Cecil Jones Academy Review 2026: A rebuilding story with clear behavioural routines and a growing sixth form

A large, mixed 11 to 18 academy in Southend-on-Sea, Cecil Jones Academy has been through significant change in recent years and is now firmly in a “rebuild and improve” phase. The current leadership structure sits within Loxford School Trust, and the school’s recent inspection profile reflects a more settled picture, with consistent judgements across education, behaviour, personal development and sixth form.

This is a school that puts day-to-day order first, so that learning can happen. Clear expectations around conduct, and routines applied consistently, are central to the school’s approach. The sixth form is a meaningful part of the offer, with a stated ambition to increase progression and broaden pathways into higher education, employment and training.

The strongest, most distinctive thread in official evidence is the emphasis on culture: students are expected to focus, behave well, and take learning seriously. External evidence describes pupils and sixth-form students as enthusiastic and engaged, with an intolerance for poor conduct that is shared across the student body as well as staff.

A notable feature is how the school builds personal development into routine time, rather than treating it as an occasional assembly theme. Tutor time includes “daily dilemmas”, structured scenarios designed to help pupils think through real-life choices and consequences. This matters because it gives pastoral learning a predictable weekly rhythm, which tends to work better for many teenagers than sporadic, one-off sessions.

Community contribution is another visible strand. Examples referenced in official material include involvement in youth parliament, practical community support projects such as making personal protective equipment for care homes, and reading to local children. These are the kinds of activities that can suit pupils who respond well to responsibility and real-world outcomes, particularly those who thrive when school feels connected to a wider purpose.

Leadership continuity is also relevant to atmosphere. The headteacher, Richard Micek, was appointed at the point the school was rebrokered to Loxford School Trust in April 2019, which signals a multi-year effort to stabilise expectations and rebuild confidence.

At GCSE level, the school’s current performance indicators sit below England averages overall, with a GCSE outcomes rank of 3705th in England (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 4th in the Southend-on-Sea local area. This position places outcomes below England average in relative terms, and suggests that improving attainment remains a central priority.

The attainment and curriculum-entry picture also indicates challenge. An Attainment 8 score of 31.2 points to outcomes that are still developing, while the proportion achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc subjects is currently low at 4.4%. Progress 8 is -0.75, which indicates pupils make less progress than similar pupils nationally, on average, between the end of primary and GCSE.

At A-level, the school ranks 2385th in England (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and 3rd in the Southend-on-Sea local area. Grade distribution shows that top grades are currently relatively rare: 0.83% at A*, 4.96% at A, and 22.31% at A* to B combined. This compares with an England average of 47.2% at A* to B, indicating that sixth-form outcomes remain an improvement focus even as provision expands.

The important context for families is that these measures are not a judgement on individual teachers or students. They are best read as a signal of where the school is in its improvement journey, and how much difference strong attendance, effective support, and a stable peer group can make for individual children.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to review GCSE and sixth-form outcomes side by side, alongside other Southend-on-Sea schools, before deciding which open events to prioritise.

The curriculum is described in official evidence as ambitious, with lessons designed to be purposeful and engaging. A key strength is the step-by-step sequencing of knowledge, with teachers breaking down complex ideas so that pupils can access them, and linking learning to local or current events to help pupils see relevance.

Reading is a clear improvement lever. The trust has invested in a new library, books and digital resources, and staff receive training to deliver reading programmes, including phonics for pupils who still need it in secondary school. The practical implication is that weaker readers are not simply expected to “catch up” on their own, support is structured, and the school aims to normalise reading during the day, not only in English lessons.

SEND and wider additional needs are a significant part of the teaching picture. Official evidence notes a substantial number of pupils who need extra support, including pupils learning English as an additional language, pupils from disadvantaged households, and pupils with SEND. Specialist staffing and external services have been increased, and more experienced teachers use pupil support plans effectively. A stated area to improve is consistency, some less experienced staff do not adapt learning as well as they could, which can slow progress for pupils who rely on careful scaffolding.

For many families, the most meaningful question is trajectory. Evidence points to increasing numbers of sixth-form students progressing to university, with most going on to education, employment or training after Year 13. Students also value the return of work experience opportunities after disruption during the pandemic, which supports employability and clarity of direction for those who do not want a purely academic route.

Looking at destination measures for the 2023/24 leavers cohort, 53% progressed to university, 2% to further education, 4% to apprenticeships, and 19% to employment. This mix suggests the sixth form is supporting multiple pathways, not only higher education.

