Academy converter · Portsmouth

Highbury Primary School

0–11Ages
391Pupils
PrimaryPhase
144191URN

Dovercourt Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 2RZ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Nov 2025

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

0.4 below Portsmouth median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Portsmouth

106 applications for 60 places · 32nd of 36 in Portsmouth

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

63%met the expected standard

Portsmouth 55% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 18 November 2025Published 21 January 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard	Expected standard
Inclusion		Strong standard
Curriculum and teaching			Expected standard
Achievement			Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour			Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing			Expected standard
Early years			Expected standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance			Expected 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

18 November 2025
Report card · 1 Strong standard, 6 Expected standard
1 December 2021
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

1.8applications per place, Reception

0.4 below Portsmouth median (2.2) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

106 applications · 60 places offered · 68 named it first

2026 1.8; Portsmouth median median 2.2
2025 2.1; Portsmouth median median 2.3
2024 1.6; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2023 1.6; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2022 1.7; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2021 1.8; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2020 2.0; Portsmouth median median 2.2
2019 2.0; Portsmouth median median 2.3
2018 2.5; Portsmouth median median 2.5
2017 2.4; Portsmouth median median 2.4
2016 1.9; Portsmouth median median 2.5; as the previous school
2015 1.7; Portsmouth median median 2.1; as the previous school
2014 1.6; Portsmouth median median 2.3; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Portsmouth median in 0 of 10 years.

This school
Portsmouth median

Dashed bars: as Highbury Primary School (URN 116196), the previous school.

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	60	106	1.8	68	1.13
Sep 2025	48	102	2.1	46	0.96
Sep 2024	59	92	1.6	54	0.92
Sep 2023	51	79	1.6	51	1.00
Sep 2022	59	100	1.7	57	0.97
Sep 2021	60	106	1.8	58	0.97
Sep 2020	60	118	2.0	61	1.02
Sep 2019	59	117	2.0	47	0.80
Sep 2018	59	150	2.5	64	1.08
Sep 2017	60	143	2.4	70	1.17
Sep 2016 *	60	111	1.9	55	0.92
Sep 2015 *	60	101	1.7	60	1.00
Sep 2014 *	59	93	1.6	50	0.85

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 77% · Maths 73% → all three 63% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard63%9th of 32 in Portsmouth

Portsmouth 55% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard75%

Portsmouth 73% England 78%

Higher standard27%

Portsmouth 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard77%

Portsmouth 69% England 75%

Greater depth17%

Portsmouth 3% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard73%

Portsmouth 69% England 77%

Higher standard20%

Portsmouth 17% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (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	63%	10%	105	104
2023/24	55%	8%	107	104
2022/23	43%	7%	103	102

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

Highbury Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2025

1.8applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Court Lane Infant Academy
0.7 km · Portsmouth

Remains Good2024

2.1applications per place
Court Lane Junior Academy
0.7 km · Portsmouth

Remains Good2024

57%met the SATs standard
Gatcombe Park Primary School
1.1 km · Portsmouth

Good2023

3.0applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Medina Primary School
1.3 km · Portsmouth

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.5applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Portsdown Primary School
1.4 km · Portsmouth

Good2024

1.9applications per place 35%met the SATs standard
King's Academy Northern Parade (Junior)
1.6 km · Portsmouth

Good2023

48%met the SATs standard
King's Academy Northern Parade (Infant)
1.6 km · Portsmouth

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.2applications per place
Solent Junior School
1.8 km · Portsmouth

Standards maintained2025

58%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 144191 · 851/2674
Trust: University of Chichester (MULTI) Academy Trust
Capacity: 420 pupils · 391 on roll
Free school meals: 28.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 July 2017
Replaced: Highbury Primary School (URN 116196)
Address: Dovercourt Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 2RZ
Local authority: Portsmouth

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