St Bernard's High School, Westcliff-on-Sea

In 2026, pupils at St Bernard's High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 55 in Southend-on-Sea and 47 across England.

52% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 59% in Southend-on-Sea and 47% in England.

That is down from 54.9 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.57: pupils made well above 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 44.9, against 53 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Social Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 184 families put St Bernard's High School as their first choice and 474 named it as one of their preferences, for 175 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 41 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to St Bernard's High School are Chase High School (1.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.5); Southend High School for Boys (1.1 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 75.1); Westcliff High School for Boys Academy (1.6 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 77.2); and Westcliff High School for Girls (1.7 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 73.8).

St Bernard's High School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

Of the 169 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 98% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 21% to a further education college and 1% to an apprenticeship.

Of the 61 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 71% went on to university or other higher education, 7% to apprenticeships and 10% into work. 14% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

15.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 59 pupils (5.9%) received SEN support and 18 (1.8%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Westcliff Rail Station, about 490 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Bernards High School (outside), 90 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 959 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Southend-on-Sea (318), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St Bernard's High School issued 28 suspensions, 2.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The primary schools closest to St Bernard's High School are Barons Court Primary School and Nursery (0.2 miles); Milton Hall Primary School and Nursery (0.3 miles); St Helen's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles); and St Mary's, Prittlewell, CofE Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.