SchoolScoresPortal House School
Special school · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Boys only
Sea Street, St Margaret's-At-Cliffe, Dover, CT15 6SS
01304 853033 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 4 June 2015.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 8 January 2025: Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25
20 pupils in this year group.
0% — 47 points below the Kent average, and 45 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 0% | 47% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. | 13.2 | 46.7 | 46.1 |
| EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. | 0.7 | 4.2 | 4.1 |
Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.
Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
After Year 11
Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.
20 pupils in this year group.
70% — 23 points below the Kent average, and 22 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. | 70% | 93% | 92% |
| School sixth form | 5% | 56% | 34% |
| Sixth form college | 0% | – | 13% |
| Further education college | 20% | 28% | 37% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 3% | 3% |
| Work | 0% | 2% | 3% |
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| 89% | 70% |
Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Kent. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
Pupils, staff and SEND
This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Autism; Social, emotional and mental health needs.
| Pupils | This school | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 69.3% | 48.2%* | 51.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 100.0% | 98.5%* | 99.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 0.0% | 0.5%* | 0.5% |
| English as an additional language | 1.3% | 5.8%* | 14.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) | 29.4% | 14.3%* | 12.8% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) | 63.0% | 39.5%* | 35.3% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 94.7 | 18.3 | 12.3 |
| Pupils suspended at least once | 37.3% | 6.8% | 5.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.08% |
| Pupils per teacher | 3.9 | 6.6 | 6.6 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 9.2% | 15.7%* | 14.3%* |
Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby special schools
- Learning Opportunities Centre Secondary 2.2 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2025)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Portal House School's Ofsted rating?
Portal House School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 4 June 2015. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 8 January 2025, Ofsted found the school had maintained its standards.
How did Portal House School do in its GCSEs?
In 2024/25, 0% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 45 points below the England average of 45%.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 119062.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, GCSEs 2024/25, After Year 11 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.