Best secondary schools in Southend-on-Sea (2026)
Southend-on-Sea has 12 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Westcliff High School for Boys Academy, in the top 2% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 54.7, against 46.1 for England. 4 are in England's top 10%, and 4 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 4 grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 2% in England |
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy Southend-on-Sea · Grammar · Boys |
77.7 | 77.6 | 98% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 2% in England |
Westcliff High School for Girls Southend-on-Sea · Grammar · Girls |
77.0 | 75.6 | 97% | Outstanding | |
3 Top 2% in England |
Southend High School for Girls Southend-on-Sea · Grammar · Girls |
74.7 | 75.0 | 99% | Outstanding | |
4 Top 3% in England |
Southend High School for Boys Southend-on-Sea · Grammar · Boys |
74.3 | 73.8 | 97% | Outstanding | |
5 Top 13% in England |
St Bernard's High School Southend-on-Sea · Girls · Roman Catholic |
56.3 | 54.9 | 59% | No rating | |
6 Top 20% in England |
St Thomas More High School Southend-on-Sea · Boys · Roman Catholic |
52.2 | 52.3 | 64% | No rating | |
7 Top 22% in England |
The Eastwood Academy Southend-on-Sea |
51.6 | 51.6 | 54% | No rating | |
8 Bottom 41% in England |
Belfairs Academy Southend-on-Sea |
44.0 | 45.5 | 45% | Requires improvement | |
9 Bottom 17% in England |
Shoeburyness High School Southend-on-Sea |
38.8 | 37.6 | 34% | Good | |
10 Bottom 7% in England |
Southchurch High School Southend-on-Sea |
36.8 | 38.7 | 24% | Report card | |
11 Bottom 7% in England |
Chase High School Southend-on-Sea |
35.6 | 39.2 | 32% | Report card | |
12 Bottom 4% in England |
Cecil Jones Academy Southend-on-Sea |
34.3 | 35.1 | 21% | Good |
Other towns in Essex
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Southend-on-Sea?
On exam results over the last three years, Westcliff High School for Boys Academy is the top-ranked secondary school in Southend-on-Sea, in the top 2% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.