Key Facts
| Results (September 2027 entry) | Emailed by the CSSE at close of business on Monday 12 October |
|---|---|
| Pass mark | Set each year by the CSSE; no girl in any priority category is admitted below it, and places in each category go in order of mark |
| CSSE minimum for an offer | Total standardised score of 303 |
| Lowest scores offered (September 2026 entry) | 303 inside the priority area; 332 outside it |
| Year 7 places (September 2027 entry) | 192 |
| Priority area quota | Up to 154 places for girls living in SS0 to SS9, including up to 15 for preferential consideration |
| Registration (September 2028 entry) | CSSE registration opens in May 2027 |
| Southend-on-Sea application deadline (September 2027 entry) | 31 October 2026 for Southend-on-Sea residents |
| Essex application deadline (September 2027 entry) | 31 October 2026 for Essex residents |
| Waiting lists | Ranked by score in each category until 31 December |
| School | Westcliff High School for Girls (WHSG) |
| Type | Selective grammar school and academy |
| Location | Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0BS |
| Contact | 01702 476026 |
| Age Range | 11-18 years |
| Total Pupils | Approximately 1,300 |
| Last graded Ofsted inspection | Outstanding (6 February 2024) |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
Key Information Summary
- School: Westcliff High School for Girls (WHSG)
- Type: Selective grammar school and academy
- Location: Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0BS
- Contact: 01702 476026
- Age Range: 11-18 years
- Total Pupils: Approximately 1,300
- 11+ Consortium: CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex)
About Westcliff High School for Girls
Westcliff High School for Girls was established in 1920 and moved to its present site in 1931. It is a selective state school in Westcliff-on-Sea serving the wider Southend area.
The curriculum centres on the English Baccalaureate subjects, and the house system of Bohun, Mandeville, Bouchier and Devereux houses runs competitions in sport, music and drama.
The school is rated Outstanding by Ofsted and admits girls from across Essex and Southend through the CSSE 11+.
11+ tutors
Hannah
Master TutorI am a UK-qualified teacher with 15+ years across private and state schools in the UK and abroad, and hold a BSc from LSE and a PGCE with QTS. I teach English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, 11+ and Common Entrance preparation. My approach is personalised, confidence-building and rigorous.
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Sochima
Master TutorI'm a qualified teacher in a London classroom every day, with a BSc in Computer Science from Brunel and a PGCE with QTS. I teach Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science to A-Level, plus 11+ preparation, through project-based work that suits SEND learners well.
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Robert
Master TutorI am a qualified teacher with over twenty years' experience in the UK, Gulf and New Zealand, holding an MA in History and PGCE. I teach English, History, Geography and French from KS2 to A-Level and IB, preparing 11+/13+ candidates. My approach is student-led, focused and diagnostic.
Enquire about this tutorThe 11+ Assessment Process
Westcliff High School for Girls participates in the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) 11+ examination, which serves as the gateway to admission. This standardised assessment ensures consistency across participating grammar schools in the region.
Assessment Components:
- English Paper: sixty minutes, with ten minutes of additional reading time beforehand
- Mathematics Paper: Based on Key Stage 2 curriculum content, assessing numerical reasoning and problem-solving abilities
Each paper lasts sixty minutes, and the final scores for the two papers are standardised and weighted equally, each worth 50% of the marks. No CSSE school offers a place below a total standardised score of 303.
Both papers count equally, so preparation covers English and mathematics in equal measure, practised under the sixty-minute timings.
How to apply and what the CSSE result means
Girls register for the CSSE 11+ from May of Year 5, sit the English and mathematics papers in September of Year 6 and receive their results by email in October. The result is a total standardised score, and the school admits no girl in any priority category below the pass mark the CSSE sets each year; no CSSE school offers a place below a total of 303.
Places then go in order of mark within each priority category: looked-after and previously looked-after girls first, then a quota for girls living in the SS0 to SS9 postcode area, part of it reserved for girls receiving free school meals or the Pupil Premium, then girls living outside that area, who have needed a noticeably higher score. Passing is not an application, so the school must also be named on the home local authority's application by the home council's closing date, normally 31 October and later when that date falls at a weekend.
Offers follow on 1 March. The school keeps score-ranked waiting lists in each category until 31 December, and an appeal is lodged directly with the school for an independent panel to hear; the CSSE schools do not re-mark papers.
How the CSSE test and priority areas work across all four Southend grammar schools is set out in the Southend grammar schools guide.
Preparing for the Westcliff High School for Girls 11+ with Taylor Tuition
The Westcliff High School for Girls 11+ rewards steady preparation over a year or so, with the last term given to timed practice and interview confidence. Having prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools, with placements including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, our tutors match the programme to the school's assessment format and to where the child is starting from.
Because the pool includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools, and more than half of our tutors hold Qualified Teacher Status, families get a tutor who understands what the assessors are looking for. Every tutor who works with children holds an enhanced DBS check.
Families work with us online from anywhere in the UK or abroad, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject, with no registration fee and a free initial consultation to talk through your child's current level and the timeline to the 11+. Families receive progress reports after sessions and have a dedicated point of contact.
Read more about our 11+ entrance exam tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Westcliff High School for Girls a grammar school?
- Westcliff High School for Girls is a selective grammar school and academy — a state school, so no tuition fees apply, with entry through the selective 11+ process.
- How many places does Westcliff High School for Girls offer?
- 192 in the school's current admission arrangements, with up to 154 of them reserved for girls living in the SS0 to SS9 priority area. Demand typically exceeds places, so thorough preparation matters.
- How should my child prepare for the Westcliff High School for Girls 11+?
- Start structured preparation 12 to 18 months before the assessment: secure core English and maths beyond curriculum pace, since the CSSE test is two papers, one in English and one in mathematics, each lasting sixty minutes, and build up to timed practice in the final months.
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