Portfield Primary Academy

Portfield Primary Academy is performing at a strong standard overall, with effective safeguarding measures in place that ensure pupils feel safe and supported. The school places a priority on developing early years education, providing a solid foundation in reading, writing, and mathematics for young learners, who demonstrate positive characteristics and engagement in their learning environment. There is a commendable commitment to inclusivity, particularly for vulnerable pupils, with strong support for those with special educational needs and disabilities. However, the school faces challenges in ensuring consistent achievement across the curriculum, particularly in reading and mathematics, and needs to address attendance issues that remain below national expectations.

Strengths

• Strong safeguarding culture ensuring pupil safety and well-being.
• Positive early years program effectively preparing children for Year 1.
• Inclusive environment with strong support for vulnerable pupils and those with SEND.
• Commitment to personal development and offering a broad range of extracurricular activities.
• High staff morale with effective professional development opportunities.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent learning outcomes across the curriculum.
• Below national expectations in reading and mathematics.
• Attendance rates consistently below national figures.
• Variable teaching quality impacting pupils' knowledge retention.

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 Portfield Primary Academy attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 21.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 4.9% of pupils at Portfield Primary Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 Portfield Primary Academy had 16.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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 Portfield Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 10.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 11 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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Portfield Primary Academy received £8,596 and spent £8,278 for each of its 267 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £120,000 (£449 per pupil).

Across all 45 schools of The Kemnal Academies Trust, income was £8,501 and spending £8,452 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Chichester · West Sussex local authority: places and applications

Portfield Primary Academy is part of The Kemnal Academies Trust, which runs 45 schools. The nearest others:

• Chichester High School Chichester
• Tangmere Primary Academy Chichester
• The Academy, Selsey Chichester
• Seal Primary Academy Selsey
• Havant Academy Havant
• Front Lawn Primary Academy Havant
• Miltoncross Academy Portsmouth
• Bridgemary School Gosport
• The Bewbush Academy Crawley
• Weyfield Primary Academy Guildford

What is Portfield Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Portfield Primary Academy is Needs attention, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was Portfield Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Portfield Primary Academy was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does Portfield Primary Academy have?

Portfield Primary Academy has 288 pupils on roll.

What age range does Portfield Primary Academy cover?

Portfield Primary Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Portfield Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 43% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Portfield Primary Academy?

Portfield Primary Academy is at St James Road, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 7HA.