Academy converter · Portsmouth

Cottage Grove Primary School and Nursery

2–11Ages
462Pupils
PrimaryPhase
148709URN

Chivers Close, Southsea, PO5 1HG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

0.6 below Portsmouth median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Portsmouth

93 applications for 58 places · 34th of 36 in Portsmouth

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

53%met the expected standard

Portsmouth 55% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 25 June 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education			Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		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

1.6applications per place, Reception

0.6 below Portsmouth median (2.2) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

93 applications · 58 places offered · 53 named it first

2026 1.6; Portsmouth median median 2.2
2025 2.4; Portsmouth median median 2.3
2024 1.7; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2023 1.6; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2022 1.5; Portsmouth median median 1.8
2021 1.6; Portsmouth median median 1.8; as the previous school
2020 1.7; Portsmouth median median 2.2; as the previous school
2019 1.7; Portsmouth median median 2.3; as the previous school
2018 1.8; Portsmouth median median 2.5; as the previous school
2017 1.9; Portsmouth median median 2.4; as the previous school
2016 1.4; Portsmouth median median 2.5; as the previous school
2015 1.4; Portsmouth median median 2.1; as the previous school
2014 1.2; Portsmouth median median 2.3; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Portsmouth median in 1 of 5 years.

This school
Portsmouth median

Dashed bars: as Cottage Grove Primary School (URN 116203), 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	58	93	1.6	53	0.91
Sep 2025	46	112	2.4	41	0.89
Sep 2024	60	101	1.7	53	0.88
Sep 2023	40	63	1.6	40	1.00
Sep 2022	48	70	1.5	47	0.98
Sep 2021 *	32	50	1.6	29	0.91
Sep 2020 *	60	103	1.7	57	0.95
Sep 2019 *	60	99	1.7	42	0.70
Sep 2018 *	60	108	1.8	57	0.95
Sep 2017 *	60	114	1.9	59	0.98
Sep 2016 *	60	81	1.4	39	0.65
Sep 2015 *	60	82	1.4	46	0.77
Sep 2014 *	60	72	1.2	41	0.68

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 65% · Maths 73% → all three 53% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard53%19th of 32 in Portsmouth

Portsmouth 55% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard75%

Portsmouth 73% England 78%

Higher standard22%

Portsmouth 27% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard65%

Portsmouth 69% England 75%

Greater depth4%

Portsmouth 3% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard73%

Portsmouth 69% England 77%

Higher standard13%

Portsmouth 17% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	53%	4%	104	103
2023/24	45%	2%	102	102
2022/23	39%	0%	102	101

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

Cottage Grove Primary School and NurseryThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

1.6applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Ark Ayrton Primary Academy
0.6 km · Portsmouth

Remains Good · improving2024

2.3applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Southsea Infant School
0.8 km · Portsmouth

2026

5.3applications per place
St Jude's CofE Primary School
0.9 km · Portsmouth

Remains Good · concerns noted2024

1.9applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Bramble Infant School and Nursery
0.9 km · Portsmouth

Standards maintained2025

3.3applications per place
St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School
1.0 km · Portsmouth

Good2022

3.6applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
St Swithun's Catholic Primary School
1.0 km · Portsmouth

Standards maintained2025

2.2applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Arundel Court Primary Academy and Nursery
1.2 km · Portsmouth

2026

2.1applications per place 35%met the SATs standard
Devonshire Infant School
1.2 km · Portsmouth

2026

2.9applications per place

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: Primary
URN · DfE number: 148709 · 851/2689
Trust: Gateway Multi Academy Trust
Capacity: 450 pupils · 462 on roll
Free school meals: 48.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 January 2022
Replaced: Cottage Grove Primary School (URN 116203)
Address: Chivers Close, Southsea, PO5 1HG
Local authority: Portsmouth

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