Fernhurst Junior School

About Fernhurst Junior School

Fernhurst Junior School’s headline KS2 result of 57% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths sits four percentage points above the Portsmouth local authority average of 53%. That gap is modest but meaningful, placing the school 12th out of 45 primary schools in the city and in the top 40% of schools nationally. Given that 38.2% of its 361 pupils qualify for free school meals — well above the national average — this is a school that is delivering solidly above the odds. It ranks 13th out of 32 junior schools in Portsmouth, and its overall performance score of 57 puts it in the bottom half of schools nationally, but that national ranking masks a more nuanced local picture: Fernhurst is comfortably in the middle of the pack in a city where no primary school holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating.

Digging into the KS2 breakdown, the school’s strongest subject is reading, where 75% of pupils met the expected standard and 24% reached the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 104. Maths is close behind at 75% expected and 19% higher, with an average score of 103. Writing is the weakest area: 65% expected and just 1% higher. The combined expected standard of 57% is therefore pulled down by writing, but the school’s maths and reading scores are both above the national average scaled score of 100. In its most recent graded inspection in 2017, Ofsted rated the school Good overall, and a subsequent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed it remains Good. Notably, leadership and management were judged Outstanding in that 2017 inspection, which suggests strong strategic direction under headteacher Roberta Kirby.

The school is oversubscribed, with 361 pupils against a capacity of 360, and serves a community with above-average disadvantage. It offers a broad range of facilities including a library, forest school, playing fields, art studios, music rooms, a sports hall and even a chapel. Sports provision covers football, cricket, netball, swimming and athletics, while clubs include eco club, film club, choir, drama, gardening and book club. SEND support is extensive, covering eight categories from dyslexia to autistic spectrum disorder and physical disability. For families in Portsmouth looking for a solid, well-led junior school that achieves above the local average despite high levels of pupil disadvantage, Fernhurst is a pragmatic choice — particularly for those who value strong reading and maths outcomes and a wide extracurricular offer.

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