Gatcombe Park Primary School

Gatcombe Park Primary has been rated as good in all inspected areas, reflecting a positive educational environment where pupils exhibit a strong sense of community and enthusiasm for learning. The school benefits from an ambitious curriculum that ensures knowledge is built progressively, and teachers are supported in their professional development. With effective safeguarding measures in place, students feel safe and supported, fostering their overall well-being and personal development. Despite these strengths, there are challenges in consistently assessing pupils' understanding when new concepts are introduced, which can lead to knowledge gaps for some students.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate a clear understanding of the school values.
• High expectations lead to calm and positive behavior throughout the school.
• An ambitious and well-structured curriculum is in place.
• Pupils with SEND are effectively supported in their learning.
• Reading is prioritized, helping all children become confident readers.
• Pastoral care and support for families are commendable.
• Pupils are inclusive and show respect for diversity.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent checking of pupils' understanding when introducing new knowledge.

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 Gatcombe Park Primary School attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.5% 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, 1.0% of pupils at Gatcombe Park Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were 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 Gatcombe Park Primary School had 19.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 36.0% 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, 9.4% of pupils at Gatcombe Park Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 Gatcombe Park Primary School received £6,790 and spent £6,985 for each of its 208 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £26,000 (-£124 per pupil).

Across all 36 schools of Hamwic Education Trust, income was £7,058 and spending £7,015 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 Portsmouth · Portsmouth local authority: places and applications

Gatcombe Park Primary School is part of Hamwic Education Trust, which runs 36 schools. The nearest others:

• Westover Primary School Portsmouth
• Thornhill Primary School Southampton
• Weston Secondary School Southampton
• Weston Park Primary School Southampton
• Weston Shore Infant School Southampton
• Sholing Infant School Southampton
• Harefield Primary School Southampton
• Sholing Junior School Southampton
• Woolston Infant School Southampton
• Ludlow Infant Academy Southampton

What is Gatcombe Park Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Gatcombe Park Primary School is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Gatcombe Park Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Gatcombe Park Primary School was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Gatcombe Park Primary School have?

Gatcombe Park Primary School has 203 pupils on roll.

What age range does Gatcombe Park Primary School cover?

Gatcombe Park Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Gatcombe Park Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Gatcombe Park Primary School?

Gatcombe Park Primary School is at St Barbara Way, Hilsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 0UR.