Best Secondary Schools in Portsmouth 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 10 schools across Portsmouth. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
10
Open secondary schools in Portsmouth
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
8 Good or better
of 10 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
St Edmund's Catholic School currently leads
Methodology

Portsmouth has 10 open secondary schools. Of the 10 with a published Ofsted inspection, 2 (20%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 80% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, St Edmund's Catholic School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Portsmouth follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. St Edmund's Catholic School
Secondary
 Outstanding 86 View school
2. UTC Portsmouth
Secondary
 Outstanding 60 View school
3. Trafalgar School
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
4. Priory School
Secondary
 Good 50 View school
5. Admiral Lord Nelson School
Secondary
 Good 49 View school
6. Springfield School
Secondary
 Good 46 View school
7. The Portsmouth Academy
Secondary
 Good 34 View school
8. Castle View Academy
Secondary
 Good 29 View school
9. Ark Charter Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 24 View school
10. Miltoncross Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 16 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Portsmouth

Best primary schools in PortsmouthTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in PortsmouthTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in PortsmouthPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in PortsmouthReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in Isle of WightCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in SouthamptonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in HampshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in West SussexCompare neighbouring authority

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Portsmouth?
There are 10 open secondary schools in Portsmouth (closed schools are excluded). 2 of the 10 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Portsmouth?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Portsmouth is St Edmund's Catholic School. The full ranked table above lists the top 10 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Portsmouth?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Portsmouth?
Primary and secondary applications in Portsmouth are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Portsmouth council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.