Best Secondary School for Academic Performance in Essex (2024)

Southend High School for Boys is an outstanding secondary school located in Southend-on-Sea. With a clear vision of leadership and highly effective teaching, the school provides an exceptional education for boys aged 11-18. The school's outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements, along with its focus on student progress and safety, make it an ideal choice for parents seeking a high-quality education for their sons.

Saffron Walden County High School is an outstanding secondary school located in Saffron Walden, East of England. With a student-teacher ratio of 15:1 and a focus on academic excellence, the school provides a nurturing environment for students aged 11-18. The school's leadership and management have been rated as outstanding by Ofsted, ensuring high-quality education and achievement for all pupils. With impressive exam results, including 61% of students achieving Grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs, Saffron Walden County High School is dedicated to preparing students for successful futures.

Anglo European School is a thriving secondary school with a strong focus on language learning, offering a global perspective and high academic standards. With an outstanding leadership and management, the school provides a supportive and nurturing environment for students, resulting in outstanding outcomes and personal development. With a 16:1 student teacher ratio, the school ensures individual attention and a comprehensive approach to education. Additionally, the school's impressive exam results demonstrate its commitment to academic excellence.

Becket Keys Church of England Free School is an outstanding secondary school located in Brentwood. With a strong focus on high achievement, exceptional leadership, and nurturing support for students with special educational needs, Becket Keys provides an excellent environment for students to learn and thrive. The school boasts a broad curriculum, outstanding teaching, and a culture of high aspiration. Parents can be confident in the outstanding behaviour and safety of their children, as well as the school's commitment to targeted resources and support for all students.

The Eastwood Academy is an outstanding secondary school that believes in the success of every student. With a clear vision for high achievement, the school provides excellent teaching and support to ensure strong progress in all areas. The Academy's ethos focuses on creating a safe and secure atmosphere where students can thrive academically and personally, while also offering a comprehensive and balanced curriculum. With outstanding pupil behaviour, effective leadership, and exceptional exam results, The Eastwood Academy is the ideal choice for parents seeking a school that values and supports their child's education.

Mayflower High School is an outstanding secondary school located in Billericay, East of England. With a strong focus on leadership and teaching quality, the school provides a calm and scholarly environment for students to thrive. Students of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, achieve high outcomes and progress. The sixth form offers a good range of academic and vocational subjects, along with effective support for future education and career pathways. Parents can be assured that their children will receive an excellent education at Mayflower High School.

Beauchamps High School is an outstanding secondary school located in Basildon, East of England. With exceptional exam results and a student teacher ratio of 16:1, our school prioritizes high-quality instruction and academic success. Our dedicated teachers provide effective support, creating a safe and caring environment for all students. With a focus on exemplary behavior and a rigorous set of standards, we foster a love of learning while instilling values of respect and responsibility. Join the Beauchamps family and experience an education that prepares students for future success.

The Gilberd School is an outstanding secondary school located in Colchester, East of England. With a student-teacher ratio of 19:1 and a focus on well-rounded education, the school provides excellent academic progress and attainment. The commitment to promoting pupils' spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development creates a positive and inclusive environment. The school's outstanding Ofsted report highlights the high quality of teaching and the positive relationships between staff and pupils. With a strong emphasis on mathematics, technology, and the arts, The Gilberd School offers a comprehensive and enriching educational experience for students aged 11-16.

Grays Convent High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school located in Thurrock, East of England. With a student teacher ratio of 16:1, the school focuses on providing a quality education for girls aged 11-16. The school's leadership team maintains a good quality of education and promotes a harmonious learning environment. Despite some inconsistencies in teaching, learning, and assessment, pupils have shown good progress. The school has effective safeguarding measures in place to ensure the safety of its students.

Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school for girls located in Brentwood, East of England. It was founded in 2012 and is led by Dr Richard Wilkin. With a student-teacher ratio of 16:1 and outstanding leadership and governance, the school ensures exemplary behavior, strong safeguarding systems, and high-quality teaching in English and maths. While consistently achieving good results in exams, there is room for improvement in subject leadership and consistent progress in science. Overall, it offers a safe and nurturing environment for girls to excel academically and personally.

