Advice 11 Plus Year 6 St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, 11 Plus (11+) CSSE Exam – Key Details 2026

St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, 11 Plus (11+) CSSE Exam – Key Details 2026

Written by Louise Lang

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Introduction


Established in 1910, St Bernard’s High School is a girls’ bilateral secondary school with a co-educational Sixth Form, situated in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex.

The school prides itself on its broad and balanced curriculum that effectively prepares students for their future professional endeavours. It’s designed with high expectations and offers the opportunity for intellectual, physical, and interpersonal mastery. Pupils acquire a strong foundation in subjects such as information technology, business studies, modern languages, psychology, and religious studies.

St Bernard’s High School offers an extensive and inclusive extracurricular programme, providing a wide range of activities before and after school, as well as during lunch hours. These activities enable pupils to continue their academic growth and further develop necessary skills. Among the most popular activities are dance, netball, choir, and debating society.

The school aims to create a safe space where pupils can thrive and learn with ambition and optimism. Its ethos is strongly grounded in Catholic values, emphasising a holistic Catholic education that values the spiritual and academic development of each individual. St Bernard’s motto, “Love one another as I have loved you”, highlights the importance of strong relationships and promotes a caring and diverse community.

St Bernard’s High School consistently achieves desirable results, placing itself above national averages and within the country’s top 20% of schools. Pupils often get high scores at GCSE and A-level and strive to improve each year.

For a closer look at the school, watch the video below:


St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2026


Address: Milton Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 7JS

County: Essex

Admissions info: office@stbernards.southend.sch.uk, 01702 343583

School type: Catholic bilateral

Number of places in Year 7: 63

Open Day date: July, September, October

11+ Exam date: September 2026

Pass mark: Aim for 80-85%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
Exam type / Board: CSSE (Essex 11 Plus)


St. Bernard’s High School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions


Admission to St Bernard’s High School is determined by student performance in the CSSE 11 Plus exam. The school admits girls regardless of their faith, although priority is given to pupils who demonstrate a commitment to Catholic education.

Should there be more candidates of the required level than there are places available, St. Bernard’s High will use their over-subscription criteria, giving priority to Looked After and previously Looked After children. More details about the criteria can be found in the admissions policy.

You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:


How to Apply for Year 7 Entry to St. Bernard’s High School


To commence the admissions process, prospective families should attend the school’s Open Events, typically taking place in July, September and October. In this way, you and your child will learn more about the school’s educational philosophy and meet key members of the staff, which will help you decide whether the setting is a good fit.

In order to apply for a Year 7 place at the school on behalf of your child, you’ll need to complete a Common Application Form (CAF) and select St. Bernard’s High School as your first-choice secondary school. Additionally, you’ll need to complete a Supplementary Information Form (SIF), which can be accessed on the CSSE website.

The selective test is taken in September and parents will receive the results before the application deadline at the end of October. Registration for the selective test begins in May, when children are in Year 5.

Is St. Bernard’s High School part of a Consortium?


St. Bernard’s High School belongs to the Essex 11+ Consortium, a group of schools that use the same entrance exam format and share a very similar admissions process.


Does St. Bernard’s High School have a catchment area?


Yes, St. Bernard’s High School has a catchment area with priority based on location and distance from the school.

St. Bernard’s High School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format


St. Bernard’s High School follows the same 11 Plus exam format as all CSSE member schools. There is only one selection test to ensure that students don’t need to take a separate exam for each school to which they have applied.

The St. Bernard’s High School 11+ assessment consists of two tests:

  • English – covering comprehension and creative writing;
  • Mathematics – focusing on topics from the KS2 National Curriculum.

The test scores are age-standardised to ensure that older pupils don’t have an unfair advantage.


How to Prepare for the St. Bernard’s High School 11 Plus (11+) Exam?


To effectively prepare your daughter for the CSSE 11 Plus exam, you should clearly outline which topics need to be covered and incorporate practice tests into her study routine to significantly improve her exam technique.

Practicing with our resources familiarises students with the types of questions that may appear on the actual assessment. Furthermore, taking our tests under timed conditions helps students develop their time management skills and perform well under pressure.

Our practice papers are essential to the success of the exam preparation process. They are tailored to be age-appropriate and challenging, and are successfully used by hundreds of thousands of students annually.

St. Bernard’s High School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores


Historical data shows that most schools in the area do not admit applicants who have a standardised score less than 303 in the CSSE. Exam results from previous years suggest this correlates with a score of roughly 80-85%+ in our 11+ Essex practice tests.

Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the St. Bernard’s High School 11+ exam. Please click here to learn more.


St. Bernard’s High School 11 Plus (11+) Practice Exam Papers

We have a number of practice tests specifically designed to help students prepare for the St. Bernard’s High School 11+ exam.

Essex (CSSE) 11+ Full Practice Tests Bundle

Essex CSSE 11+ exam preparation

You can now purchase a bundle of all of our CSSE Practice Tests for the Essex 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more.

Essex CSSE 11+ exam preparation

The CSSE 11+ English paper can include both multiple-choice and open-answer comprehension questions, as well as a writing section.

