Academy sponsor led · Portsmouth

Ark Ayrton Primary Academy

2–11Ages
495Pupils
PrimaryPhase
139713URN

Somers Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 4LS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodNov 2018

School remains Good (Improving)Ungraded inspection · Jul 2024

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.3per place

close to Portsmouth median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Portsmouth

133 applications for 58 places · 16th of 36 in Portsmouth

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

78%met the expected standard

Portsmouth 55% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodNov 2018

School remains Good (Improving)Ungraded inspection · Jul 2024

Inspection history

11 July 2024
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Improving)
6 November 2018
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.3applications per place, Reception

close to Portsmouth median (2.2) close to England median (2.2)

133 applications · 58 places offered · 53 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 2.3; Portsmouth median median 2.2
2025 2.3; Portsmouth median median 2.3
2024 2.1; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2023 1.8; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2022 1.5; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2021 1.4; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2020 1.9; Portsmouth median median 2.2
2019 1.8; Portsmouth median median 2.3
2018 2.5; Portsmouth median median 2.5
2017 1.9; Portsmouth median median 2.4
2016 1.6; Portsmouth median median 2.5
2015 1.8; Portsmouth median median 2.1
2014 1.3; Portsmouth median median 2.3

This school
Portsmouth median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	58	133	2.3	53	0.91
Sep 2025	60	135	2.3	56	0.93
Sep 2024	59	125	2.1	70	1.19
Sep 2023	53	97	1.8	49	0.92
Sep 2022	59	86	1.5	56	0.95
Sep 2021	55	78	1.4	47	0.85
Sep 2020	59	109	1.9	53	0.90
Sep 2019	60	106	1.8	61	1.02
Sep 2018	39	96	2.5	30	0.77
Sep 2017	59	109	1.9	47	0.80
Sep 2016	60	96	1.6	51	0.85
Sep 2015	60	105	1.8	65	1.08
Sep 2014	60	80	1.3	43	0.72

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 78% · Writing 83% · Maths 81% → all three 78% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard78%2nd of 32 in Portsmouth

Portsmouth 55% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard78%

Portsmouth 73% England 78%

Higher standard44%

Portsmouth 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard83%

Portsmouth 69% England 75%

Greater depth8%

Portsmouth 3% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard81%

Portsmouth 69% England 77%

Higher standard39%

Portsmouth 17% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Portsmouth median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	78%	5%	106	107
2023/24	80%	5%	107	105
2022/23	58%	0%	102	104

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Ark Ayrton Primary AcademyThis school
This school

Remains Good · improving2024

2.3applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School
0.4 km · Portsmouth

Good2022

3.6applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
Arundel Court Primary Academy and Nursery
0.6 km · Portsmouth

2026

2.1applications per place 35%met the SATs standard
Cottage Grove Primary School and Nursery
0.6 km · Portsmouth

Requires improvement2024

1.6applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Penbridge Infant School
0.7 km · Portsmouth

Remains Good2022

2.1applications per place
Bramble Infant School and Nursery
0.7 km · Portsmouth

Standards maintained2025

3.3applications per place
Fernhurst Junior School
0.9 km · Portsmouth

Remains Good2023

55%met the SATs standard
Devonshire Infant School
1.0 km · Portsmouth

2026

2.9applications per place
Ark Dickens Primary Academy
1.0 km · Portsmouth

Standards maintained2025

2.5applications per place 67%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 139713 · 851/2004
Trust: Ark Schools
Capacity: 510 pupils · 495 on roll
Free school meals: 62.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2013
Replaced: Somers Park Primary School (URN 130926)
Address: Somers Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 4LS
Local authority: Portsmouth

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources