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Introduction
Established in 1920, Westcliff High School for Boys is a grammar school for boys with academy status and a focus on humanities and STEM. It’s located in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.
The school offers a well-rounded and comprehensive curriculum that prepares students for adult life and their future career choices exceptionally well. In addition to science, technology, engineering, and maths, pupils gain knowledge in modern languages, arts, religious studies, and English.
Westcliff High School for Boys believes that participating in extracurricular activities plays an important role in students’ overall happiness and success, so it offers a diverse and extensive extracurricular programme that is always evolving. Sports play an integral part in the programme, with activities for students of all ages and abilities. The school provides options for pupils to participate in local, regional, and national competitions. Students can also engage in drama clubs, musical choirs, poetry, robotics, and charity fundraising activities.
Westcliff High School for Boys aims to create a community where students pursue their academic interests beyond the curriculum. It encourages them to develop a good sense of self and never stop working on their growth and improvement. Furthermore, it places significant importance on personal integrity, collaboration, support, and mutual respect. Striving to develop mindful and open-minded individuals with a strong mental health foundation, it offers pastoral care to each pupil.
The school’s achievements are remarkable, with its students doing great in exams and continuously improving each year. Ofsted has rewarded it with an “Outstanding” score. [1]
Westcliff High School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2026
Address: Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0BP
County: Essex
Admissions info: office@whsb.essex.sch.uk or 01702 475443
School type: Boys’ academy
Number of places in Year 7: 185
Open Day date: June
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)
Westcliff High School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
Admission to Westcliff High School for Boys is determined by performance in the CSSE entrance examination. Offers of places are made in early March and parents are given until the end of the month to accept the place. More information about the testing procedure will be sent to parents by the CSSE in September.
You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
How to Apply for 11 Plus (11+) Entry to Westcliff High School for Boys
Before applying for a place at Westcliff Boys, parents and students are encouraged to attend the Year 7 Open Evening, which typically takes place in the summer term. The event will provide the opportunity to tour the school and attend a talk from the Head, as well as meet key members of the academic and non-academic staff.
In order to apply for a Year 7 place at Westcliff Boys, parents need to complete the CSSE Supplementary Information Form (SIF), which is used to coordinate testing.
Parents also need to complete the Common Application Form (CAF). Please note that Westcliff High School for Boys needs to be named as one of the given preferences on the CAF for students to be considered for entry.
The 11 Plus exam takes place in September and parents will receive the results by the end of October.
Is Westcliff High School for Boys part of a Consortium?
Westcliff High School for Boys 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 Westcliff High School for Boys have a catchment area?
Yes, Westcliff High School for Boys has a catchment area with priority based on location and distance from the school, covering the following postcode areas: SS0, SS1, SS2, SS3, SS4, SS5, SS6, SS7, SS8 and SS9.
Westcliff High School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
Westcliff High School for Boys 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 Westcliff High School for Boys 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 Westcliff High School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam?
The CSSE is a challenging and selective assessment. To give your child the best chance of success, we recommend utilising our resources, which have been created to mirror the demands of the actual test.
Through regular use of our practice papers, you will be able to identify areas where your child excels and areas that require further attention. This structured approach helps pupils build confidence and gain a significant advantage over other candidates.
Our practice tests are used successfully by thousands of students every year and are available for immediate use after purchase. They are age-appropriate, reflecting the demands of the actual assessment.
Westcliff High School for Boys 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 Westcliff High School for Boys 11+ exam. Please click here to learn more.
Westcliff High School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam Practice Exam Papers
We have a number of practice tests specifically designed to help students prepare for the Westcliff High School for Boys 11+ exam.
Practice Papers
The CSSE 11+ English paper can include both multiple-choice and open-answer comprehension questions, as well as a writing section.
Practice Papers
Video Masterclasses
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
Video Masterclasses
If you’d like to have your child’s writing assessed and marked, you may be interested in our Writing Marking Service. Please click here to learn more.
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 Westcliff High School for Boys 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.
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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions have been included in Westcliff High School for Boys 11+ past papers. The information provided about Westcliff High School for Boys 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 Westcliff High School for Boys.
Frequently Asked Questions About 11+ Entry to Westcliff High School for Boys
Westcliff High School for Boys was established in 1920.
Westcliff High School for Boys converted to academy status in 2010.
Westcliff High School for Boys hosts Open Day in June, welcoming prospective families on campus for a lively event packed with activities.
Westcliff High School for Boys 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 Westcliff High School for Boys 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 Westcliff High School for Boys 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 Westcliff High School for Boys 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 Westcliff High School for Boys 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 son with the opportunity to become familiar with the format and question types that he 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.
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.
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Author(s)
Louise Lang
Director of Learning