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Schools near Westcliff-on-Sea

12 open schools in Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea · Ofsted ratings, catchment areas and admission criteria · see all Southend-on-Sea schools · grammar schools in Westcliff-on-Sea

Westcliff-on-Sea has 12 state schools: 6 primary, 5 secondary, part of Southend-on-Sea's wider catchment. 10 have a published Ofsted rating, and 10 of those are rated Good or Outstanding. 2 are state grammar schools and set an entrance test.

Average score
out of 10

Undersubscribed schools rated Good or Outstanding

These schools didn't fill on first preference in the latest admissions year, despite an Ofsted rating of Good or Outstanding — worth a look if you're chasing the same handful of famous names everyone else applies to.

How places are allocated in Southend-on-Sea

Primary schools: Explicit: 'Most primary schools in the City have a defined catchment area, except for the faith schools.' (source)

Most schools use the local authority's default scheme rather than a school-specific catchment map — see each school's page for its own designated/catchment area where one is published.

Southend-on-Sea entrance test format

Southend's grammar schools use the CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex) shared 11+ exam: 1. English (60 minutes) — comprehension, applied reasoning and a short continuous-writing element, marked out of 60. 2. Mathematics (60 minutes) — Key Stage 2-based problems, marked out of 60. No verbal or non-verbal reasoning — CSSE tests curriculum English and maths only, with written (not purely multiple-choice) answers. One registration (csse.org.uk) and one mid-September sitting covers all CSSE schools across Southend and Essex. Scores are age-standardised, with a combined ~303+ historically the consideration threshold.

Out-of-area applications

Southend's four grammar schools (Southend High School for Boys, Southend High School for Girls, Westcliff High School for Boys, Westcliff High School for Girls) select through the CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex) shared 11+ exam — the same single test used by the Essex grammar schools. One registration (csse.org.uk, historically mid-May to mid-June of Year 5) and one sitting covers every CSSE school in both areas. Children living outside Southend (including London boroughs and Essex) can register and sit the exam. The Southend schools have historically allocated a significant share of places by score rank, but several also use priority areas or residence criteria — check each school's published oversubscription criteria. Apply via your home LA's Common Application Form by 31 October.

Key dates

Entry yearEventDate
Sept 2028 Application deadline 31 October 2027
Sept 2028 Primary application deadline 15 January 2028
Sept 2028 Offer day 1 March 2028
Sept 2028 Primary offer day 17 April 2028
Sept 2027 Registration opens 12 May 2026 (passed)
Sept 2027 Registration closes 19 June 2026 (passed)
Sept 2027 Test date 19 September 2026 (passed)
Sept 2027 Results released 15 October 2026 (passed)
Sept 2027 Application deadline 31 October 2026
Sept 2027 Primary application deadline 15 January 2027
Sept 2027 Offer day 1 March 2027
Sept 2027 Primary offer day 16 April 2027
Sept 2026 Registration opens 8 May 2025 (passed)
Sept 2026 Registration closes 30 June 2025 (passed)
Sept 2026 Test date 21 September 2025 (passed)
Sept 2026 Results released 11 October 2025 (passed)
Sept 2026 Application deadline 31 October 2025 (passed)
Sept 2026 Primary application deadline 15 January 2026 (passed)
Sept 2026 Offer day 1 March 2026 (passed)
Sept 2026 Primary offer day 16 April 2026 (passed)

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