Portland School

Special academy · All-through, ages 3 to 16 · Mixed

Part of THE SHAW EDUCATION TRUST

Uttoxeter Road, Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent, ST11 9JG

01782 882020 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedInadequateInspected 7 December 2021, before conversion
Grade 5 or above in English and maths0%England 45% · 2024/25
Pupils144Room for 140 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 88 in 2019, 118 in 2021, 123 in 2022, 95 in 2023, 114 in 2024, 135 in 2025, 144 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals55%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Inadequate at the inspection that started on 7 December 2021. This inspection was of the school before it changed to its current form (for example, before becoming an academy).

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

Category of concern: Special measures.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationInadequate
Behaviour and attitudesInadequate
Personal developmentInadequate
Leadership and managementInadequate
SafeguardingNot effective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

18 pupils in this year group.

0% — 59 points below the Stoke-on-Trent average, and 62 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolStoke-on-TrentEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 59% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 0% 7% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 6% 71% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 0% 71% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths 0% 71% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 97 104 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. 89 104 105
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2023/24: 0%This school 2024/25: 0% This school England 62% 2022/23 – 2023/24 0% 2024/25 0%

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

13 pupils in this year group.

0% — 33 points below the Stoke-on-Trent average, and 45 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolStoke-on-TrentEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 0% 33% 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. 2.2 39.8 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 0.1 3.4 4.1

Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time

2022/232023/242024/25
Not publishedNot published0%

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.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Stoke-on-Trent. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Stoke-on-Trent

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: Social, emotional and mental health needs.

PupilsThis schoolStoke-on-TrentEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 82.2% 59.1%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 98.6%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 1.4%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 0.7% 6.9%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 33.1% 13.9%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 70.9% 37.8%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 109.6 19.2 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 45.9% 8.9% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.00% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 6.6 7.8 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 2.3 2.8 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 20.0% 14.5%* 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

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Portland School's Ofsted rating?

Portland School was rated Inadequate by Ofsted at its inspection in 7 December 2021.

How did Portland 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

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.