UTC Portsmouth

UTC Portsmouth is a small STEM-focused university technical college and single academy trust that is performing very well overall. Personal development and well-being is a standout strength: pupils join a vibrant community with high aspirations, develop the school’s STEM 'habits of mind', and benefit from strong employer and university partnerships. Pupils behave superbly, attendance is high, and safeguarding requirements are met. The curriculum is highly ambitious and well taught, with teachers using strong subject knowledge to close gaps and build independence. Inclusion is a clear strength, with needs identified quickly and disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND supported to achieve well. Leaders and trustees have a clear vision, know the school well, and provide effective training and workload management. Post-16 students benefit from a tailored curriculum, strong enrichment and effective wellbeing support, and all move on to ambitious university, apprenticeship or employment destinations. There are some areas to keep improving. A-level average point scores and value added were below national averages in 2023/24, although leaders acted quickly and current students are achieving well. Disadvantaged pupils’ attainment dipped in 2024 and, although gaps are closing rapidly, leaders’ next step is to sustain improvement and secure a transformational impact for disadvantaged pupils, those with SEND, children known to social care and others facing barriers. Published data also does not fully reflect pupils’ progress because many join in Year 10 or Year 12 after previous underachievement.

Strengths

• Personal development and well-being are a standout strength, with pupils developing high aspirations and strong STEM-related character traits.
• Leaders build sustained, productive partnerships with employers and universities that shape a relevant, high-quality curriculum.
• Pupils leave to ambitious further education, employment or training destinations, including strong university and apprenticeship outcomes.
• Pupils behave superbly and show high respect, professionalism and pride; derogatory behaviour and discrimination are rare.
• Attendance is high, with robust daily systems and effective support for pupils with histories of low attendance.
• The STEM-focused curriculum is highly ambitious, well designed and regularly reviewed with external partners.
• Teachers have strong subject expertise and adapt teaching effectively to close gaps and build independent learning.
• Inclusion is strong: all pupils follow the full curriculum, needs are identified quickly, and disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND achieve well.
• Leaders and trustees have a highly ambitious vision, know the school well, and manage staff workload and training effectively.
• Post-16 students benefit from a tailored curriculum, strong enrichment and effective wellbeing support, with about 90% accepted into first-choice universities.
• The school extends STEM outreach to thousands of young people locally and maintains contact with former pupils.
• Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements, and pupils feel safe and trust staff to address concerns.

Areas for Improvement

• A-level average point scores and value added were below national averages in 2023/24, although leaders have acted and current students are achieving well.
• Disadvantaged pupils’ attainment dipped in 2024, and gaps, while closing, remain a focus for leaders.
• Next steps require sustained work to secure a transformational impact for disadvantaged pupils, those with SEND, children known to social care and others facing barriers.

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 UTC Portsmouth attended 91.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 21.8% 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, 3.7% of pupils at UTC Portsmouth 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 UTC Portsmouth had 13.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.1% 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, 13.0% of pupils at UTC Portsmouth were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 2024–25 UTC Portsmouth received £7,919 and spent £7,978 for each of its 493 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,824,000 (£3,700 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.

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• Secondary Schools

All schools in Portsmouth · Portsmouth local authority: places and applications

What is UTC Portsmouth's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for UTC Portsmouth is Strong standard, from an inspection in January 2026.

When was UTC Portsmouth last inspected by Ofsted?

UTC Portsmouth was last inspected in January 2026.

How many pupils does UTC Portsmouth have?

UTC Portsmouth has 491 pupils on roll.

What age range does UTC Portsmouth cover?

UTC Portsmouth for pupils aged 14 to 19.

Where is UTC Portsmouth?

UTC Portsmouth is at London Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 9DU.