St Bernard's High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school located in Southend-on-Sea, East of England. With a strong focus on accountability and a welcoming, inclusive environment, the school provides a good overall education for girls aged 11-18. The school has a student teacher ratio of 16:1, ensuring a supportive learning environment. The outstanding behaviour and safety of pupils, along with effective safeguarding measures, make St Bernard's High School an excellent choice for parents seeking a secure and nurturing education for their daughters.

Burnt Mill Academy is an outstanding secondary school located in Harlow, East of England. With a student-teacher ratio of 14:1 and exceptional leadership, the school provides an excellent learning environment for students aged 11-16. The academy has achieved outstanding results in various areas, including academics and pupil achievement. With high expectations and dedicated staff, Burnt Mill Academy ensures that students make excellent progress and are well-supported. The school also prioritizes student safety and provides a positive learning atmosphere. However, some areas for improvement include occasional over-reliance on adults for student support and inconsistent marking across all subjects. Overall, Burnt Mill Academy is a top choice for parents seeking a high-achieving school with excellent teaching and management.

Debden Park High School is an outstanding secondary school in Loughton, East of England. With consistently high-quality teaching and excellent behaviour demonstrated by pupils, our school provides a nurturing and engaging environment for students to thrive. We focus on personal development, offering a varied schedule of events and special days to ensure well-rounded growth. Our goal is to equip students with the tools they need to succeed in every area of life, setting them up for future success.

Maltings Academy is an outstanding secondary school located in Witham, East of England. With a student-teacher ratio of 17:1, students receive personalized attention and benefit from highly effective teaching methods. The school prides itself on its excellent student behavior, where mutual respect and safety are paramount. With a broad curriculum, career advice, and a focus on raising standards and accelerating progress, Maltings Academy ensures all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

St Benedict's Catholic College is a secondary school in Colchester, East of England, providing quality education in a Christian environment. With a student-teacher ratio of 19:1, the school focuses on academic excellence and compassionate culture. The school offers a wide range of extracurricular activities, ensuring students have opportunities to succeed and flourish. Safeguarding is prioritized, and parents support the school's vision. The school's overall grade is Good, with pupils' attainment in core subjects above average. However, improvements in teaching and progress in creative and technology subjects are needed. Disadvantaged pupils with high prior attainment require further support for better progress.

The Billericay School is a co-educational secondary school located in Billericay, East of England. With a student-teacher ratio of 16:1, the school provides a focused and high-quality education. The school has a good overall grade and offers a high-quality curriculum including careers guidance. Pupils feel safe and cared for, with good development of their spiritual, moral, social, and cultural awareness. The school also boasts a well-regarded sixth-form provision. However, there is room for improvement in supporting disadvantaged pupils and monitoring behavior and SEN/disabilities.

Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport is a secondary school in the East of England. With a student-teacher ratio of 19:1 and a co-ed environment, the school provides a supportive and inclusive learning environment. The school prides itself on its good overall effectiveness, quality teaching, and personal development of students. With a focus on academic excellence and nurturing independence and insight, Joyce Frankland Academy aims to prepare students for success in school and beyond.

The Boswells School is a highly regarded 11–18 year old secondary school in Chelmsford, Essex. With a student-teacher ratio of 17:1 and a clear vision for education, the school offers a high-quality learning environment for students. The school maintains good academic standards and has a good overall effectiveness rating. It places a strong emphasis on inclusion, with every pupil valued and encouraged. The school offers a broad range of extracurricular activities to promote individual growth. It is well-liked, academically successful, and oversubscribed, making it a top choice for parents in the area.

Woodlands School is a co-ed secondary school located in Basildon, East of England. With a student-teacher ratio of 15:1, our dedicated and passionate staff provide consistently good teaching and ensure that pupils receive excellent leadership. We prioritize pupils' personal development and welfare, fostering positive relationships within a well-cared for environment. Our broad extra-curricular program encourages pupils to pursue excellence and achieve good progress, even for disadvantaged and SEN/D students. While overall attendance is below national average, we strive to improve results in certain subjects to better serve our students.

The Sandon School is a co-ed secondary school located in Sandon, East of England. With a strong community ethos and effective safeguarding measures, the school maintains a good quality of education. Offering a broad curriculum, effective careers guidance, and enriched school community through extra activities, most pupils make good progress and achieve well. However, there are some challenges with disadvantaged pupils' attendance and progression, as well as the need for teachers to challenge all students enough.