Portchester Community School

Portchester Community School is performing well, achieving a good overall effectiveness rating. The school is noted for its inclusive environment where the needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), are well understood, fostering a supportive atmosphere. The curriculum is ambitious, providing pupils with a varied range of subjects and encouraging them to engage deeply with their learning. Additionally, the school has a strong emphasis on personal development, preparing students for life outside of school through rich extracurricular opportunities and a high-quality careers program. While the majority of pupils display good behavior and a positive attitude towards learning, there are concerns regarding consistency in behavior during less structured times, which can lead to moments of disruption. The school leadership is actively addressing this issue by reinforcing behavioral expectations among staff and pupils. Overall, Portchester Community School is well-regarded by both students and parents, making it a vibrant place for education.

Strengths

• Highly inclusive environment for all pupils
• Ambitious and varied curriculum offering a wide range of subjects
• Strong subject knowledge demonstrated by teachers
• Outstanding provision for personal development
• Effective pastoral support helping pupils feel safe and valued
• Rich array of extracurricular activities enhancing pupils' education
• Strong careers program aiding informed decisions for the future

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistencies in curriculum delivery in some subjects
• Pupils sometimes do not meet behavioral expectations during transitions

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Portchester Community School attended 90.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 29.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 5.3% of pupils at Portchester Community School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Portchester Community School had 15.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 16.7% of pupils at Portchester Community School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 10.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 16 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Portchester Community School received £10,230 and spent £10,224 for each of its 688 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £543,000 (£789 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Fareham · Hampshire local authority: places and applications

What is Portchester Community School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Portchester Community School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was Portchester Community School last inspected by Ofsted?

Portchester Community School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does Portchester Community School have?

Portchester Community School has 688 pupils on roll.

What age range does Portchester Community School cover?

Portchester Community School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Portchester Community School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 41.3, and 29% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Portchester Community School?

Portchester Community School is at White Hart Lane, Portchester, Fareham, Hampshire, PO16 9BD.