Devonshire Infant School, Southsea

Ofsted's report card from its 19 May 2026 inspection grades Devonshire Infant School on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "On the whole, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve well."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise improving attendance."

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

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure that the early years provides children with a positive and successful start to their education."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders establish a welcoming culture where every pupil is valued."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders' commitment to the community is palpable."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a wide ranging programme for pupils' personal development and wellbeing."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to develop consistency of teaching, including the use of assessment and adaptations, across the curriculum to support pupils' progress through the curriculum so that pupils achieve leaders' aspirational expectations for achievement"; "Leaders should continue to work on their attendance strategies to ensure that pupils' attendance rates, including for pupils who face barriers, further improve and are consistently high"; "Leaders, including governors, should further develop their analysis of school performance to refine and implement strategic approaches to inform their school improvement oversight and priorities".

In its own words: "Our Vision: Celebrating every child, creating a love of learning and inspiring every future."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:00am and after-school care.

For September 2026 entry, 44 families put Devonshire Infant School as their first choice and 137 named it as one of their preferences, for 47 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Devonshire Infant School are Fernhurst Junior School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 76% reading, 73% maths); Bramble Infant School and Nursery (0.2 miles, Good); Wimborne Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 78% reading, 63% maths); and Cumberland Infant School (0.4 miles, Good).

30.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (52%), Asian (16%) and Black (9%).

In 2026, 18 pupils (10.5%) received SEN support and 18 (10.5%) 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.

Devonshire Infant School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs and autism: 10 places, 10 pupils on roll.

Devonshire Infant School had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Fratton Rail Station, about 500 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Devonshire Square (e-bound), 50 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 1055 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Portsmouth (499), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Devonshire Infant School issued 1 suspension, 0.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Devonshire Infant School are Priory School (0.3 miles), Miltoncross Academy (0.7 miles), St Edmund's Catholic School (0.8 miles) and Ark Charter Academy (0.8 miles).