Report card · inspected Apr 2026
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
This schoolOther secondary schools in Southend-on-SeaSelective
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Exceptional | Strong standard | Expected standard | Needs attention | Urgent improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inclusion | Expected standard | ||||
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention | ||||
| Achievement | Needs attention | ||||
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard | ||||
| Personal development and wellbeing | Expected standard | ||||
| Early years | Does not apply to this school | ||||
| Post-16 provision | Needs attention | ||||
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention | ||||
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
Inspection history
- 28 April 2026Report card · 3 Expected standard, 4 Needs attention
- 14 May 2024Graded inspection: Requires improvement
- 18 May 2023Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)
Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades
About these grades
Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.
How hard is it to get a place?
DfE · Sept 2026 entry680 applications · 272 places offered · 129 named it first
- 2026 2.5; Southend-on-Sea median median 2.7
- 2025 2.4; Southend-on-Sea median median 3.0
- 2024 2.8; Southend-on-Sea median median 2.8
- 2023 2.9; Southend-on-Sea median median 2.9
- 2022 2.7; Southend-on-Sea median median 2.7
- 2021 3.5; Southend-on-Sea median median 3.4
- 2020 3.4; Southend-on-Sea median median 3.2
- 2019 3.1; Southend-on-Sea median median 3.1
- 2018 2.9; Southend-on-Sea median median 3.9
- 2017 3.5; Southend-on-Sea median median 3.5
- 2016 3.5; Southend-on-Sea median median 3.5
- 2015 3.4; Southend-on-Sea median median 3.5
- 2014 3.5; Southend-on-Sea median median 3.5
- This school
- Southend-on-Sea median
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council
How this is measured
Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 272 | 680 | 2.5 | 129 | 0.47 |
| Sep 2025 | 291 | 690 | 2.4 | 156 | 0.54 |
| Sep 2024 | 267 | 739 | 2.8 | 184 | 0.69 |
| Sep 2023 | 289 | 832 | 2.9 | 231 | 0.80 |
| Sep 2022 | 322 | 873 | 2.7 | 266 | 0.83 |
| Sep 2021 | 289 | 997 | 3.5 | 172 | 0.60 |
| Sep 2020 | 267 | 916 | 3.4 | 286 | 1.07 |
| Sep 2019 | 291 | 887 | 3.1 | 241 | 0.83 |
| Sep 2018 | 259 | 756 | 2.9 | 194 | 0.75 |
| Sep 2017 | 226 | 797 | 3.5 | 238 | 1.05 |
| Sep 2016 | 229 | 799 | 3.5 | 296 | 1.29 |
| Sep 2015 | 225 | 764 | 3.4 | 288 | 1.28 |
| Sep 2014 | 229 | 790 | 3.5 | 259 | 1.13 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 291 | 45.9 | 40% | 72% | – |
| 2024/25 | 284 | 45.5 | 45% | 64% | – |
| 2023/24 | 276 | 43.3 | 41% | 66% | −0.31 |
| 2022/23 | 277 | 43.2 | 37% | 66% | −0.39 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- Belfairs AcademyThis schoolThis school20262.5applications per place 45.9Attainment 8
- 1.9 km · Southend-on-SeaOutstanding20244.6applications per place 73.8Attainment 8 Selective
- 2.0 km · Southend-on-SeaOutstanding20235.7applications per place 77.2Attainment 8 Selective
- 2.2 km · Southend-on-SeaRemains Good20243.2applications per place 52.9Attainment 8
- 2.3 km · Southend-on-SeaStandards maintained20244.6applications per place 51.2Attainment 8
- 3.2 km · Essex20263.2applications per place 51.6Attainment 8
- 3.4 km · Southend-on-SeaSpecial measures 20262.0applications per place 38.5Attainment 8
- 3.4 km · EssexGood20233.9applications per place 32.2Attainment 8
- 3.8 km · Southend-on-SeaOutstanding20246.2applications per place 75.1Attainment 8 Selective
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
School details
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 138174 · 882/5434
- Trust
- Legra Academy Trust
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 1,440 pupils · 1,558 on roll
- Free school meals
- 24.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 June 2012
- Replaced
- Belfairs High School (URN 115350)
- Address
- Highlands Boulevard, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 3TG
- Local authority
- Southend-on-Sea
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources