Copnor Primary School, Portsmouth
Copnor Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Portsmouth. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 21st-highest of the 28 schools in Portsmouth with published results, and 11,866th of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Portsmouth (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Copnor Primary School in detail
Copnor Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Copnor Primary School is a vibrant and welcoming school set in the heart of Copnor in Portsmouth. We work hard to achieve high standards in learning, offering many opportunities to learn creatively and explore imaginative ideas. Most importantly to us, children are encouraged to think deeply about their learning."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football and choir.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils at Copnor Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 65% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 70% and 68% in Portsmouth and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 69% in reading and 75% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Copnor Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 89 families put Copnor Primary School as their first choice and 216 named it as one of their preferences, for 90 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Copnor Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Copnor Primary School are King's Academy College Park (Infant) (0.4 miles, Good); King's Academy College Park (Junior) (0.4 miles, Good, 72% reading, 62% maths); Penbridge Junior School (0.4 miles, Good, 66% reading, 72% maths); and Westover Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 76% reading, 72% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Copnor Primary School.
King's Academy College Park (Infant)King's Academy College Park (Junior)Penbridge Junior SchoolWestover Primary School
What parents say
86 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Copnor Primary School (as of September 2025): 87% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 77% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (77%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 57 pupils (9%) received SEN support and 22 (3.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hilsea Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Chichester Road (s-bound), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Copnor Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Copnor Primary School are Mayfield School (0.5 miles), Admiral Lord Nelson School (0.6 miles), The Portsmouth Academy (0.9 miles) and UTC Portsmouth (1.1 miles).
Mayfield SchoolAdmiral Lord Nelson SchoolThe Portsmouth AcademyUTC Portsmouth
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Copnor Primary School excels at creating a caring, inclusive environment where pupils feel safe, valued and proud to learn. The school has significantly improved its teaching across the curriculum, particularly in early reading, and offers a rich range of learning experiences through trips, clubs and community partnerships. Staff successfully support all pupils, including those with additional needs, while promoting excellent behaviour and helping children understand the importance of respect, equality and looking after their mental health.
Key Strengths
- Strong curriculum design that is well-sequenced with secure foundations in early years - language development and emotional skills are carefully taught
- Excellent phonics teaching with timely support for struggling readers, resulting in significantly improved screening check pass rates
- Outstanding behaviour across the school with pupils managing their own behaviour effectively, supported by 'regulation stations'
- Comprehensive personal development programme including cultural experiences, trips, visiting speakers, and community links that help pupils understand themselves and the wider world
- High participation in extra-curricular clubs and sporting activities with particular success in engaging disadvantaged pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Some curriculum areas are still being refined and not consistently implemented, meaning pupils do not always build secure knowledge and understanding of key concepts in these subjects
- Ensure all curriculum areas have work that is closely aligned with intended content and skills to enable effective progress
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with strong systems in place to keep pupils safe and supported.
Extracurricular Activities
Extra-curricular clubs, sporting activities, trips, visiting speakers, before- and after-school club, outdoor reading shed, friendship benches, regulation stations
Copnor Primary School has made significant improvements since its previous inspection and is now rated Good for the quality of education. The school demonstrates outstanding behaviour and attitudes, and outstanding personal development across the school community.
At a Glance
25.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
86 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 69% to 65% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 75% to 65% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 71% to 75% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.6
Avg class size
27.6
Infant (KS1)
32.5
KS2
18
Total classes
9 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Copnor Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Copnor Primary School.
- PH Camps - New Horizons Primary School660m away · Not yet graded
- CM Sports Holiday Club740m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Copnor Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Portsmouth. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Copnor Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Copnor Primary School is in Portsmouth; for families living there:
- Portsmouth's school travel policy: Travel assistance policy for school age (5-16) children
- How to apply: apply for discretionary travel assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 43
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 43 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 33 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot.
4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Portsmouth is 57 (the median across 67 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Copnor Primary School
Will you get a place at Copnor Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Copnor Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Copnor Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Copnor Primary School.
- Portsmouth publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Copnor Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Copnor Primary School for 2015 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Portsmouth got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
94%
Near capacity
648 pupils
690 places
42 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Portsmouth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Portsmouth
Across Portsmouth council
Places available
2,230
Applications
1,887
Got 1st preference
93.0%
Got preferred school
98.7%
All primary applications across Portsmouth council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
57
SEN Support
22
EHC Plans
12.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
632
Total Pupils
312
Boys
320
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
33
Teachers
19.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,634
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,192
Per pupil
£3584k
Total funding
£192k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.3%
Overall absence
10.3%
Persistent absence
593
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Copnor Primary School
What are SATs results like at Copnor Primary School?
Of the pupils at Copnor Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 65% reached the expected standard in reading and 65% did so in maths.
What is Copnor Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Copnor Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Copnor Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Copnor Primary School is oversubscribed, Portsmouth allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Copnor Primary School?
Copnor Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 690 places.
How big are the classes at Copnor Primary School?
Classes at Copnor Primary School average 30.6 pupils (2025/26). 9 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Copnor Primary School?
Copnor Primary School has around 632 pupils on roll. 26% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Copnor Primary School?
5.3% of sessions were missed at Copnor Primary School in 2024/25. 10.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Copnor Primary School?
Apply through Portsmouth's coordinated admissions process, naming Copnor Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Copnor Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Copnor Primary School: PH Camps - New Horizons Primary School (660m away, registered, not yet graded) and CM Sports Holiday Club (740m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Copnor Primary School's term dates?
Copnor Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Portsmouth. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027).
How many road collisions happen near Copnor Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 43 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 33 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot. 4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Portsmouth is 57 (the median across 67 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Copnor Primary School?
Copnor Primary School is at Copnor Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO3 5BZ.
Sources: Portsmouth term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)