Councillors have welcomed Westcliff High School for Girls’ pursuit of new pupil places in the face of a looming secondary school shortage.

Following the trend across Essex, secondary schools in Southend have been warned that they will have to expand in order to accommodate a rising number of pupils set to enter the secondary school system in coming years.

Despite proposals to provide just 30 new spaces, Westcliff High School for Girls’ willingness to open up its doors to a new form’s worth of students each year from 2020 has been met with delight by councillors.

Councillor Helen Boyd, cabinet member for children and learning, said: “While this is not directly linked to our own secondary school expansion plans that are currently being delivered, we are pleased to see our local grammar schools also expanding, offering further opportunities for local children to attend an outstanding school if it is right for them.

“Meanwhile we continue our own work to ensure that in time, all local schools will be good or outstanding.

“We understand that attending grammar schools is a very personal choice, but the council is very keen to ensure that local pupils have the opportunity to apply for, and take, the 11 plus if they wish to do so.

“That is why we have a targeted campaign to ensure that local children and families are aware that grammar school may be an option for them and that they have the support and information available to make that choice.”

Southend Council has led the campaign to encourage more children from the borough to apply for grammar schools, with their ‘No Fuss 11 Plus’ initiative, supported by all four grammar schools, which aims to demystify the process of applying for a selective school.

Last November the scheme was hailed as a major success, with 160 more children from Southend taking the 11 plus, and 53 more passing compared to the previous year.

Councillor Julian Ware Lane, shadow portfolio holder for children and learning, said: “It is no secret that I am against grammar schools. I think they are divisive and the process of determining the quality of a child’s education based on an arbitrary test at age 11 is unhelpful.

“However, we are facing a shortage of school places in the borough, and much more needs to be done to address this. We have an obligation to fulfil the educational needs of our children, and so from that perspective I have to welcome potential new school places.

“Thirty places still isn’t close to enough across the borough. We need to work with schools to make sure they have the ability to provide more places to give all students the chance to learn as close to home as possible.

“I am, however, very pleased that they will be prioritising the most disadvantaged students, who may otherwise not have the chance to fulfil their potential, and it is great that a focus will be placed on attracting pupils from within the borough.”

In December 2017, plans for a new free school designed to cope with the capacity crisis were scrapped, favouring instead schools such as the Belfairs Academy opening up new forms to meet the rising demand.