Westcliff High School for Girls
Westcliff High School for Girls at a glance
Westcliff High School for Girls is a girls’ grammar school in Westcliff-on-Sea for students aged 11 to 18, with about 1350 pupils. It is part of South East Essex Academy Trust. Year 7 places are given through the CSSE 11+, and the school has a sixth form.
For September 2026 entry it offered 185 places and was the first choice of 239 families — about 1.3 for every place. 72% of all applications came from families in other council areas.
In 2024/25, 97% 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 25% achieved AAB or better including at least two facilitating subjects. 76% 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 | 306 |
| Sept 2025 | Lowest score offered | Outside priority area | 345 |
| Sept 2024 | Lowest score offered | Inside priority area | 303 |
| Sept 2024 | Lowest score offered | Outside priority area | 347 |
| Sept 2023 | Lowest score offered | Inside priority area | 303 |
| Sept 2023 | Lowest score offered | Outside priority area | 342 |
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 | 185 | 239 | 1.3 | 856 |
| Sept 2025 | 178 | 302 | 1.7 | 882 |
| Sept 2024 | 160 | 262 | 1.6 | 873 |
| Sept 2023 | 167 | 228 | 1.4 | 891 |
| Sept 2022 | 182 | 237 | 1.3 | 832 |
| Sept 2021 | 183 | 466 | 2.5 | 1,331 |
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 · 184 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 | 97.3% | 75.6 | — | 7.28 |
| 2023/24 | 97.7% | 76.9 | +0.9 | 7.46 |
| 2022/23 | 99.0% | 78.5 | +0.89 | 7.61 |
A level, 2024/25 · 206 students
- Average grade
- B
- England: B-
- AAB or better*
- 25%
- England: 18%
- Value added
- -0.22
*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
- 76%
- Apprenticeship
- 3%
- Employment
- 9%
- Any sustained destination
- 91%
Source: DfE 16–18 destination measures, students who left after A levels or equivalent, destinations measured in 2022/23 (236 students). Categories overlap slightly and do not sum to 100%.
Key facts
- Admits at 11
- Girls
- Ages
- 11–18
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Pupils
- 1,354 (capacity 1,224)
- Free school meals
- 8.4% of pupils eligible
- School type
- Academy converter
- Trust
- South East Essex Academy Trust
- Local authority
- Southend-on-Sea
- Constituency
- Southend West and Leigh
From the Department for Education’s register (URN 136490), October 2026.
Thinking about Westcliff High School for Girls?
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.