Schools by area › Southend-on-Sea › St Thomas More High School
St Thomas More High School
Secondary · Boys · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 0BW · st-thomasmore.southend.sch.uk · 01702 344933
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Mar 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 52.3
- average Attainment 8 score. Southend-on-Sea 52.2, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,243
- 193 over 1,050 places · 118%
- Local authority
- Southend-on-Sea
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 13.8%
- First language not English
- 13.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 202 families put the school first and 179 places were offered; 71% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 179 | 202 | 1.1▲ | 71% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 184 | 184 | 1 | 74% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 172 | 182 | 1.1▲ | 77% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 175 | 184 | 1.1▲ | 71% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 187 | 213 | 1.1▲ | 72% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 52.3, and 63.7% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Southend-on-Sea it was 52.2, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (31.9 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲52.3 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲63.7% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲74.9% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼12.8% | 40.5% | ||
| ●4.28 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 65.7 | −2.5 |
| Further education | 27.5 | +2.3 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.2 | — |
| Employment | 0.6 | −0.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 2.8 | +0.8 |
| Activity not captured | 1.1 | −2.9 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 139 students | C+ (31.9) | Below average -0.20 | |
| 140 students | C+ (32) | Below average -0.19 | |
| 25 students | Dist (33.6) | Average +0.01 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 177 | C (30.3) | -0.20 |
| 2022/23 | 154 | C (31.5) | — |
| 2021/22 | 165 | C+ (34.2) | — |
| 2018/19 | 122 | C (30.4) | -0.06 |
| 2017/18 | 123 | C (31.1) | +0.14 |
| 2016/17 | 106 | C+ (32.6) | +0.16 |
| 2015/16 | 120 | C- (26.6) | -0.15 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 63.7 | +0.6 |
| Further and other education | 3.3 | +2.2 |
| Further education | 2.2 | — |
| Other education | 1.1 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 5.5 | +0.5 |
| Employment | 18.1 | −1.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6 | −2.4 |
| Activity not captured | 3.3 | +0.5 |
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 7 March 2024, Ofsted’s outcome for St Thomas More High School was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 6 Mar 2024
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Feb 2015
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Apr 2018Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Feb 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Jul 2013Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good
What parents said
99% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (149 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 99%
- Replies
- 149
- 12% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 64% who raised concerns
based on the 28% who had a child bullied
based on 34 parents (23%) with SEND