Practice Papers

  • 11+ English (Grammar Schools) Pack 1
  • 11+ English (Grammar Schools) Pack 2
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  • 11+ English (Grammar Schools) Pack 4
  • 11+ English (Grammar Schools) Pack 5
  • 11+ English (Grammar Schools) Comprehension Pack 1
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  • 11+ English: Inference Skills Pack 1
  • 11+ English: Inference Skills Pack 2
  • 11+ English (Independent Schools) Pack 1
  • 11+ English (Independent Schools) Pack 2
  • 11+ English (Independent Schools) Pack 3
  • 11+ English (Independent Schools) Pack 4
  • 11+ English (Independent Schools) Pack 5
  • The Complete Guide to 11+ Comprehension
  • 11+ English: Poetry Comprehension
  • 11+ Reading Workbook
  • The Complete Guide to 11+ Writing
  • 11+ English: Writing Prompts
  • 11+ English: Rewrite & Improve
  • 11+ English: Spelling Pack 1
  • 11+ English: Spelling Pack 2
  • 11+ Essex (CSSE) Continuous Writing Guide

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    11+ GL English Comprehension Masterclass Bundle

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    Complete practice resources for 11+ GL Assessment English Comprehension

    The CSSE 11+ Maths paper covers the KS2 syllabus (including problem solving and arithmetic) as well as some non-verbal reasoning. The maths questions are not multiple-choice.

    Practice Papers

  • 11+ Mathematics (Independent Schools) Pack 1
  • 11+ Mathematics (Independent Schools) Pack 2
  • 11+ Mathematics (Independent Schools) Pack 3
  • 11+ Mathematics (Independent Schools) Pack 4
  • 11+ Mathematics: Problem Solving (Independent Schools) Pack 1
  • 11+ Mathematics: Problem Solving (Independent Schools) Pack 2
  • 11+ Mathematics: Mental Arithmetic
  • 11+ Mathematics: Algebra (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Angles & Degrees (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: BODMAS (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Estimation & Place Value (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Factors & Multiples (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Fractions, Decimals & Percentages (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Measurements (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Money (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Operations (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Perimeter, Area & Volume (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Position & Direction (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Probability (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Properties of Shapes (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Ratio & Proportion (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Sequences (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Special Numbers (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Speed, Distance & Time (Independent Schools)
  • 11+ Mathematics: Statistics (Independent Schools)

    • Essex (CSSE) 11+ Mathematics Bundle

    effective 11+ Essex Maths exam preparation

    You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the Maths section of the Essex 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more.

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    Video Masterclasses

  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Algebra Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Angles & Degrees Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: BODMAS Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Estimation, Rounding & Place Value Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Factors & Multiples Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Fractions, Decimals & Percentages Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Measurements Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Money Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Operations Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Perimeter, Area & Volume Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Position & Direction Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Probability & Combinations Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Problem Solving Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Properties of Shape Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Ratio & Proportion Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Sequences Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Special Numbers Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Speed, Distance & Time Mini Masterclass
  • 11+ GL Mathematics: Statistics Mini Masterclass

    • 11+ GL Mathematics Mini Masterclass Bundle

    Complete practice resources for 11+ GL Assessment Mathematics

    You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended Masterclasses for the Mathematics section of the Essex 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the buttons below to learn more.

    Complete practice resources for 11+ GL Assessment Mathematics


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    Why do some of the recommendations above show me independent school papers?

    The main difference between independent and grammar school papers is the question format. Independent schools usually assess with standard format questions, which means students need to write out full answers. Grammar schools usually use multiple-choice format questions.

    Whilst St. Bernard’s High School is a grammar school, they actually use the independent school (standard) format for some of their exams, which is why they are included in the recommendations above.


    Frequently Asked Questions About 11+ Entry to St Bernard’s High School, Westcliff-on-Sea

    St. Bernard’s High School was established in 1910.

    St. Bernard’s High School converted to academy status in 2011.

    St. Bernard’s High School hosts open events in June, September and October, welcoming prospective families on campus for a lively event packed with activities.

    St. Bernard’s High School assesses prospective pupils through the standardised CSSE 11+ exam, also used by other schools in the Essex Grammar School Consortium. The assessment covers English and Mathematics.

    Parents applying to St. Bernard’s High School must register their child for the 11+ exam by completing a Supplementary Information Form (SIF), which can be accessed through the CSSE website. Residents of Essex also need to state St. Bernard’s High School as their preferred secondary school on the Common Application Form (CAF).

    Yes, you can. All CSSE schools that you wish to apply for must be named as preferences on the Local Authority Common Application Form.

    All 11+ applicants for entry to St. Bernard’s High School will be asked to sit the Essex CSSE exam which tests English comprehension and creative writing, and mathematics topics from the KS2 National Curriculum.

    No, the St. Bernard’s High School 11+ entrance exam does not test Non-Verbal Reasoning.

    One of the best ways to prepare for a challenging entrance exam, such as the CSSE, is to use practice tests. They will provide your daughter with the opportunity to become familiar with the format and question types that she will encounter in the actual exam. Our practice papers are used successfully every year by hundreds of thousands of students targeting schools with a competitive entrance exam.

    We recommend beginning with a few full practice tests, such as this one. These will act as diagnostics so you can quickly work out which areas your child needs to focus on. You can then select the relevant topic based material listed above to target weaker areas. Please get in touch if you need advice on how to prepare or what to focus on for each section and stage of the exam.

    Our 11+ CSSE practice tests replicate the format and style of the actual exam, effectively preparing students for success in this competitive assessment. Each practice test is designed to mimic the full examination experience, covering relevant Maths and English question types. More details are available on this page.


    What is the pass mark for the St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, CSSE 11+ Exam?

    Historical data shows that most schools in the area do not admit applicants who have a standardised score less than 303 in the CSSE. Exam results from previous years suggest this correlates with a score of roughly 80-85%+ in our 11+ Essex practice tests.


    Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions have been included in St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff 11+ past papers. The information provided about St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff is believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the article.

    Please note that Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff.

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    Author(s)

    Louise Lang

    Director of Learning

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