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St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, 11 Plus (11+) CSSE Exam – Key Details 2024

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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 2024

 

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 2024

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.

 

Essex 11 Plus CSSE Exam information

 

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, applied reasoning 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.

 

Full Practice Tests

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 1

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 2

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 3

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 4

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 5

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 6

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 7

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 8

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 9

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 10

 

✅ 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:

 

11+ Essex CSSE Tests 1-10 Bundle - Save 20%

 

✅ Alternatively, you can choose a bundle of five of our CSSE Practice Tests for the Essex 11+ Exam, and still save 15%. Select the relevant bundle below to learn more:

 

11+ Essex CSSE Tests 1-5 Bundle - Save 15%

 

11+ Essex CSSE Tests 6-10 Bundle - Save 15%

 


English

 

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

 

Multiple-Choice Comprehension

 

For multiple-choice comprehension practice, we’d highly recommend:

 

Full Practice Tests

11+ English – Pack 1

11+ English – Pack 2

11+ English – Pack 3

11+ English – Pack 4

11+ English – Pack 5

 

Skill specific practice

11+ Comprehension – Pack 1

11+ Comprehension – Pack 2

11+ Inference Skills – Pack 1

11+ Inference Skills – Pack 2

 

Standard Format Comprehension

 

For open-answer (standard format) comprehension and writing practice, we’d highly recommend these resources:

 

Comprehension

11+ English – Pack 1

11+ English – Pack 2

11+ English – Pack 3

11+ English – Pack 4

11+ English – Pack 5

11+ Complete Comprehension Guide

11+ Poetry Comprehension

11+ Reading Workbook

 

Writing

11+ Complete Writing Guide

11+ Writing Prompts

11+ Rewrite & Improve

11+ Spelling – Pack 1

11+ Spelling – Pack 2

 

Guides

 

11+ Essex (CSSE) Continuous Writing Guide

 

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.

 

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

 

11+ Essex English Bundle - Save 30%

Applied Reasoning Section

 

For the reasoning section, we’d highly recommend these practice tests:

 

Full Practice Tests

11+ Essex (CSSE) Applied Reasoning

 

Skill Specific Practice

11+ Anagrams

11+ Analogies

11+ Codes

11+ Compound Words

11+ Embedded Words

11+ Form a Word

11+ Insert a Letter

11+ Letter Analogies

11+ Letter Calculations

11+ Letter Codes

11+ Letter Sequences

11+ Move a Letter

11+ Number Analogies

11+ Number Calculations

11+ Number Sequences

11+ Related Words

11+ Rhyming Synonyms

11+ Shuffled Sentences

11+ Synonyms

11+ Word Completion

11+ Word Match

11+ Word Opposites

11+ Word Pairs

11+ Word Puzzles

11+ Word Relationships

Masterclasses

11+ Verbal Reasoning Masterclass

 

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

 

11+ Essex Applied Reasoning Bundle - Save 30%

Mathematics

 

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.

 

Mathematics (Standard Format)

 

We recommend using the following resources to help prepare for the maths exam:

 

Full Practice Tests

11+ Mathematics – Pack 1

11+ Mathematics – Pack 2

11+ Mathematics – Pack 3

11+ Mathematics – Pack 4

 

Skill specific practice

11+ Problem Solving – Pack 1

11+ Problem Solving – Pack 2

11+ Mental Arithmetic 

11+ Algebra

11+ Angles & Degrees

11+ BODMAS

11+ Estimation & Place Value

11+ Factors & Multiples

11+ Fractions, Decimals & Percentages

11+ Measurements

11+ Money

11+ Operations

11+ Perimeter, Area & Volume

11+ Position & Direction

11+ Probability

11+ Properties of Shapes

11+ Ratio & Proportion

11+ Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry

11+ Sequences

11+ Special Numbers

11+ Speed, Distance & Time

11+ Statistics

 

✅ 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:

 

11+ Essex Mathematics Bundle - Save 30%

 

 

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.

 

 

Don’t forget to use the code eppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250 if you don’t buy a bundle. 

 

 

Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in St. Bernard’s High School 11+ past papers. The information provided about St. Bernard’s High School was 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 post.


 

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

 

How old is St Bernard’s High School, Westcliff?

 

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

 

Is St Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, an academy?

 

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

 

When are the St Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, Open Days held?

 

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.

 

What are the admissions criteria for St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff?

 

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.

 

How do I register my child for the St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, 11+ test?

 

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).

 

Can I apply for 11+ entry to a CSSE school other than St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff?

 

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

 

What’s the format of the St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, 11+ Exam?

 

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

 

Is there Non-Verbal Reasoning in the St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, 11+ Exam?

 

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

 

Is there any way to prepare for the St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, CSSE 11+ entrance examination?

 

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.

 

Which are the best preparation materials for the St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, CSSE 11+ entrance examination?

 

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.

 

Where can I find the best 11+ St. Bernard’s High School, Westcliff, CSSE mock test?

 

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.

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