Southsea Infant School
95%
Capacity
171
Pupils
3.6x
Demand
About Southsea Infant School
Southsea Infant School is a state primary in Portsmouth, a local authority where no primary school currently holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating. The school ranks among its local peers, with Ark Ayrton Primary Academy, Langstone Primary Academy, and Penbridge Junior School identified as the top-performing schools in the area. Southsea Infant School caters to children aged 4 to 7, with a mixed gender intake and no religious character. Headteacher Rebecca Holmes leads a school that is significantly oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, there were 171 applications for just 48 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.56. Only 34 first-preference offers were made, indicating strong local demand. The school operates at near capacity with 171 pupils against a maximum of 180, and 16.4 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, slightly above the national average for primary schools.
In its most recent graded inspection in September 2014, Ofsted rated Southsea Infant School as Good overall, with Good ratings for leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness. An ungraded inspection in January 2024 confirmed the school remains Good, though with a note of 'Concerns' attached to the outcome. The previous inspection in 2009 also rated the school Good, so it has held this standard consistently. Academic outcomes data for Key Stage 2 is not available for this infant school, as pupils leave at age 7 before statutory SATs. The local authority average for Key Stage 2 attainment is 53 per cent, but this figure applies to junior schools rather than infant settings. Parents considering this school should note that their child would need to transfer to a junior school at age 7, and the strong oversubscription suggests that securing a place at Southsea Infant is competitive.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including an ICT suite, music rooms, outdoor playground, forest school, sports hall, gymnasium, and a chapel. Sports provision covers rounders, cross country, gymnastics, dance, athletics, and football, while extracurricular clubs include coding, film club, chess, science club, choir, and book club. For children with additional needs, the school supports moderate and severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and physical disabilities. This combination of facilities and SEND support makes Southsea Infant School a practical choice for families seeking a well-resourced infant school in Portsmouth, particularly those who value outdoor learning through the forest school programme and a wide variety of after-school activities. The high demand for places means families should apply early and consider their catchment area carefully.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 7 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Collingwood Road, Southsea Infant School, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 2SR |
| Headteacher | Rebecca Holmes |
| Local Authority | Portsmouth |
| Number of Pupils | 171 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 16.4% |
| School Capacity | 171 / 180 (95% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Jan 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (24 Jan 2024): School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 9 Oct 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
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
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed48
171
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
34 families put this school as their 1st choice (20% 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.
Better than half of schools in England.
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
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British55.0%
- Asian12.9%
- White (other)10.5%
- Mixed8.2%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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.
16
Total schools
14
Oversubscribed
13
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Southsea Infant 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
Collingwood Road, Southsea Infant School, Southsea
Portsmouth, PO5 2SR
Collingwood Road, Southsea Infant School, Southsea
Portsmouth, PO5 2SR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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