CSSE historical guidance sheet, CSSE historical guidance sheet, CSSE historical guidance sheet. Scores change every year and depend on how many children apply — treat them as a guide, not a target.
How many families apply
| Entry | Places | 1st choices | 1st choices per place | All applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 | 182 | 280 | 1.5 | 1,028 |
| Sept 2025 | 181 | 283 | 1.6 | 1,023 |
| Sept 2024 | 167 | 222 | 1.3 | 850 |
| Sept 2023 | 169 | 266 | 1.6 | 918 |
| Sept 2022 | 183 | 258 | 1.4 | 931 |
| Sept 2021 | 184 | 368 | 2.0 | 1,298 |
Source: DfE, secondary school applications and offers. Places offered on National Offer Day; first preferences are families who put the school first on their council application.
Exam results
GCSE, 2024/25 · 177 pupils
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Grade 4 or above in English and maths
Attainment 8 (average across 8 subjects)
| Year | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Attainment 8 | Progress 8 | EBacc points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 97.7% | 77.6 | — | 7.53 |
| 2023/24 | 98.3% | 77.3 | +0.93 | 7.52 |
| 2022/23 | 99.0% | 78.2 | +0.9 | 7.65 |
A level, 2024/25 · 195 students
- Average grade
- B+
- England: B-
- AAB or better*
- 42%
- England: 18%
- Value added
- -0.19
*AAB or better, with at least two in facilitating subjects. Value added compares students’ results with others who started from similar GCSEs; above 0 is better than expected.
Source: DfE school and college performance tables. England figures are for all state-funded schools. Progress 8 was not published for 2024/25.
Where students go next
- University
- 71%
- Apprenticeship
- 5%
- Employment
- 12%
- Any sustained destination
- 89%
Source: DfE 16–18 destination measures, students who left after A levels or equivalent, destinations measured in 2022/23 (179 students). Categories overlap slightly and do not sum to 100%.
Key facts
- Admits at 11
- Boys
- Ages
- 11–18
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Pupils
- 1,309 (capacity 1,300)
- Free school meals
- 5.2% of pupils eligible
- School type
- Academy converter
- Trust
- Single-academy trust
- Local authority
- Southend-on-Sea
- Constituency
- Southend West and Leigh
From the Department for Education’s register (URN 136272), October 2026.
Thinking about Westcliff High School for Boys Academy?
See where your child stands with our free 15-minute 11+ readiness check — a score for Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, judged against their year.