St Bernard’s High School

St Bernard’s High School in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex uses CSSE. The test is administered by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) and comprises two distinct written papers: Mathematics and English comprehension/creative skills. There are no separate Verbal or Non-Verbal Reasoning papers.

St Bernard’s High School offers approximately 30 (Selective Stream) Year 7 places, with competition historically rated as Medium. Admissions criteria: Selective stream admission requires taking the CSSE 11+ test and meeting religious criteria if applicable.

Serves the local Catholic community and wider area; selective places based on 11+ performance. For state grammar applications, parents must ensure their permanent residence satisfies published local authority criteria before the 31st October Common Application Form (CAF) deadline.

Submit the CAF, the SIF (Supplementary Information Form) to the school, and register for the CSSE test. Key dates: Open Evening: September; Registration Deadline: July (via CSSE) & SIF Deadline; Entrance Exam: September (Year 6); National Offer Day: March 1st. Always consult the official school website for any annual adjustments.

Focus on: Prepare for the CSSE English and Mathematics papers., Ensure all supplementary faith-based forms are submitted on time., Practice past CSSE exam questions.. Preparation should begin in early Year 5 with disciplined 15-minute daily micro-practice, timed mock exams matching the CSSE format, and systematic mistake review using LuraPrep to eliminate repeat errors.