Classpot

Portslade Aldridge Community Academy

Brighton and Hove, BN41 2WSSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Mar 2026
Progress 8
-0.01
Below average
−20+2
Competition
0.8×
Not oversubscribed
170 1st-choice / 207 places
Ranking
#1,546
of 3,141 nationally

About Portslade Aldridge Community Academy

Portslade Aldridge Community Academy is a mixed, non-faith secondary school in Brighton and Hove for pupils aged 11 to 16, currently home to 928 students against a capacity of 1,075. That leaves some headroom, but the school is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 325 applications for 207 places, with 170 of those coming as first preferences. The oversubscription ratio sits at 1.57, meaning nearly three children applied for every two spots. The school serves a notably diverse intake in terms of disadvantage: 32% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average for secondary schools (around 24%) and a strong indicator that Portslade draws from a broad socioeconomic mix. This isn't a selective or faith-based school, so its intake reflects the local community, and the high FSM figure suggests it plays an important role in providing opportunity for families across Brighton and Hove.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressChalky Road, Brighton, Brighton and Hove, BN41 2WS
HeadteacherMark Poston
Local AuthorityBrighton and Hove
Number of Pupils928
Free School Meals (FSM)32.0%
School Capacity928 / 1,075 (86% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
See an example
One-off paymentNo subscriptionStripe checkout

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

17 Nov 2021
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (17 Nov 2021): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 9 Dec 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

11
Astro TurfMusic RoomsDining HallICT SuiteArt StudiosTennis CourtsSports HallSixth Form CentreSwimming PoolScience LabsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

18

Sports

BadmintonCricketCross CountryHockeyDanceSwimmingNetballRoundersTennis

Clubs & Activities

DramaNewspaperChessYoung EnterpriseArt ClubGardeningCodingChoirModel United Nations

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About Portslade Aldridge Community Academy

Portslade Aldridge Community Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.