Southend High School for Boys
125%
Capacity
1,325
Pupils
5.9x
Demand
About Southend High School for Boys
Southend High School for Boys is a large, oversubscribed state grammar school that significantly exceeds its physical capacity, with 1,325 pupils on roll against a stated capacity of 1,060. The school is selective and single-sex for boys aged 11 to 18, with a co-educational sixth form. Demand is extremely high: for 178 places in the 2025/26 intake, the school received 1,058 total applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 5.94 applicants per place. Of those, 259 put it as their first preference, and 141 first-preference offers were made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 7.4%, which is notably lower than the national average for secondary schools, reflecting the selective intake. The school sits in Southend-on-Sea, a local authority where five of 13 secondary schools hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted, and Southend High School for Boys is one of them.
Academically, the school delivers results that are well above average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.74 places it third out of ten schools in the local authority, and in the top 8.6% of schools nationally in the East of England region. This is a strong performance compared with the local authority average Progress 8 of 0.12. The Attainment 8 score is 73.9, and 100% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 98.3% reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 6.58, and nearly half of pupils entered the EBacc suite of qualifications. At A-level, the average points per entry is 40.65, equivalent to a B grade, and the best three A-levels average out at B+. The school’s value-added score at sixth form is -0.18, which is below average, suggesting that while outcomes are strong, pupils may not make as much progress relative to their starting points as they do at GCSE.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, and dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include hockey, rowing, football, and martial arts, while clubs range from Model UN and Young Enterprise to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The school supports a broad spectrum of special educational needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. With its selective admissions and high demand, this school is best suited to academically able boys who thrive in a competitive, high-expectation environment. Families should be aware that oversubscription is severe and that securing a place typically requires strong performance in the 11-plus entrance test. The school’s Outstanding Ofsted rating, awarded in June 2024 across all categories, reinforces its reputation for excellent leadership, behaviour, and personal development.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Prittlewell Chase, Southend-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 0RG |
| Headteacher | Rachel Worth |
| Local Authority | Southend-on-Sea |
| Number of Pupils | 1,325 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 7.4% |
| School Capacity | 1,325 / 1,060 (125% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Jun 2024Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 10 Jul 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.74)
240th of 3,141
Nationally
30th of 350
In East of England
3rd of 10
In Southend-on-Sea
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
45.9
'22/23
39.5
'23/24
40.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2393%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 181 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)93%
- FE college3%
- Sixth form college1%
- Not sustained1%
99% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2371%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 224 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
52%
Russell Group
64%
Top-third HE
3%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)71%
- Employment15%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Not sustained3%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics107
- Economics55
- Biology53
- Chemistry45
- Government and Politics45
- Psychology45
- Physics37
- Business Studies:Single30
- Geography30
- History30
- Computer Studies / Computing23
- Physical Education / Sports Studies22
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed178
1,058
Extremely High Demand
Very competitive - significantly more applications than places
259 families put this school as their 1st choice (24% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:15
Source: shsb.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British48.8%
- Asian20.0%
- White (other)11.3%
- Mixed8.4%
- Black0.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
8
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Southend High School for Boys
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Prittlewell Chase, Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea, SS0 0RG
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