Gatcombe Park Primary School
99%
Capacity
208
Pupils
3.2x
Demand
About Gatcombe Park Primary School
Gatcombe Park Primary School is a mixed state primary for children aged 4 to 11 in Portsmouth, currently led by headteacher Ben Simpson. With 208 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, the school is running very close to full, and the demand is clear: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 97 applications for just 30 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.23. Of those, 36 families put it as their first preference, and all 30 first-preference offers were taken up. The school’s intake reflects a notably higher-than-average level of disadvantage: 26.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with the national primary average of around 23-24% in recent years. This is a school that serves its local community well, drawing families who value a non-religious, inclusive setting.
Academically, Gatcombe Park’s most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated it Good across all five categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership. That’s consistent with its previous Good rating from 2011, though the early years provision has improved from a Requires Improvement grade back then. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 tests, 47% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — below the Portsmouth local authority average of 53%. However, reading results were stronger, with 77% reaching the expected standard and 23% achieving a higher score, while maths averaged a score of 102. The school ranks 21st out of 32 primaries in Portsmouth on the combined expected standard metric, placing it in the bottom half of the local authority.
The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sports hall, ICT suite, art studios, a sensory room, playing fields, a library and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, dance, cricket, swimming and athletics, and there are clubs for gardening, chess, film, choir and coding. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication issues, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that will suit families looking for a genuinely inclusive, community-focused primary with strong pastoral support and a broad extracurricular offer, particularly those who value a non-faith environment and are comfortable with a school that is academically mixed but strong in reading. The high oversubscription means applying as a first preference is essential.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | St Barbara Way, Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO2 0UR |
| Headteacher | Ben Simpson |
| Local Authority | Portsmouth |
| Number of Pupils | 208 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 26.4% |
| School Capacity | 208 / 210 (99% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
16 May 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 10 Jul 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (47%)
11355th of 13,686
Nationally
1709th of 2,034
In South East
21st of 32
In Portsmouth
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
47%
Expected Standard
0%
Higher Standard
'22/23
57%
'23/24
47%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
10Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed30
97
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
36 families put this school as their 1st choice (37% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British75.0%
- Mixed6.8%
- Asian6.3%
- White (other)1.9%
- Black0.5%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
14
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
10
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Gatcombe Park Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
St Barbara Way, Portsmouth
Portsmouth, PO2 0UR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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