Oarsome Chance, Gosport
Oarsome Chance is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 19 in Gosport.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Oarsome Chance in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Oarsome Chance are The Harbour School (2.5 miles, Inadequate); Cliffdale Primary Academy (3.3 miles, Outstanding); Baycroft School (3.4 miles, Good); and Mary Rose Academy (3.6 miles, Outstanding).
The Harbour SchoolCliffdale Primary AcademyBaycroft SchoolMary Rose Academy
Who goes there
Oarsome Chance is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Portsmouth Harbour Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Vincent College (outside), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Oarsome Chance stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 3rd decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 343 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 Hampshire (72), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
No inspection data available
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Oarsome Chance
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Oarsome Chance from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Oarsome Chance is in Hampshire; for families living there:
Apply to Hampshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 29
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 29 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 24 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 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
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Gosport
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Gosport
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,392
Applications
13,874
Got 1st preference
90.1%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Special educational needs provision
Oarsome Chance is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Questions parents ask about Oarsome Chance
What is the catchment area for Oarsome Chance?
No fixed boundary. When Oarsome Chance is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does Oarsome Chance have specialist SEN provision?
Oarsome Chance is approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014, so parents can ask for it to be named in their child's education, health and care (EHC) plan.
How do I apply to Oarsome Chance?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Oarsome Chance on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Oarsome Chance?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 29 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 24 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Oarsome Chance?
Oarsome Chance is at The Boathouse, St Vincent College, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 4QA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)