Classpot

Priory School

Portsmouth, PO4 0DLSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Nov 2022
Progress 8
-0.55
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
1.2×
Oversubscribed
326 1st-choice / 262 places
Ranking
#2,669
of 3,141 nationally

About Priory School

Priory School is a large, mixed secondary in Portsmouth for pupils aged 11 to 16, and it sits in a competitive local landscape. Within the city’s state secondary sector, it ranks 6th out of 8 schools by Progress 8 score, placing it in the bottom half of its local authority. The top-performing peer in Portsmouth is St Edmund’s Catholic School, which sits just 0.8 kilometres away and holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating. Other nearby rivals include Trafalgar School and Ark Charter Academy, both of which also outperform Priory on academic progress. The school’s Progress 8 score of -0.55 is notably below the Portsmouth local authority average of -0.31, and nationally it sits in the bottom 15% of all schools. Despite this, the school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 683 applications for 262 places, with 326 first-preference applications and 229 offers made to first-preference families. That demand suggests strong local reputation beyond raw exam metrics.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressFawcett Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO4 0DL
HeadteacherStewart Vaughan
Local AuthorityPortsmouth
Number of Pupils1,247
Free School Meals (FSM)34.2%
School Capacity1,247 / 1,250 (100% full)

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

22 Nov 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 15 Jan 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
LibraryDining HallICT SuiteArt StudiosTheatreSwimming PoolSixth Form CentreChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

NetballRugbyBadmintonGymnasticsTennisFootballCross CountryRowingSwimmingMartial Arts

Clubs & Activities

ChessBook ClubDuke of EdinburghDramaChoirDebate

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyMulti-Sensory

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:55 – 15:00

Source: priorysouthsea.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About Priory School

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