Westcliff High School for boys

Westcliff High School for Boys is a selective state grammar school and academy for boys in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. Founded in 1920, it strives to offer ‘an excellent education for [its] pupils, supporting them in their journey to adulthood by developing character and intellect within a happy and scholarly community’.

Beyond the classroom, the school is committed to building moral values and a sense of community. Sport is intrinsic to the school life due to its ability to build character, leadership and teamwork skills.

• Address: Westcliff High School for Boys, Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea, SS0 0BP
• Local authority: Essex County Council
• School type: boys' grammar with a mixed sixth form
• Headteacher: Michael Skelly
• Number of pupils: 1,200+
• National rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 53
• A level results: 83.1% A*–B
• GCSE results: 82.2% A*/A/9/8/7

Westcliff High School for Boys is a member of the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE). This means that the admissions arrangements are similar at all the grammar schools within the consortium, and all children applying to one of the 10 schools take the same 11 plus test.

If you would like your child to be considered for a place at Westcliff High School for Boys you will need to apply by completing two forms:

• Register for the 11 plus: you will need to register your child to take the CSSE 11 plus exam on the CSSE website. Registration opens on Thursday 16th May 2023 and closes on 30th June 2023.
• Register for a school place: you will need to submit the common application form (CAF) and name Westcliff High School for Boys as your preferred school of choice. You will be able to complete the form on the Essex County Council website between 1st September and 31st October 2023.

After your child takes the CSSE exam, a team of independent professional markers will double-mark and check the papers. Some scores will be age-standardised and then the results for each school will be ranked in order.

The pass mark can vary from year to year. In 2022, the pass mark at Westcliff High School for Boys was 303 for children living within the priority area, and 349 for children living outside the priority area. Once the pass mark has been set, no pupil with a lower mark will be admitted to Westcliff High School for Boys.

Westcliff High School for Boys determines which children to give places to in the following order of priority:

1. Looked After and previously Looked After children who have met the 11 plus pass mark.

2. Children who live within the school catchment area and who have passed the test. Up to 80% of the 184 places are reserved for children in this category, and up to 15 places are designated for children within the catchment area who are entitled to preferential consideration.

3. Children who live outside the school catchment area and who have passed the test. Up to 4 places are reserved for children in this criterion who are entitled to preferential consideration.

4. All remaining places are allocated, in rank order of marks, to any children applying from outside the catchment area who have exceeded the pass mark, until 184 places are filled.

Preferential consideration is always given to Looked After and previously Looked After Children, and children who are in receipt of the Pupil Premium or Free School Meals.

The catchment area for Westcliff High School for Boys covers the postcode areas SS0, SS1, SS2, SS3, SS4, SS5, SS6, SS7, SS8 and SS9. If your child's primary residence is within one of these postcodes, they will be a priority applicant to the school.