In this section:
The Portsmouth Academy
Portsmouth City Council has a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for resident children and is committed to working with schools, academies and multi-academy trusts for the benefit of children and young people in Portsmouth.
Primary school places
The number of children starting school in Portsmouth has declined in recent years and there is a significant surplus of places for infant-aged pupils. Detailed analysis and forecasting have confirmed that by 2027/28 there will over 15% surplus places in all primary school year groups. The surplus capacity is likely to be concentrated in some parts of the city and housing development could give rise to localised pressure on primary school places. Potential housing development schemes will be closely monitored to assess progress.
In line with the Primary School Place Strategy, the Council is working with schools in the areas with the highest proportions of surplus places to manage the supply of places and ensure that schools remain viable.
Secondary school places
Detailed analysis and forecasting have confirmed that the number of pupils requiring secondary school places will continue to rise until 2027/28, placing pressure on school place capacity. In line with the forecast reduction in primary numbers, secondary numbers are forecast to fall from 2028/29, providing surplus capacity, but this position could alter if there were significant housing development in the intervening period.
Capacity has already been permanently increased at Trafalgar School, Admiral Lord Nelson School, Charter Academy, The Portsmouth Academy, Springfield School and St Edmund’s School. Additional temporary increases in places are being facilitated at Charter, St Edmund’s, Priory and Trafalgar to address the anticipated pressure from 2024/25 to 2027/28. Expansion plans will need to ensure that space can be used flexibly and put to other uses when secondary numbers fall, and surplus capacity is available in future years.
Special educational needs and disability (SEND) provision
There is a statutory duty to provide suitable education for pupils with an EHCP and for early years’ children entitled to ‘free early education’. The Portsmouth SEND Strategy focuses on an inclusive education, with mainstream schools and early years’ settings being the first option considered for all but those with the most severe, complex and long-term educational needs and the most profoundly disabled children.
Following a strategic SEND review of accommodation, additional Special School places have been created at the new Lantern Unit which is part of Mary Rose Academy and at Cliffdale Academy. Additional Inclusion Centre places for pupils with SEND have also been provided by an expansion of the existing provision at The Flying Bull Academy and the creation of new centres at Penhale Infant School and The Portsmouth Academy. Arundel Court Inclusion Centre opened in September 2023.
The Wymering special school for pupils aged 9 to 16 years of age who have social communication and interaction difficulties, associated speech, language and communication difficulties and high levels of anxiety and/or associated challenging and distressed behaviour opened in April 2023.
NEWS
The Wymering School opened just after the Easter Break in 2023 on the site of the old Wymering Community Centre. It accommodates up to 66 children and young people in Years 5 to 11 with neurodiverse conditions such as autism and ADHD. Highly skilled professionals help pupils to learn, be part of the community and ultimately secure a job and independence.
The Nest at Arundel Court Primary School
A new inclusion centre called The Nest opened at Arundel Court Primary School in September 2023, and supports 24 primary-aged children who have difficulties with learning and cognition. There are also opportunities (needs-led for individual children) to join in lessons and activities in the main school building and to make use of the school facilities.
Further works have been carried out at Cliffdale Primary Academy, just in time to welcome the children back at the start of the academic year 2024-25. Two additional classrooms and a new staff room have been created. The all-weather Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) has been resurfaced, and extensive landscaping is also being implemented.
New classrooms at Cliffdale Primary Academy
A small expansion has been underway at Ark Charter Academy to support an extra 60 mainstream places, delivering a new design and technology classroom in Summer 2024. Better access is also being provided to underused parts of the site with the installation of outside catering pods and external canopies; these will give our young people alternative locations to access meals and shelter.
At Craneswater Junior School, the old caretaker’s lodge is being refurbished and extended to create an inclusion space with sensory rooms. This frees up space in the main school to create an extra mainstream classroom accommodating 30 pupils.
SUPPORT
To discuss a potential school reorganisation, for example a change to a community school’s admission number, age range or status, please email [email protected].
The Portsmouth School Place Planning Strategy 2024-29 sets out Portsmouth’s overall approach to ensuring the supply of sufficient high quality mainstream and specialist school places over the period 2024-29.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The Department for Education has published guidance on school organisation issues, including making significant changes to schools (for example, expansion), closing schools and opening new schools.
There is separate guidance for making changes to existing academies.