School profile

The Portsmouth Academy

Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Portsmouth, PO1 5PF

Good

Map showing The Portsmouth Academy

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#3,139 of 3,312

Worse than 94% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

The Portsmouth Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 26 Apr 2017

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages11 to 16
Pupils1,203
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Sarah Dedman
TrustTHE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityPortsmouth
Opened01 Sept 2013
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 139714.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolPortsmouthEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.34.5, worse than England, worse than Portsmouth39.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.39.8%, worse than England, worse than Portsmouth55.1%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.24.2%, worse than England, worse than Portsmouth34.1%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.7.2%, worse than England, similar to Portsmouth8%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths36.4%, worse than England, worse than Portsmouth50%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4236--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,203
Girls606
Boys597
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.56%
First language not English31.3%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,250
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.3.8%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.259
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.68
Average class size21.8

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
52.3%
Bangladeshi
10.4%
African
9.2%
Other White
7.2%
Other Asian
3.7%
Other ethnic group
3.3%
White and Asian
3.2%
Other mixed
1.7%
Indian
1.7%
Pakistani
1.4%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.9
Teachers (FTE)76.27
Teaching assistants (FTE)37.86
Support staff (FTE)70.98
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2574.3
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2553.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/257.9
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/2513.2

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.212
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.409
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.117
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.117
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)2

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolPortsmouthEngland
Overall absence12.9%, worse than England, worse than Portsmouth9.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.34%, worse than England, worse than Portsmouth23.3%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.7.6%, worse than England, worse than Portsmouth4.6%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate87.8%
Pupils with one or more suspensions21.5%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
Permanent exclusions3

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.84.9%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.81.7%
Further education77.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.11%
School sixth form2.7%
Employment1.8%
Sixth form college1.4%
Apprenticeship1.4%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near The Portsmouth Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miNot applicableMadani AcademyOther independent school
Good
0.2 miPrimaryManor Infant and Nursery SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryArundel Court Primary Academy and NurseryAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.4 miPrimaryArk Dickens Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.4 miPrimaryPenbridge Infant SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.4 miPrimaryPenbridge Junior SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.5 miPrimarySt John's Cathedral Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.6 miPrimaryThe Flying Bull AcademyAcademy converter
Requires improvement
0.6 miPrimaryNew Horizons Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miSecondarySt Edmund's Catholic SchoolVoluntary aided school
Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about The Portsmouth Academy

What is The Portsmouth Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Portsmouth Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 26 Apr 2017.

How does The Portsmouth Academy rank in England?

The Portsmouth Academy ranks 3,139 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 94% of schools).

What are The Portsmouth Academy's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 24.2% of pupils at The Portsmouth Academy got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 34.5 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into The Portsmouth Academy?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Portsmouth Academy made 212 offers from 409 applications (1.9 per offer), and 117 of 117 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Portsmouth Academy?

The Portsmouth Academy has 1,203 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of The Portsmouth Academy?

The Portsmouth Academy had 1,250 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Portsmouth Academy have a sixth form?

No, The Portsmouth Academy teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at The Portsmouth Academy?

At The Portsmouth Academy, the average class had 21.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Portsmouth Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Portsmouth Academy missed 12.9% of sessions (England 8%), and 34% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.