Westcliff High School for Girls
110%
Capacity
1,342
Pupils
5.0x
Demand
About Westcliff High School for Girls
Westcliff High School for Girls sits in the Southend-on-Sea local authority, where it ranks second out of ten state secondary schools, placing it in the top 20 per cent of its LA cohort. Its closest academic peer is Westcliff High School for Boys Academy, which sits just 0.1 km away and holds the top spot in the LA rankings. The other two schools in the local top tier are Southend High School for Girls and Southend High School for Boys, both with a ranking score of 0.74 against Westcliff Girls’ 0.9. The school is one of five outstanding-rated secondaries in the LA, which contains thirteen schools of the same type overall. With a Progress 8 score of 0.9, it sits well above the LA average of 0.12 and ranks 14th out of 350 schools in the East of England region, placing it in the 4th percentile regionally and the 4th percentile nationally.
Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 awarded it Outstanding across every category: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This marks an upgrade from its previous inspection in 2010, where the sixth form was rated Good. At Key Stage 4, 100 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, and 97.7 per cent achieved a grade 5 or above in both. The EBacc average point score was 7.46, with 94.8 per cent of pupils entered for the EBacc and 83.1 per cent achieving a grade 5 or above across all EBacc subjects. Attainment 8 stood at 76.9. At A-level, the average points per entry was 41.55, equivalent to a B grade, and the best three A-levels averaged a B+. However, the sixth-form value added score was -0.25, banded as below average, suggesting that while students achieve strong results, they may not make as much progress relative to their starting points as at KS4.
The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 178 places available and 882 total applications — an oversubscription ratio of 4.96. Of those, 302 were first-preference applications, and 162 first-preference offers were made. Facilities include a swimming pool, playing fields, a theatre, a sixth-form centre, science labs, and a sports hall, with sports ranging from netball and hockey to dance and athletics. The school offers a wide range of SEND provisions, covering dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, and physical disabilities. With a girls-only, non-religious, state-funded structure and an official sixth form, this school suits families seeking a high-attaining, oversubscribed secondary with strong KS4 outcomes and a broad extracurricular offer, though those prioritising sixth-form value added may want to compare progress data carefully.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 0BS |
| Headteacher | Emma Matthews |
| Local Authority | Southend-on-Sea |
| Number of Pupils | 1,342 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 8.5% |
| School Capacity | 1,342 / 1,224 (110% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
6 Feb 2024Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 19 Mar 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.90)
123rd of 3,141
Nationally
14th of 350
In East of England
2nd 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
44.8
'22/23
39.5
'23/24
41.5
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
2022/2392%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 180 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)92%
- FE college5%
- Apprenticeship1%
- 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
2022/2375%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 199 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
46%
Russell Group
51%
Top-third HE
4%
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)75%
- Employment13%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Further education1%
- Other education1%
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- Mathematics125
- Chemistry97
- Biology88
- Psychology85
- Law37
- Economics32
- Physics30
- Government and Politics29
- Business Studies:Single28
- History28
- Religious Studies27
- English Literature22
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
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed178
882
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
302 families put this school as their 1st choice (34% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:30
Source: whsg.info. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- Asian40.1%
- White British33.5%
- Mixed4.5%
- White (other)3.3%
- Black0.7%
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 half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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.
14
Total schools
10
Oversubscribed
9
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Westcliff High School for Girls
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
Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea, SS0 0BS
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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