For the most academically competitive routes, the available Oxbridge pipeline data indicates 2 applications and 1 acceptance within the measurement period. That is not a defining feature of the school, but it does show that with the right individual profile and support, the most selective outcomes are possible for a small number of students.

Cecil Jones Academy is part of Southend-on-Sea’s coordinated admissions process for Year 7, with applications made through the local authority. For entry in September 2026, the on-time application window ran from 01 September 2025 to 31 October 2025, with national offer day on 02 March 2026.

The published admission number referenced in local authority admissions documentation is 220 for Year 7, which gives a sense of cohort size and the scale of the year group.

Open events matter because they are often where families get the clearest view of behaviour routines, support structures, and subject options. For the September 2026 intake cycle, Southend-on-Sea’s secondary open day listings included an open evening on Thursday 25 September 2025 (5pm to 7pm). Dates change year to year, but this points to a typical September timing for Year 7 open events, with confirmation best checked directly each year.

For sixth form, Southend’s published information events list included a Cecil Jones Academy event on Thursday 13 November 2025 (3:30pm to 5:30pm) for Year 12 entry in September 2026, again suggesting an autumn pattern for post-16 open events.

The behavioural model is a major part of wellbeing because it affects whether pupils feel safe, calm, and able to learn. Evidence describes clear routines and consistent application of policy, with calm lessons and orderly social times as the norm. The school’s sustained focus on behaviour is also linked to improving attendance, because pupils are more willing to attend when classrooms are settled.

That said, the school is dealing with a complex cohort. Suspensions are described as high for a small group in key stage 4, which matters for families of pupils who have struggled with engagement elsewhere. The school’s approach includes strategies to re-engage pupils, and managed moves are referenced as being successful for pupils arriving from other schools. The practical implication is that the school can work well for some pupils needing a reset, but families should ask direct questions about how reintegration is handled and what support is available before issues escalate.

Safeguarding is treated as a baseline expectation. Ofsted confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

The most convincing picture of enrichment here is tied to responsibility, leadership and contribution, rather than a long list of clubs. Pupils can engage through youth parliament and other contribution routes, with examples including community-facing projects such as creating personal protective equipment for care homes and reading to local children. These are concrete, purposeful opportunities, and they tend to suit pupils who gain confidence through doing something that visibly matters.

Careers education is also positioned as a continuous programme. Students receive advice and guidance that is mapped through enrichment and wider activity, and sixth-form students value access to work experience. The implication is that pupils who are not certain about university can still build a coherent plan, including technical education and apprenticeships, provided attendance and engagement are stable.

A practical suggestion for families is to use FindMySchool’s Saved Schools shortlist feature while visiting open evenings. It helps keep a structured record of what matters to your child, such as behaviour routines, reading support, and sixth-form pathways, rather than relying on memory after multiple visits.

Cecil Jones Academy is a state-funded school, so there are no tuition fees. Families should still plan for typical secondary costs such as uniform, transport, equipment, trips, and optional activities.

Publicly accessible sources used for this review did not provide confirmed daily start and finish times, or wraparound provision details. For many secondary schools this is less relevant than for primaries, but families who need early drop-off or late pick-up should ask directly, as availability and eligibility can vary by year group.

In travel terms, the school sits on Eastern Avenue, a main route in Southend-on-Sea. For families using public transport, checking current bus routes and journey times at point of application is sensible, particularly if your child will be travelling independently.

• Outcomes are still rebuilding. GCSE and A-level measures currently sit below England averages overall, which means progress depends heavily on attendance, stability, and effective engagement with support.

• Consistency for pupils with additional needs. Specialist staffing and support plans are in place, but official evidence highlights that adaptation is not always consistent across all classrooms, which can matter for pupils with SEND or those learning English.

• Key stage 4 behaviour risk for a small group. Suspensions are described as high for some Years 10 and 11 pupils. Families should ask how the school prevents repeated disruption to learning time and how reintegration works after sanctions.

• Open event timing. The published pattern for open evenings is autumn, and missing it can make decision-making harder. Plan early in Year 5 or early Year 6 for Year 7 research, and early in Year 11 for sixth form.

Cecil Jones Academy is a sizeable Southend-on-Sea secondary with sixth form, now operating with clearer routines, a stronger reading strategy, and a deliberate focus on behaviour as the foundation for learning. The school’s current results profile shows there is still work to do on outcomes, particularly at GCSE and A-level, but the direction of travel in culture and curriculum organisation is clearer than in prior years.

Best suited to families who want a structured approach to behaviour, value explicit reading support for weaker readers, and are looking for a school that takes personal development and employability seriously alongside academic learning.