Headteacher's Welcome

Westcliff High School for Girls has been proudly educating generations of girls for over 100 years and warmly welcomes boys to join our high achieving sixth form.

Fide et Fortitudine By Faith and Fortitude

It is my privilege as Headteacher of Westcliff High School for Girls (WHSG) to welcome you to our warm, successful, and vibrant school. 

Founded in 1920, WHSG is a well-established academy grammar school which combines both tradition and innovation to cultivate high aspirations. The vision of Westcliff High School for Girls is to empower our students to be the next generation of leaders and enrich their lives and those of others so that they understand their place in society.

We are a friendly, happy, and diverse school community.  Our four core values of leadership, enrichment, scholarship, and kindness permeate all aspects of school life, providing exceptional opportunities for our students to develop their talents, express their individuality, and flourish into successful and exceptional young adults.

We are proud of our reputation for excellent pastoral care, ensuring the wellbeing of our students, alongside their learning, is at the centre of everything we do. The school promotes and fosters the values and qualities to prepare our young students to participate as well-rounded and confident citizens in all future social and cultural arenas.

We are also rightly proud of the rich array of extra-curricular activities available to our students, with a strong position in the field of the creative arts, an ever-increasing portfolio of sporting successes, a wide range of clubs, trips, and a vibrant House System, to widen their knowledge and horizons.

As a school providing education to able young people, there is a strong focus on academic achievement, which derives from high quality teaching and learning and a challenging and exciting curriculum at its core.  This, testament to the work ethic of both our highly motivated students and dedicated and equally motivated staff, is evidenced in the school’s results.  It is this that also regularly puts us within the top 100 schools in the country.  Students make significant progress during their time at WHSG, achieving great GCSE results.  The academic successes of our students continues into our sixth form, with the majority of our students going onto study at many of the country’s top universities.  This year, 7 students who left us in Summer 2022 gained a place at Oxford or Cambridge, and a total of 9 students gained places to study Medicine at University.  

WHSG is proud to be part of the South East Essex Academy Trust (SEEAT).  Being part of the Trust provides a wide range of opportunities for staff and students to work with schools across the SEEAT network. In return, SEEAT provides us with outstanding support which helps staff and students alike to achieve at the highest level.

Entry to the school at the age of 11 is through selection tests administered by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE). Details of the application process can be found on our Admissions page.

Thank you for your interest in our school and I encourage you to explore our website further to gain an insight into Westcliff High School for Girls and the wonderful education it offers.

Mrs E Matthews