Atlantic Academy Portland
| Type | Other schools / Academy sponsor led |
| Age Range | 4-16 |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Address | Maritime House Southwell Park Portland Dorset DT5 2NA |
| Phone | 01305820262 |
| Reference Number | 145119 |
Atlantic Academy Portland is an all-through school within Aspirations Academies Trust. This full section 5 inspection found safeguarding standards met. The primary phase and early years are generally stronger: children get off to a positive start, early reading and language development are priorities, pupils behave well, attend regularly, and typically achieve in line with national averages at key stage 2. Primary teaching is effective and pupils with SEND generally receive the support they need. In the secondary phase, however, the picture is weaker. Pupils’ achievement at key stage 4 is consistently below national averages, particularly in English and mathematics, and teaching does not adapt well enough for pupils who face barriers to learning. Assessment is not used effectively to identify gaps, and pupils with SEND do not routinely receive the strategies they need. Attendance and behaviour were judged to be at the expected standard, and leaders have successfully improved secondary attendance for groups such as key stage 4 and disadvantaged pupils. Early years was also judged at the expected standard. However, achievement, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing were all judged to need attention. While leaders have started to address the right priorities, improvement work in several areas is at an early stage. Trustees and regional governors understand the school’s context, but leaders do not always give them sufficiently precise information about impact. Personal development in the secondary phase, including understanding diversity, is not having the intended effect. Overall, the school is stronger in the primary phase and early years, but secondary provision requires significant and sustained improvement, especially for pupils with barriers to learning.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 769 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 50.59%
Girls: 49.41% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 34.7% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 2.7% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 25.1 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 26 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 23.1 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | 11 | 27 |
| 2 | 24 | 30 | 54 |
| 3 | 21 | 20 | 41 |
| 4 | 24 | 28 | 52 |
| 5 | 25 | 25 | 50 |
| 6 | 20 | 22 | 42 |
| 7 | 57 | 54 | 111 |
| 8 | 52 | 48 | 100 |
| 9 | 51 | 47 | 98 |
| 10 | 44 | 33 | 77 |
| 11 | 49 | 45 | 94 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 86.3% |
| White, Other | 6.4% |
| Unclassified | 3.5% |
| African | 1.7% |
| White & Asian | 0.8% |
| Mixed, Other | 0.5% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.4% |
| Indian | 0.1% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.1% |
| Asian, Other | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Needs attention |
| > Leadership & Governance | Needs attention |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Needs attention |
| > Achievement | Needs attention |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Expected standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Needs attention |
| > Inclusion | Needs attention |
| > Early Years | Expected standard |
| Last Report Date | 24 Mar 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 24 Mar 2026 | School inspection |
| 19 Jan 2022 | School inspection |
Strengths
- Primary pupils behave well and attend regularly
- Early years children get off to a positive start, with language development as a priority
- Early reading and phonics are taught effectively, helping children become confident readers
- Key stage 2 pupils typically achieve well, with published outcomes in line with national figures
- Primary pupils with SEND typically receive the support they need
- Secondary attendance has improved for key stage 4 and disadvantaged pupils
- Pupils generally have positive attitudes, are kind and respectful, and follow routines
- Secondary learning usually proceeds without disruption and bullying is generally managed effectively
- Pupils benefit from a range of clubs, trips and leadership roles
- Careers information, education, advice and guidance in the secondary phase are suitable
- Leaders collaborate well with external partners to support pupils known to social care
Areas for Improvement
- Key stage 4 achievement is consistently below national averages, especially in English and mathematics
- Progress 8 and Attainment 8 at key stage 4 are below national averages
- Secondary teaching does not adapt well enough for pupils who face barriers to learning and/or wellbeing
- Teachers in the secondary phase sometimes lack expertise to deliver the curriculum effectively
- Assessment in the secondary phase is not used well enough to identify and remedy gaps in pupils’ knowledge
- Pupils with SEND in the secondary phase do not routinely receive the necessary strategies and support
- The personal development programme in the secondary phase does not ensure pupils understand why differences should be respected and celebrated
- Leaders have not made improvements quickly enough in areas below the expected standard
- Trustees and regional governors sometimes lack sufficient insight from leaders into the school’s effectiveness
- Disadvantaged pupils’ key stage 4 outcomes and progress remain well below national averages
- Improvements in the secondary phase are at an early stage and not yet embedded consistently
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 34 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 19.2% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 33.3% |
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Sample
UnlockHow many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 64% | ||
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 8% |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 104 | ||
| Maths | 104 |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 0.7 | ||
| Writing | 2.5 | ||
| Maths | 0.2 |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
UnlockUnlock Premium
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 22 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 4 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
Unlock2026 Admissions
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 10 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 4 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
St George's Foundation Primary School
Clarence Road, Portland, Dorset, DT5 2BD |
1.1 miles |
|
Wyke Regis Church of England Junior School
High Street, Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9NU |
4.63 miles |
|
Wyke Regis Infant School and Nursery
Shrubbery Lane, Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9LU |
4.72 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
All Saints' Church of England Academy
Sunnyside Road, Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9BJ |
4.75 miles |