Elson Junior School, Gosport

Ofsted's report card from its 7 July 2026 inspection grades Elson Junior School on 6 areas: 4 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders track attendance carefully."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders place inclusion at the heart of the school's work."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Recent changes to school leadership have strengthened the school's focus on improvement."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have implemented a well-designed and coherent programme of personal development that is underpinned by the school's values."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils do not achieve consistently well enough."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Teachers do not consistently ensure that pupils secure important knowledge in reading and mathematics."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers have the expertise they need for the subjects and phases they teach so that the curriculum is taught well across the school"; "Leaders should ensure that robust assessment systems are in place that enable teachers to identify and address gaps in learning so that pupils can achieve as well as possible"; "Leaders should ensure that all pupils secure the foundational knowledge they need in communication and language, reading, mathematics and spelling so that all pupils can confidently access the wider curriculum".

The school runs after-school care.

In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils at Elson Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 64% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in Hampshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 60% in reading and 56% in maths in 2024.

Across Hampshire, 93% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.

In 2026, families in Hampshire lodged 254 appeals against primary school offers; 146 reached a hearing and 8 succeeded (5.5% of those heard).

The nearest other state primary schools to Elson Junior School are Elson Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Brockhurst Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 58% reading, 52% maths); St John's, Gosport Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, 80% reading, 77% maths); and St Mary's Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 55% reading, 45% maths).

Elson Junior School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

4.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Portsmouth Harbour Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Amberley Road (adjacent), 140 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 220 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Hampshire (72), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Elson Junior School issued 5 suspensions, 1.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Elson Junior School are King's Academy Brune Park (0.5 miles) and Bridgemary School (1.5 miles).