Southend High School for Boys vs Westcliff High School for Girls
Both are grammar schools in Southend-on-Sea, 1.2 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 Girls | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary |
| Gender | Boys | Girls |
| Pupils on roll | 1,325 | 1,342 |
| Free school meals | 7.4% | 8.5% |
| Ofsted rating | Outstanding | Outstanding |
| Attainment 8 — 2024/25 | 73.8 | 75.6 |
| A-level average points — 2024/25 | 40.79 | 40.74 |
| 11+ test board | GL Assessment | GL Assessment |
| Admission system | pass/fail then criteria order | pass/fail then criteria order |
| Places offered — 202627 | 177 | 185 |
| First preferences per place — higher means more competition for a first-preference place | 1.74 | 1.29 |
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 Girls
306 (2025 entry)
Lowest score inside priority area on National Offer Day. Outside area cutoff: 345. 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 children and previously looked after children
- Children with exceptional medical/social needs
- Children from designated feeder primary schools or living in defined priority area
- Siblings of children on roll at the school
Source: school admissions policy.
Westcliff High School for Girls
- Looked after children and previously looked after children
- Children with exceptional medical/social needs
- Children from designated feeder primary schools or living in defined priority area
- Siblings of children on roll at the school
Source: school admissions policy.
Choosing between them
Southend High School for Boys is a boys school and Westcliff High School for Girls is a girls school, so for many families the starting point is which one can admit their child. 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
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- 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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