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Academy converter · Portsmouth

Admiral Lord Nelson School

  • 11–16Ages
  • 1,245Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 140697URN

Dundas Lane, Portsmouth, PO3 5XT · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jun 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
3.2per place
1.1 above Portsmouth median (2.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Portsmouth

792 applications for 248 places · 2nd of 10 in Portsmouth
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
41.5of 90
5th of 11 in Portsmouth
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 9 June 2026Published 8 July 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
AchievementExpected standard
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 9 June 2026
    Report card · 6 Expected standard
  2. 29 June 2022
    Ungraded inspection: School remains 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
3.2applications per place, Year 7
1.1 above Portsmouth median (2.1) 1.0 above England median (2.2)

792 applications · 248 places offered · 288 named it first

  1. 2026 3.2; Portsmouth median median 2.1
  2. 2025 3.0; Portsmouth median median 1.9
  3. 2024 2.6; Portsmouth median median 2.0
  4. 2023 2.3; Portsmouth median median 2.0
  5. 2022 1.7; Portsmouth median median 1.6
  6. 2021 1.8; Portsmouth median median 1.7
  7. 2020 1.9; Portsmouth median median 1.8
  8. 2019 2.1; Portsmouth median median 1.8
  9. 2018 2.0; Portsmouth median median 1.8
  10. 2017 1.9; Portsmouth median median 1.9
  11. 2016 2.3; Portsmouth median median 1.7
  12. 2015 2.6; Portsmouth median median 1.6
  13. 2014 2.7; Portsmouth median median 2.1; as the previous school
More applications per place than the Portsmouth median in 11 of 12 years.
  • This school
  • Portsmouth median

Dashed bars: as Admiral Lord Nelson School (URN 116476), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262487923.22881.16
Sep 20252497483.03411.37
Sep 20242496422.63051.22
Sep 20232555762.32691.05
Sep 20222434111.72370.98
Sep 20212464491.82711.10
Sep 20202464651.92390.97
Sep 20192164522.12120.98
Sep 20182174352.02361.09
Sep 20172174041.92221.02
Sep 20161994522.32341.18
Sep 20152005132.62061.03
Sep 2014 *1985272.72471.25

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

234 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)41.55th of 11 in Portsmouth
Grade 5 or above in English and maths33%6th of 11 in Portsmouth
Grade 4 or above in English and maths59%
  • This school
  • Portsmouth median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.35
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)23441.533%59%–
2024/2524140.434%60%–
2023/2421541.336%66%−0.35
2022/2321243.441%62%−0.14

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

  • 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 converter
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
140697 · 851/4320
Trust
The Salterns Academy Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,250 pupils · 1,245 on roll
Free school meals
28.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 April 2014
Replaced
Admiral Lord Nelson School (URN 116476)
Address
Dundas Lane, Portsmouth, PO3 5XT
Local authority
Portsmouth

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources