Admiral Lord Nelson School, Portsmouth

Ofsted's report card from its 9 June 2026 inspection grades Admiral Lord Nelson School on 6 areas: 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils produce high-quality work, and many can talk in detail about what they have learned."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders are tenacious in ensuring that pupils attend school frequently."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the curriculum."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have effective systems in place to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders know the school well."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a well-planned personal development programme."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should further embed adaptations that are precisely refined to consistently enhance the opportunities and experiences of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged"; "Leaders should further strengthen effective checks for understanding to enable any gaps in knowledge to be addressed".

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are really proud of our vibrant and inclusive learning community where staff, students and parents all work together to constantly strive for excellence and live up to our motto: We believe in creating a safe and inclusive environment where each student is encouraged to achieve their full potential."

In 2026, pupils at Admiral Lord Nelson School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 41.2 in Portsmouth and 47 across England.

33% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 36% in Portsmouth and 47% in England.

That is up from 40.4 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.35: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 32.9, against 44.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 12 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Art and Design.

For September 2026 entry, 288 families put Admiral Lord Nelson School as their first choice and 792 named it as one of their preferences, for 248 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 55 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Admiral Lord Nelson School are Mayfield School (0.8 miles, Attainment 8 31.1); Trafalgar School (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.1); UTC Portsmouth (1.2 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 48.8); and Miltoncross Academy (1.3 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 35.8).

Admiral Lord Nelson School's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Admiral Lord Nelson School is one of 3 schools run by The Salterns Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 215 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 76% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

9.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Hilsea Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ocean Retail Park (ne-bound), 60 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 174 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Portsmouth (499).

In 2024/25, Admiral Lord Nelson School issued 50 suspensions, 4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Admiral Lord Nelson School are Copnor Primary School (0.6 miles), Westover Primary School (0.6 miles), King's Academy College Park (Junior) (0.9 miles) and King's Academy College Park (Infant) (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.