Schools by area › Portsmouth › Highbury Primary School
Highbury Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 0–11 · Academy
Dovercourt Road, Cosham, Portsmouth PO6 2RZ · highburyprimary.chimat.uk · 023 9237 5404
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Nov 2025 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 63%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Portsmouth 54%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- 0.33 mi
- 0.53 km · Reception, September 2026 entry · Catchment · Portsmouth Council
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 391
- 93% of 420 places
- Local authority
- Portsmouth
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 28.1%
- First language not English
- 9.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, the last place offered under “Catchment” went to a home 0.33 mi (534 m) from the school. Source: Portsmouth Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 68 families put the school first and 60 places were offered; 88% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 60 | 68 | 1.1▲ | 88% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 48 | 46 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 59 | 54 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 51 | 51 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 59 | 57 | 1 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Reception – Catchment | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 0.33 mi0.53 km | |
Results
In 2024/25, 63% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 10% the higher standard. Across Portsmouth it was 54%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ●63% | 62% | ||
| ●10% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●105 | 106 | ||
| ●104 | 105 | ||
| ●104 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 116196)
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Highbury Primary School on 18 November 2025 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard
- Achievement: Expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Expected standard
- Leadership and governance: Expected standard
- Inspected
- 18 Nov 2025
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Dec 2021
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Dec 2021Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Oct 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Oct 2010Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Early years Inadequate
What parents said
87% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (52 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 87%
- Positive
- 88%
- Replies
- 52
- 13% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 85% who raised concerns
based on 11 parents (21%) whose child was bullied
based on 9 parents (17%) with SEND