St Jude's CofE Primary School

About St Jude's CofE Primary School

St Jude's CofE Primary School is a popular choice among Portsmouth families, with 132 applications for 60 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.2. Of those 132 applicants, 70 put the school as their first preference, and 59 first-preference offers were made. This level of demand suggests the school has a strong local reputation, though the school does not publish a parent recommendation percentage in the data. The school is a Church of England state primary for mixed genders, ages 4 to 11, with Colette Pidgeon as headteacher. It currently has 411 pupils on roll, just under its capacity of 420, and 29.2 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and indicates a relatively diverse intake.

Academically, St Jude's performs solidly within Portsmouth. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 62 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, comfortably above the local authority average of 53 per cent. This places the school 8th out of 32 primary schools in Portsmouth, putting it in the top quarter of the LA. Reading and maths average scores were 105 and 104 respectively, and 87 per cent met the expected standard in maths specifically. However, only 2 per cent of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, and progress scores are not available in the data. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024 confirmed it remains Good overall, with Good ratings for early years provision, leadership and management, and the quality of education. This is a notable improvement from its 2016 inspection, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, music rooms, playing fields, a chapel and an ICT suite. Sports on offer include tennis, athletics, swimming, dance and cricket, and there are clubs for drama, choir and eco club. For families with children who have additional needs, St Jude's has SEND provisions covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. The school is oversubscribed, so families applying should be aware that first-preference applications are prioritised. St Jude's suits families who value a Church of England ethos, a strong academic record relative to the local area, and a school that has clearly improved its Ofsted standing over time.

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