About St Bernard’s RC Grammar School
St Bernard’s High School is a Catholic girls’ bilateral secondary school (with a co-educational Sixth Form) in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. It is a state-funded academy — not an independent, fee-paying school — founded in 1910 by the Bernardine Sisters, with the motto ‘Love one another as I have loved you’.
As a bilateral school it is partially selective: some Year 7 places are offered to high scorers in the CSSE 11+, while the rest are offered on Catholic faith and catchment criteria. There are no fees. It holds Specialist Arts and Science status and consistently performs above national averages.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for St Bernard’s High School
St Bernard’s High School Admissions Criteria
St Bernard’s is a Catholic girls’ bilateral school — a state academy that is partially selective. A number of Year 7 places are offered as selective (grammar) places to girls who do well in the CSSE 11+; the remaining places are offered on the school’s faith and catchment criteria, with priority to practising Catholic girls. It is not a fee-paying independent school. You complete the school’s own Supplementary Information Form (and, for faith priority, a Certificate of Catholic Practice) alongside naming the school on your Local Authority’s Common Application Form; for a selective place you also register for the CSSE 11+.
- ✓Step 1 — Visit: Look round at an Open Day or arranged tour to get a feel for the school. This is not part of any selection process.
- ✓Step 2 — Register for the CSSE 11+ (for a selective place): If you would like your daughter considered for a selective (grammar) place, register her for the CSSE 11+ with the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) via the Supplementary Information Form on the CSSE website.
- ✓Step 3 — Complete the school SIF and apply via your Local Authority: Complete St Bernard’s own Supplementary Information Form (with a Certificate of Catholic Practice if you are seeking faith priority) and name the school on your home Local Authority’s Common Application Form by 31 October. There is no fee.
- ✓Step 4 — Sit the CSSE 11+ (selective places only): The CSSE 11+ is sat in September of Year 6 and shared across the Essex consortium, so it is taken only once.
- ✓Step 5 — Offers: Your Local Authority makes offers on National Offer Day (1 March of Year 6), against the school’s bilateral criteria below.
As a state-funded school there are no tuition fees. Support such as free school meals and pupil premium funding is available to eligible families — contact the school for details.
How Places Are Allocated at St Bernard’s High School
- A number of selective (grammar) places are offered to the highest-scoring girls in the CSSE 11+.
- For the remaining and faith places, Catholic looked-after and previously looked-after girls have first priority.
- Then practising Catholic girls in the named priority parishes, supported by a Certificate of Catholic Practice from their parish priest.
- Then other Catholic girls, then other applicants, with the school’s priority catchment and distance applied.
- See the school’s published admissions policy for the full bilateral criteria and the balance of selective and non-selective places.
Admissions & Catchment for St Bernard’s High School
St Bernard’s is partially selective and faith-based, so admission depends on the CSSE 11+ (for selective places) and on Catholic faith and catchment criteria (for the rest) — not on fees.
Confirm the current balance of selective and faith places, the priority parishes and deadlines in the school’s admissions policy and the Southend admissions booklet before applying.
Academic Performance at St Bernard’s High School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
St Bernard’s consistently performs above national averages, placing among the top 20% of schools nationally.
- GCSE: strong results across a broad curriculum.
- A-Level: strong results in a co-educational Sixth Form.
- Progression: most leavers progress to university or further study.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school’s website.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Founded in 1910 by the Bernardine Sisters, St Bernard’s High School is a Catholic girls’ bilateral school (with a co-educational Sixth Form) on Milton Road in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, rooted in Catholic values and the motto ‘Love one another as I have loved you’. Organised into houses (including Clairvaux, Fountains, Melrose and Rievaulx), it offers a caring, faith-based community with strong pastoral care.
Co-curricular life is wide-ranging, with popular activities including dance, netball, choir and debating, alongside music, drama and many clubs. For the full list, see the school’s own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about St Bernard’s High School
How do I apply to St Bernard’s High School for Year 7?
Name the school on your home Local Authority’s Common Application Form by 31 October and complete the school’s own Supplementary Information Form. For a selective (grammar) place, also register for the CSSE 11+ with the CSSE; for faith priority, include a Certificate of Catholic Practice.
Is St Bernard’s a grammar school?
It is a Catholic girls’ bilateral school — partially selective. Some Year 7 places are selective (offered on the CSSE 11+), while the rest are offered on Catholic faith and catchment criteria.
Does St Bernard’s charge fees?
No. It is a state-funded Catholic academy, not an independent, fee-paying school.
What is the CSSE 11+ at St Bernard’s for?
It is the Essex consortium selection test used to allocate the school’s selective (grammar) places. It is sat in September of Year 6 and taken only once across the consortium.
How are the non-selective places allocated?
By the school’s Catholic faith criteria and catchment — priority to Catholic looked-after children, then practising Catholic girls in the named parishes (with a Certificate of Catholic Practice), then others, with distance applied.
Does St Bernard’s have a Sixth Form?
Yes — a co-educational Sixth Form, open to students from the school and elsewhere who meet the entry requirements.
Independent Practice Papers for St Bernard’s RC Grammar School
St Bernard’s RC Grammar School uses the CSSE 11+ format. Our practice papers closely mirror the actual test structure — with full video explanations for every question.
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 31.5 hours of video content
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 28.5 hours of video content
- 4 mixed-subject practice tests
- 200 video explanations
- 11.5 hrs video content
- 4 mixed-subject practice tests
- 200 video explanations
- 11 hrs video content
- 4 mixed-subject practice tests
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 mixed-subject practice tests
- 200 video explanations
- 10 hrs video content
- 4 mixed-subject practice tests
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 mixed-subject practice tests
- 200 video explanations
- 9 hrs video content
How to Prepare for the St Bernard’s RC Grammar School 11+ Exam
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