Cecil Jones Academy, Southend-on-Sea

In its own words: "Cecil Jones High School began in 1969 life as Southend's first purpose-built comprehensive school. As such it was designed to be the forefront of educational provision at that time. As the flag-ship for Comprehensive Education in the area, Cecil Jones, built at a cost of £700,000 was to have no apparent expense spared in the layout and equipment."

On phones, the school says: "Home Parents Mobile Phones Mobile Phones The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that all schools must operate as mobile phone-free environments by default."

Coming up: an open evening on Friday 15 January 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Cecil Jones Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 35.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 55 in Southend-on-Sea and 47 across England.

18% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 59% in Southend-on-Sea and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 35.1.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.75: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 30, against 40.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

For September 2026 entry, 155 families put Cecil Jones Academy as their first choice and 373 named it as one of their preferences, for 188 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Cecil Jones Academy are Southend High School for Girls (0.9 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 74.7); Southchurch High School (1.1 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 44.5); Southend High School for Boys (1.6 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 75.1); and St Bernard's High School (1.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 51.5).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Cecil Jones Academy.

Cecil Jones Academy is one of 7 schools run by Loxford School Trust Limited, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.4 in 2024/25.

55 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Cecil Jones Academy (as of April 2026): 91% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (86%).

Of the 135 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 76% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 47% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 47 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 64% went on to university or other higher education, 4% to apprenticeships and 13% into work. 12% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

45.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 341 pupils (29.4%) received SEN support and 41 (3.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

Cecil Jones Academy had 80 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Prittlewell Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Temple Sutton Infant and Junior (outside), 180 metres away.

In 2024/25, Cecil Jones Academy issued 181 suspensions, 17.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Cecil Jones Academy are Temple Sutton Primary School (0.2 miles), Hamstel Infant School and Nursery (0.5 miles), Hamstel Junior School (0.5 miles) and Bournemouth Park Academy (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.