Schools in Southend-on-Sea

41 schools with published admissions figures

The newest figures for each school. "1st prefs per place" is how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out. It measures demand, not whether a child would get a place. A dash means the figure is not available.

How the 2026 round went in Southend-on-Sea

Primary

Offered their first choice 87.8%
Of families applying for a primary place for September 2026. Against 87.8% in 2016.
Offered one of their three 97.8%
Families offered any of the schools they named.
Families who applied 1,741
Applications received for a primary place. A family naming three schools counts once.

For September 2026, 87.8% of families applying for a primary place here were offered their first choice, and 97.8% were offered one of the three schools they named.

That is much the same as in 2016, when it was 87.8%.

The council's primary schools between them had 1,925 places for 1,741 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Secondary

Offered their first choice 78.2%
Of families applying for a secondary place for September 2026. Against 79.1% in 2016.
Offered one of their three 95.1%
Families offered any of the schools they named.
Families who applied 2,060
Applications received for a secondary place. A family naming three schools counts once.

For September 2026, 78.2% of families applying for a secondary place here were offered their first choice, and 95.1% were offered one of the three schools they named.

That is much the same as in 2016, when it was 79.1%.

The council's secondary schools between them had 2,580 places for 2,060 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Source: Department for Education, applications and offers. The same round across England.

If a family is refused a place

In 2026, families in Southend-on-Sea lodged 172 appeals about a school place.

117 of them were heard by a panel and 7 succeeded, which is about 6 in every 100 heard.

The other 55 did not reach a panel. Most appeals that do not are withdrawn because a place comes up first.

This is a record of decisions already made. A panel hears one case at a time and decides it on what that family sets out, so these figures do not indicate what would happen in any particular appeal.

Source: Department for Education, admission appeals in England, reporting year 2026. Counts every school in this council area. The share that succeeded is taken over appeals heard by a panel, not over appeals lodged.

Secondary

School	1st prefs per place	Demand since	Latest Ofsted
Belfairs Academy Leigh-on-Sea	0.47	-	Requires improvement Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Cecil Jones Academy Southend-on-Sea	0.82	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Chase High School Westcliff-on-Sea	0.62	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
Shoeburyness High School Southend-on-Sea	0.78	-	Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Southchurch High School Southend-On-Sea	0.75	-	Expected standard Ofsted report card (current framework)
Southend High School for Boys Southend-on-Sea	1.74	-	Outstanding Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Southend High School for Girls Southend-on-Sea	1.25	-	Outstanding Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
St Bernard's High School Westcliff-on-Sea	1.05	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
St Thomas More High School Westcliff-on-Sea	1.13	-	School remains Good Ofsted ungraded inspection
The Eastwood Academy Leigh-on-Sea	1.63	-	Standards maintained Ofsted ungraded inspection
Westcliff High School for Boys Academy Westcliff-on-Sea	1.54	-	Outstanding Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Westcliff High School for Girls Westcliff-on-Sea	1.29	-	Outstanding Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)

Elsewhere

Most sought-after schools in Southend-on-Sea by first preferences per place
Schools in SS0 (12)
Schools in SS1 (4)
Schools in SS2 (7)
Schools in SS3 (8)
Schools in SS9 (12)
What data we hold