Southend High School for Boys vs Westcliff High School for Boys Academy
Both are grammar schools in Southend-on-Sea, 1.1 miles apart. Side-by-side on official DfE, Ofsted and council admissions data.
Side by side
| Southend High School for Boys | Westcliff High School for Boys Academy | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Boys | Boys |
| Pupils on roll | 1,332 | 1,309 |
| Free school meals | 7.9% | 5.2% |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding | Outstanding |
| Attainment 8 — 2025/26 | 75.1 | 77.2 |
| 11+ test board | GL Assessment | GL Assessment |
| Admission system | qualifying score is the minimum; places then go in score order (distance only breaks ties) | qualifying score is the minimum; places then go in score order (distance only breaks ties) |
| Places offered — 202627 | 177 | 182 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 1.74 | 1.54 |
Qualifying scores
Southend High School for Boys
305 (2025 entry)
Lowest score inside priority area on National Offer Day. Outside area cutoff: 342. CSSE test.
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy
309 (2025 entry)
Lowest score inside priority area on National Offer Day. Outside area cutoff: 351. CSSE test.
Who gets priority
Where a school is oversubscribed, these are the first criteria applied, in order. This is usually what decides an application.
Southend High School for Boys
- Looked after and previously looked after children who pass the CSSE selection tests
- Children living in the SS0–SS9 postcodes who pass and are entitled to 'preferential consideration' (free school meals or pupil premium, declared when registering for the test) — up to 15 places, in…
- Other children living in the SS0–SS9 postcodes who pass — in score order, up to 150 places for the area in all
- Children living outside the SS0–SS9 postcodes who pass and are entitled to 'preferential consideration' — up to 3 places, in score order
- Other children living outside the SS0–SS9 postcodes who pass — in score order, for the remaining places
Source: school admissions policy.
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy
- Looked after and previously looked after children who pass the CSSE selection tests
- Children living in the SS0–SS9 postcodes who pass and are entitled to 'preferential consideration' (free school meals or pupil premium, declared when registering for the test) — up to 15 places, in…
- Other children living in the SS0–SS9 postcodes who pass — in score order, up to 148 places for the area in all
- Children living outside the SS0–SS9 postcodes who pass and are entitled to 'preferential consideration' — up to 4 places, in score order
- Other children living outside the SS0–SS9 postcodes who pass — in score order, for the remaining places
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Both schools admit boys, so the decision usually comes down to the admission criteria above and how far each one reaches. The figures on this page are the published ones — they describe intakes and results, not what either school would be like for your child. The right choice depends on your family's own priorities and circumstances.
Other Southend-on-Sea comparisons
- Southend High School for Boys vs Southend High School for Girls
- Southend High School for Boys vs Westcliff High School for Girls
- Southend High School for Girls vs Westcliff High School for Boys Academy
- Southend High School for Girls vs Westcliff High School for Girls
- Westcliff High School for Boys Academy vs Westcliff High School for Girls
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