Devonshire Infant School, Southsea

Primary
Community school
Mixed
Ages 47

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~334m)Possible (~477m)Unlikely (~620m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Rachel Arnold
Pupils:171 / 190 capacity
LA:Portsmouth
Phone:02392734902
Address:Francis Avenue, Southsea, PO4 0AG
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 4 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
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 19 May 2026View full report
URN:116187
UKPRN:10080436
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Portsmouth South
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Devonshire Infant School excels at creating a caring, inclusive environment where every child feels valued and confident. The school has particularly strong phonics and early reading provision, helping pupils develop secure literacy skills. Staff know pupils exceptionally well and provide thoughtful support to help all learners, including those facing additional barriers, succeed.

Key Strengths

  • Strong phonics teaching and reading development, with pupils making rapid progress
  • Calm, orderly learning environment with consistent behaviour expectations and rare bullying
  • Warm, inclusive culture where pupils feel valued and safe
  • Effective support for pupils with additional needs through 'The Hive' and specialist staff
  • Well-structured curriculum that builds knowledge logically across subjects

Areas for Improvement

  • Teaching precision and consistency needs strengthening across all curriculum areas
  • Attendance remains a concern, with persistent absence higher than it should be for some pupils
  • Some gaps in pupil understanding where key learning has been missed
  • Early years interactions during group activities could be more consistent
  • Need for sharper monitoring and challenge from governors to drive improvements

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Clubs, trips, library visits

Devonshire Infant School provides a welcoming and supportive learning environment where pupils achieve at an expected standard. The school has established clear expectations for behaviour and a strong culture of safeguarding.

At a Glance

28.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

SLCN - Speech, language and Communication, ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

25.9

Avg class size

28.5

Infant (KS1)

7

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Fratton Rail Station
496m · 8 min walk

Bus Stops

Devonshire Square (E-bound)
49m · 1 min walk
Talbot Road (E-bound)
215m · 3 min walk
Haslemere Road (E-bound)
228m · 4 min walk
Francis Avenue (W-bound)
256m · 4 min walk
Frensham Road (E-bound)
346m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

90%

Near capacity

171 pupils

190 capacity

19 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Southsea

Low pressure
New homes approved:137
Projected new pupils:34

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Southsea

Admissions Demand - Portsmouth

Low demand0.84x oversubscription

Places available

2,365

Applications

1,984

Got 1st preference

91.9%

Got preferred school

98.3%

Primary admissions across Portsmouth (2025/26)

Inspection History(7)

19 May 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
28 June 2022
28 March 2017
Leadership & ManagementGood

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SEN Provision

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

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

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

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.51919%

Overall absence

17.42424%

Persistent absence

132

Enrolments

Authorised4.70153%
Unauthorised0.81766%
Persistent (10%+)17.42424%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.58383%
18/19
2.92981%
20/21
6.58675%
21/22
5.51822%
22/23
5.6335%
23/24
5.51919%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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