Portland School
Portland School is a sponsored special academy in Stoke-on-Trent for boys and girls aged 3 to 16. It has 144 pupils, 4 more than it has places for. About 55 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. Ofsted's last grade was inadequate, back in 2021.
Uttoxeter Road, Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent, ST11 9JG01782 882020portlandschool.netMiss Alexis Bull headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 7 December 2021, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Inadequate overall.
This inspection is more than 4 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.
Ofsted has serious worries about this school. It is in special measures.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
13 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023† | 2022† | 2019† | 2018† | Stoke-on-Trent | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 15 | 9 | 12 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 2.2 | – | – | 1.1 | 7.3 | 11.0 | 41.5 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | – | – | -2.82 | -2.24 | -1.95 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 0% | – | – | 0% | 0% | 0% | 35% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 0% | – | – | 0% | 0% | 0% | 57% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 0.10 | – | – | 0.00 | 0.22 | 0.28 | 3.56 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 0% | – | – | 0% | 0% | 0% | 31% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | – | – | 1.0 | 6.5 | 9.3 | – | – |
† These results are for Portland School and Specialist College, the school this one replaced in February 2023. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
18 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023† | 2019† | 2018† | 2017† | Stoke-on-Trent | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 18 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 7 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 62% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 7% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 97.0 | 93.0 | 85.0 | 103.0 | 96.0 | 93.0 | 104.5 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 89.0 | 86.0 | 83.0 | 101.0 | 91.0 | 90.0 | 103.7 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 94.0 | 92.0 | 86.0 | 99.0 | 88.0 | 91.0 | 104.9 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 6% | 8% | 0% | 10% | 14% | 14% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 0% | 0% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 0% | 0% | 0% | 10% | 7% | 0% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -17.7 | -11.7 | -6.4 | -4.1 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -17.6 | -5.9 | -7.3 | -8.0 | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
† These results are for Portland School and Specialist College, the school this one replaced in February 2023. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Stoke-on-Trent council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who the school teaches, from the latest school census.
Specialist SEND provision. A special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Stoke-on-Trent with social, emotional and mental health provision.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (141), Moderate learning difficulty (1), Other difficulty or disability (1), language and communications needs (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 144 | 135 | 114 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 55% | 62% | 69% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 0% | 1% | 1% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 0% | 0% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 100% | 100% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 66.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22† | 2020/21† | 2018/19† | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 33.1% | 27.7% | 23.3% | 31.7% | 37.3% | 16.2% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 18.2% | 12.8% | 9.0% | 25.3% | 32.3% | 6.8% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 14.9% | 15.0% | 14.3% | 6.3% | 5.0% | 9.4% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 70.9% | 64.5% | 52.0% | 76.5% | 91.9% | 51.1% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 109.6 | 129.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for Portland School and Specialist College, the school this one replaced in February 2023. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other special schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springcroft Primary School | Council | 140 m | 211 | Good 2022 | 63 | Compare |
| Blythe Bridge High School | Academy | 940 m | 1,049 | Report card 2026 | 49 | Compare |
| The William Amory Primary School | Council | 0.6 miles | 180 | Good 2024 | 41 | Compare |
| Forsbrook CofE Controlled Primary School | Church of England | 0.6 miles | 211 | Outstanding 2023 | 94 | Compare |
| The Crescent Academy | Academy | 0.9 miles | 708 | Good 2024 | 63 | Compare |
| St Filumena's Catholic Primary School | Academy | 1.0 miles | 187 | No overall grade 2024 | 99 | Compare |
| St Peter's Church of England Primary School | Academy | 1.1 miles | 162 | Requires improvement 2022 | 1 | Compare |
| Sandon Primary Academy | Academy | 1.1 miles | 492 | Outstanding 2024 | 85 | Compare |
Questions parents ask
Is Portland School a good school?
Portland School doesn't have a score yet. Ofsted rated it inadequate at its last inspection in December 2021.
What is Portland School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Portland School inadequate at its last full inspection on 7 December 2021. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.
How good are Portland School's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 0% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 2.2, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished well over a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are Portland School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 0% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.
How many pupils does Portland School have?
144 pupils aged 3 to 16 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 140 places, so it is 103% full.
What is attendance like at Portland School?
Pupils were in school 66.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 71% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
Does Portland School have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It is a special school for social, emotional and mental health. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Uttoxeter Road, Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent, ST11 9JG
- Telephone
- 01782 882020
- Website
- portlandschool.net
- Headteacher
- Miss Alexis Bull
- Type of school
- Sponsored special academy (Academy special sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- Special school, ages 3-16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- The Shaw Education Trust (31 schools)
- Local authority
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Ward
- Fulford
- Constituency
- Stoke-on-Trent South
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 February 2023 (new provision)
- URN
- 149392 · LAESTAB 8617000 · UKPRN 10091316
- Formerly
- Portland School and Specialist College
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.