Grammar Schools in Essex

Registration for the 11 Plus CSSE exam takes place between May and the end of June when your child is in Year 5. Parents must register using a SIF (Supplementary Information Form) and must also complete the CAF (Common Application Form), naming the grammar schools on this form so that their child can be considered for a place. This can be done either online or by post.

There are ten schools which use the 11 Plus CSSE: Colchester County High School for Girls, Colchester Royal Grammar School, King Edward VI Grammar School, Shoeburyness High School, Southend High School for Boys, Southend High School for Girls, St. Bernard’s High School for Girls, St. Thomas More High School for Boys, Westcliff High School for Boys and Westcliff High School for Girls. It is important to note that some of these schools are single sex and some are co-educational.

The results of the CSSE examination come out to all parents at the same time, in the middle of October. Results will show individual ‘raw’ scores for each paper and also an overall standardised score which will indicate whether your child is assessed as grammar school standard or not. Children must achieve above 303 to be suitable for a grammar school place.

The CSSE 11 Plus examination takes place towards the end of September, generally around the third week. There is a second test date available if children cannot attend on the original date for religious reasons or because they were ill. Evidence will be required for these and other exceptional circumstances.

The CSSE, also known as the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex, runs an 11 Plus examination when children are in Year 6. There are two papers, English and Mathematics, each lasting 60 minutes. Additionally, there are ten minutes reading time allotted to the English test. There is a short break in between each paper, meaning the entire examination will last around two and a half hours.

The CSSE examines two subjects: English and Mathematics. The English section focuses on comprehension and free writing, and the Maths section on key topics which have been taught at Key Stage Two. There will be some extension and challenge questions in both papers which will allow academically gifted children to gain high scores.

Unusually for an 11+ examination in the UK, the CSSE examination is written in-house rather than being outsourced to a private provider. CSSE provide their own examiners who also mark the papers. This means that the familiarisation materials available on the CSSE website are particularly important, as more generic 11 Plus materials may not be suitable for this exam.

There are 60 marks available for each paper in the CSSE 11 Plus, and this means that there will be between 50 and 60 questions in the Maths paper and around 30 questions in the English comprehension section, followed by the free writing exercise. The English and Maths papers are worth 50% of the total standardised mark. Each grammar school has a minimum mark beyond which they will consider children subject to their admissions criteria. The minimum mark to be assessed as grammar school standard and be eligible to apply is 303.

After offers have been made on National Secondary Schools Offer Day, it is possible to appeal for a place at one of the schools named on your Common Application Form. The appeal will be heard by an independent panel. If your child is not assessed as grammar school standard, it is still possible to name a selective school on the CAF in order to undertake an appeal in March.

The pass mark for the CSSE is 303. However, historically the mark required to gain entry to the ten schools which use the CSSE does vary. There are also different marks for children applying from outside the ‘priority area’ (based on the postcode of the child’s main residence). For example, the difference between a child applying for a priority area place and non-priority area place for Southend School for Boys was nearly 40 marks in 2023.

The CSSE exam is a competitive exam for entry into ten grammar over-subscribed schools in the Essex area, so it is fairly challenging by 11 Plus standards. Because it is written by an independent group of examiners, it is not quite as simple to prepare for as other 11 Plus exams. Although children will have covered many of the skills and competencies during their English and Maths lessons at school, they will need to ensure they familiarise themselves with the format and question types for this specific exam.

Children need to achieve 303 to pass the CSSE exam. However, as stated above, individual schools do publish historical data on the lowest scores achieved by children who were offered a place. It is important to read this data, which is published soon after the results, and take note of the score you are aiming towards.

Yes, the CSSE pass mark does differ between the ten schools in the consortium. Each school has a lowest score after which offers are made, and this is determined by the number of applicants compared to the published admissions number. The more popular and high-achieving schools will be able to set higher scores as their lowest entry point as there will be increased competition for places.

Colchester County High School for Girls, Colchester Royal Grammar School and King Edward VI Grammar School historically have the highest CSSE scores as their lowest entry point. These three schools are the most over-subscribed and therefore it is more challenging to gain a place at these schools.

The other seven schools in the consortium have historically lower baseline offer scores, some as low as 303. However a child must be living in the catchment area of the school to be offered a place at this level. If a child lives outside the catchment area the score at which they are offered a place is likely to be much higher.