St Edmund's Catholic School
109%
Capacity
1,150
Pupils
2.9x
Demand
About St Edmund's Catholic School
St Edmund's Catholic School sits at the very top of the Portsmouth secondary school rankings, ranked first out of eight schools in the local authority by Progress 8 score. That puts it well ahead of its nearest named peers — Trafalgar School, Ark Charter Academy, and Admiral Lord Nelson School — all of which have negative Progress 8 scores. The school is one of only three outstanding-rated secondaries in Portsmouth, and the nearest other outstanding school, Mayfield School, is 2.8 kilometres away. Headteacher Simon Graham leads a mixed, Roman Catholic state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form on site. The school is significantly oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 678 applications for 237 places, with 436 of those as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.86. That level of demand reflects its strong local reputation, and the school currently has 1,150 pupils on roll, exceeding its official capacity of 1,058.
Academically, St Edmund's delivers results that stand out sharply against the local backdrop. Its Progress 8 score of 0.66 means pupils achieve nearly two-thirds of a grade more per subject than the national average, and it towers above the Portsmouth local authority average of -0.31. The school's Attainment 8 score is 55.6, and 86.9% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 68.6% reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 5.02, and 55.9% of pupils entered the EBacc combination of subjects, with 41% achieving a grade 4 or above across all five pillars. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2016, the school was rated Outstanding overall, with Outstanding leadership and management, and a 2022 ungraded inspection confirmed the school remains Outstanding. The previous inspection in 2012 had rated it Good, so this represents a clear upward trajectory.
The school offers a strong set of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, science labs, astro turf, playing fields, and a chapel. Sports on offer include rowing, netball, badminton, athletics, and dance, while clubs range from the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Model UN to gardening, eco club, and Young Enterprise. For families with children who have additional needs, St Edmund's has a resourced provision and supports a wide range of SEND categories including autistic spectrum disorder, speech, language and communication needs, specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, and social, emotional and mental health needs. This is a school that suits families prioritising strong academic outcomes within a Catholic framework, and who are comfortable with a large, oversubscribed school where competition for places is high. The lack of a sixth form means pupils will need to plan for post-16 options elsewhere.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Arundel Street, Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 1RX |
| Headteacher | Simon Graham |
| Local Authority | Portsmouth |
| Number of Pupils | 1,150 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 27.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,150 / 1,058 (109% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
16 Jun 2022Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Latest inspection (16 Jun 2022): School remains Outstanding
Source: Ofsted, 29 Feb 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.66)
321st of 3,141
Nationally
56th of 461
In South East
1st of 8
In Portsmouth
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/234%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 194 pupils).
- FE college76%
- Sixth form college11%
- Not sustained5%
- School sixth form (stay)4%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship1%
95% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed237
678
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
436 families put this school as their 1st choice (64% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British37.0%
- White (other)22.3%
- Asian13.1%
- Mixed7.8%
- Black1.2%
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
2024/25Better than half 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.
18
Total schools
16
Oversubscribed
14
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 St Edmund's Catholic School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Arundel Street, Portsmouth
Portsmouth, PO1 1RX
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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