Best Schools in Leigh-on-Sea

How many schools are there in Leigh-on-Sea?

Leigh-on-Sea has 18 open schools: 12 state primary, 2 state secondary or all-through, 2 independent and 2 special.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Leigh-on-Sea are rated Outstanding?

3 schools in Leigh-on-Sea were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: West Leigh Junior School, Blenheim Primary School and The Eastwood Academy. Counting Good as well, 83% of the 12 graded schools here are rated Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

West Leigh Junior SchoolBlenheim Primary SchoolThe Eastwood Academy

Source: Ofsted

Which secondary schools in Leigh-on-Sea get the best GCSE results?

Of the 3 schools in Leigh-on-Sea with 2026 GCSE results, the highest Attainment 8 scores - the average grade across a pupil's best eight GCSEs - were at The Eastwood Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 51.2 and 52% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; Belfairs Academy, with an Attainment 8 score of 45.9 and 40% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above; and The St Christopher School, with an Attainment 8 score of 2.2 and 0% passing English and maths at grade 5 or above. Progress 8, the DfE's value-added measure, was not published for 2026.

The Eastwood AcademyBelfairs AcademyThe St Christopher School

Source: DfE school performance data

Which primary schools in Leigh-on-Sea have the best SATs results?

Of the 8 primary schools in Leigh-on-Sea with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Edwards Hall Primary School (90% in reading, 93% in maths); West Leigh Junior School (89% in reading, 88% in maths); and Blenheim Primary School (75% in reading, 81% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Edwards Hall Primary SchoolWest Leigh Junior SchoolBlenheim Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Leigh-on-Sea?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Leigh-on-Sea selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Leigh-on-Sea have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Leigh-on-Sea have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Southend-on-Sea allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Leigh-on-Sea?

Apply to Southend-on-Sea through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.