Best Primary & Secondary Schools in Southend-on-Sea 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 59 schools across Southend-on-Sea. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Southend-on-Sea has 59 open primary & secondary schools. Of the 55 with a published Ofsted inspection, 8 (15%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 93% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Southend High School for Girls currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Southend-on-Sea follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

59
Total schools
8
Outstanding (historic grade)
15%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
63.1%
Avg KS2 SATs
45.1
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Southend High School for Girls
Secondary
 Outstanding 92 View school
2. Barons Court Primary School and Nursery
Primary
 Outstanding 92 View school
3. Southend High School for Boys
Secondary
 Outstanding 91 View school
4. Westcliff High School for Boys Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 91 View school
5. West Leigh Junior School
Primary
 Outstanding 90 View school
6. Westcliff High School for Girls
Secondary
 Outstanding 85 View school
7. Edwards Hall Primary School
Primary
 Good 78 View school
8. Bournes Green Infant School
Primary
 Good 75 View school
9. Blenheim Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 74 View school
10. The Eastwood Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 73 View school
11. St Bernard's High School
Secondary
 Good 72 View school
12. Chalkwell Hall Infant School
Primary
 Good 72 View school
13. Fairways Primary School
Primary
 Good 71 View school
14. West Leigh Infant School
Primary
 Good 71 View school
15. Bournes Green Junior School
Primary
 Good 70 View school
16. St George's Catholic Primary School
Primary
 Good 68 View school
17. Hinguar Community Primary School
Primary
 Good 65 View school
18. Earls Hall Primary School
Primary
 Good 64 View school
19. Friars Primary School and Nursery
Primary
 Good 64 View school
20. St Thomas More High School
Secondary
 Good 63 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Southend-on-Sea

Best primary schools in Southend-on-SeaTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in Southend-on-SeaTop-ranked Year 7 onwards Primary schools in Southend-on-SeaReception–Year 6 only Secondary schools in Southend-on-SeaYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in EssexCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in ThurrockCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in MedwayCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in KentCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Southend-on-Sea

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

Search schools in Southend-on-Sea

Frequently asked questions

How many primary & secondary schools are there in Southend-on-Sea?
There are 59 open primary & secondary schools in Southend-on-Sea (closed schools are excluded). 8 of the 55 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary & secondary schools in Southend-on-Sea?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary & secondary school in Southend-on-Sea is Southend High School for Girls. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Southend-on-Sea?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Southend-on-Sea?
Primary and secondary applications in Southend-on-Sea are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Southend-on-Sea council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.