Admiral Lord Nelson School, Portsmouth

Secondary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 1116

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.4km)Possible (~2.0km)Unlikely (~2.6km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Christopher Doherty
Pupils:1,245 / 1,250 capacity
LA:Portsmouth
Phone:02392364536
Website:alns.co.uk
Address:Dundas Lane, Portsmouth, PO3 5XT
Trust:THE SALTERNS ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 April 2014

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 3 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Inspected 9 June 2026View full report
URN:140697
UKPRN:10045646
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Portsmouth North
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Admiral Lord Nelson School creates a welcoming, inclusive environment where pupils feel they belong and are ready to learn. Teachers are knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects, explaining difficult ideas clearly and adapting lessons to help all pupils succeed. The school goes beyond the classroom with excellent careers guidance, enriching trips, and a wide range of clubs and activities that help pupils build confidence and broaden their experiences.

Key Strengths

  • High-quality teaching with expert subject knowledge that explains complex ideas clearly
  • Effective behaviour management systems creating a calm, orderly learning environment where bullying is rare
  • Strong support for pupils with special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils, with strategies tailored to remove barriers to learning
  • Ambitious curriculum well-sequenced to prepare pupils for further education and employment
  • Highly effective careers education with pupils meeting employers and receiving individualised advice

Areas for Improvement

  • Adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils need to be more consistent and precisely refined across all lessons
  • Some lessons lack consistent effective strategies to check what pupils have learned and adapt teaching accordingly
  • Pupils' knowledge in areas such as fundamental British values and protected characteristics is not yet as detailed as it could be

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are fulfilled, leaders establish clear responsibility across the school, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

School performance, board games clubs, sports clubs, performing arts clubs, Year 8 camp, educational trips to Poland and Belgium

Admiral Lord Nelson School is a well-led school where pupils achieve in line with national averages and benefit from an ambitious, rich curriculum. The school has a strong inclusive culture with effective systems to support all learners, including those with special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils.

At a Glance

28.2%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

25.4

Avg class size

49

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Ocean Retail Park (NE-bound)
64m · 1 min walk
Kiln Road (nr)
385m · 6 min walk
Marazan Road (S-bound)
516m · 8 min walk
Airport Service Road (SE-bound)
543m · 9 min walk
Keel Close (N-bound)
793m · 13 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

100%

Over capacity

1,245 pupils

1,250 capacity

5 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Portsmouth

Low pressure
New homes approved:570
Projected new pupils:103

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Portsmouth

Admissions Demand - Portsmouth

Low demand1.02x oversubscription

Places available

2,152

Applications

2,185

Got 1st preference

75.7%

Got preferred school

93.2%

Secondary admissions across Portsmouth (2025/26)

Inspection History(6)

9 June 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
28 June 2022
17 November 2020

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

Sign up free to see teacher and staff data

School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

Sign up free to see how this school is funded

Pupil Absence
2024/25

8.34472%

Overall absence

20.5414%

Persistent absence

1,256

Enrolments

Authorised4.29227%
Unauthorised4.05244%
Persistent (10%+)20.5414%
Severe (50%+)3.74204%

Absence trend

6.83246%
18/19
6.5459%
20/21
10.62526%
21/22
10.08198%
22/23
9.11428%
23/24
8.34472%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Feeder Primary Schools

Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity

Showing 10 of 15 linked schools

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.