Out-of-town children going to Southend grammar schools up by 20 per cent

From 2014 to 2015, the total number of out-of-town children went up from 202 to 257.

Southend High School for Boys admitted just 25 children from outside the borough in both of the last two years but each of the other schools saw their numbers rise.

As the grammar schools are selective, Southend Council has no influence over where they take their children from.

Anne Jones, Southend councillor for children and learning, said they are doing enough to promote the grammar schools as an option.

She said: “We do an awful lot to support parents, we get information about the grammar schools to parents of children in Year 4.

“Numbers going up are not the prime focus for us.

“It is important that everybody gets to go to the right school for them, we have an excellence for all strategy.”

For the 2016/17 academic year Southend High School for Boys has capped the number of out-of-town students to 30, meaning they will not eat into their allocation of 150 places for local pupils.

However, the three remaining grammars have an upper limit on the number of local pupils, but no cap on out-of-town children.

Dr Robin Bevan, headteacher at Southend High School for Boys said the town’s other grammar schools would like to be in the position to admit fewer pupils from outside the borough.

Dr Bevan said: “We are a Southend school. We welcome those from further afield but we must be meeting the needs of the bright boys in the local area.

“This school was founded in this town more than 100 years ago and its heart is in Southend and the more youngsters we get coming from Temple Sutton, Leigh, from schools in the Milton ward, the better for Southend.”

Dr Bevan thinks his school’s ability to attract a high number of boys who pass the 11 plus is down to their established reputation for success, spread, in part, through former pupils still living in the town and sending their children there.

Dr Bevan added: “It matters that the four grammar schools make themselves as open as possible to pupils in the local area.

“It also matters that there are enough pupils locally that apply and do well enough to get in.”

PRIMARY SCHOOL HEADTEACHER SUPPORTS GRAMMAR SCHOOLS' ADMISSION POLICY

A PRIMARY school headteacher has backed the town’s grammar schools’ admission policy.

William Hill has been headteacher at Prince Avenue Academy, in Prittlewell, for eight years and has never had a student pass their 11-plus and not get into their grammar school of choice.

The academy is sponsored by Westcliff High School for Girls but that gives them no advantage in gaining places.

Mr Hill said: “I do not think it is a case of them not having the chance to go.

“We have pupils from Southend High School for boys that come in every week to help out with PE lessons and to read with the children, and the grammars run a gifted and talented programme on Saturday mornings.

“As a school we also put on special classes for those taking the 11-plus and do everything we can to help them to pass.

“I’d say the grammar schools go out of their way to encourage people to take the 11-plus but also, if parents deem the secondary schools local to them to be good enough, then they may not enter their child for the entrance exams in the first place.”

William Hill, headteacher at Prince Avenue Academy, is supports Southend grammar schools' admission policy

Admissions from out of Southend borough:

Southend High School for Boys:
2011 - 43
2012 - 64
2013 - 50
2014 - 25
2015 - 25


Southend High School for Girls:
2011 - 80
2012 - 74
2013 - 69
2014 - 57
2015 - 86


Westcliff High School for Boys:
2011 - 112
2012 - 96
2013 - 89
2014 - 72
2015 - 77

Westcliff High School for Girls:
2011 - 113
2012 - 99
2013 - 77
2014 - 73
2015 - 94

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Criteria for 2016/17:
SHSB:
150 of 180 total places reserved for those with SS postcode who pass the 11-plus

SHSG:
Maximum of 135 places, of 180, allocated for those with SS postcode who pass the 11-plus, remainder to be topped up by those outside SS postcode

WHSB:
Maximum of 139 places, of 185, allocated for those with SS postcode who pass the 11-plus, remainder to be topped up by those outside SS postcode

WHSG:
Maximum of 115 places, of 154, allocated for those with SS postcode who pass the 11-plus, remainder to be topped up by those outside SS postcode