Admissions
The principal ages at which pupils are admitted to WHSB are at 11, following completion of primary education, and at 16, following completion of GCSEs.
Westcliff High School for Boys is a selective academy grammar school. Admission to the School at age 11 is determined through a selection procedure administered by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE - https://csse.org.uk/) involving tests in English and Mathematics. Entry at 16 is determined by the successful completion of GCSE studies and the meeting of the School’s Sixth Form entry threshold. The School is sometimes able to consider the entry of students at other times and is always responsive to parental enquiries.
Full details of our admission arrangements can be found in the document, Admission Criteria and Arrangements for Entry, which can be viewed on the School Policies page of our website.
In-Year Entrance Tests Dates 2024-25
Monday 4 November 2024
Monday 24 February 2025
Friday 4 July 2025
Further information regarding Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's admissions process can be found on their website.
The School Prospectus and other relevant admission details are available on this website.
Parents should express a preference for the School on their Local Authority's (LA) Common Application Form (either online or by post), which should be returned to the LA by the date on the application form. Your son will need to be registered to take the 11+ exam. This is done by registering with the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), which manage the 11+ process in Essex. Parents applying for a place at this School must also complete the CSSE's Supplementary Information Form (SIF) (either online at www.csse.org.uk or by post), which must be returned to the CSSE by the date on that form. To register, please go to www.csse.org.uk.
Details of the Entrance Test for 2025 entry arranged by the CSSE can be found here: https://csse.org.uk/examination/
Further information on admission to WHSB can also be found in the Southend Borough Council booklet on Secondary School Admissions.
OPEN EVENING FOR YEAR 7 ENTRY 2026
This will be held on Tuesday 24 June 5pm to 9pm.
We recommend you also look at our website, notably the Westcliff Diary and extra-curricular pages, to help introduce you to our School.
Click on the link below to go on your Virtual Tour of WHSB.
Appeals (Year 7 September 2025 Entry)
Following National Offer Day on Monday 3 March 2025, should you wish to Appeal against Non-Admission to this School, it would be helpful if you notify the Headmaster in writing no later than Friday 21 March 2025. Information about the Appeals process and Appeal documentation will then be sent out to appellants. The deadline for receipt of completed Admission Appeal documentation is Friday 25 April 2025. Appeals will be held on 3, 4, and 5 June 2025. If your Appeal documentation is received after Friday 25 April 2025, your Appeal may not be heard before the end of the Summer Term.