Portland College, Mansfield
Portland College is a special school for pupils aged 16 to 99 in Mansfield. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Portland College in detail
Portland College in its own words
In its own words: "We deliver excellent programmes to inspire and empower people with disabilities to live more independent, fulfilling lives. Portland is an Ofsted Outstanding specialist college, residential care provider and centre of excellence for Autism. We believe everyone with disabilities should have a lifetime of opportunity. We’re a safe and happy place that helps people to lead more independent and fulfilling lives."
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026, an open day on Wednesday 11 November 2026, an open day on Thursday 12 November 2026 and an open day on Friday 13 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Nottinghamshire
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Portland College are Pollyteach Limited (0.1 miles, Good); Fountaindale School (0.2 miles); Bracken Hill School (2.4 miles); and Dawn House School (2.5 miles, Outstanding).
Pollyteach LimitedFountaindale SchoolBracken Hill SchoolDawn House School
Who goes there
Portland College provides for pupils with physical disability and moderate learning difficulties. Portland College 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 Mansfield Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Portland College (adjacent), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Portland College stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 7 crimes within a mile of the school, most often criminal damage and arson, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Nottinghamshire (101).
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
Ofsted · 7 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Portland College provides specialist support for young people with complex needs in an accessible, well-designed environment. Staff know learners well and work closely with families and other agencies. The college has thorough systems in place to keep young people safe, including individual risk assessments and positive behaviour plans.
Key Strengths
- Governors have strong oversight of safeguarding with regular meetings and site visits to challenge leaders
- Staff are well-trained and understand how to report safeguarding concerns appropriately
- Learners have individual risk assessments and positive behaviour plans tailored to their needs
- Accessible facilities including specialist sites at Forest Road and Woodborough designed to provide calm learning environments
- Progression tutors and learning mentors know learners well and maintain robust communication with families
Areas for Improvement
- Safeguarding case records are sometimes split across multiple locations, making it difficult for leaders to track actions and updates quickly
- Need to ensure all safeguarding information is consistently collated in one place for easy oversight
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is mostly effective with suitable policies, qualified staff, and appropriate support for learners, though case record-keeping needs improvement to ensure complete oversight of individual cases.
Portland College is a specialist education provider in Mansfield for 322 young people with high-needs funding. This focused monitoring inspection examined safeguarding following concerns raised to Ofsted.
About
Portland College is an education establishment near Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, England. 8 km) south of the town of Mansfield.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Physical, MLD
SEN Provision
Approved
Section 41
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Portland College
Chestnuts Sensory Garden Opens Thanks to Legacy Donations
22 Sep 2026
Portland College’s Inclusive Newstart Activities Programme Returns
21 Sep 2026
Portland Celebrates 25+ Years with Mansfield Rotary
16 Sep 2026
Portland Celebrates Success at 2026 Graduation and Annual Awards
29 Jul 2026
Portland Learners Shine at AoC PAN Disability Football Festival
9 Jul 2026
Dominic’s Communication Journey through AAC
7 Jul 2026
From Portland College's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Portland College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Portland College from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Portland College is in Nottinghamshire; for families living there:
- Nottinghamshire's school travel policy: Under 16 Transport Policy 2026-2027
- How to apply: Apply for under 16 travel assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
3 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 Nottinghamshire is 10 (the median across 370 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 - Mansfield
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Mansfield
Across Nottinghamshire council
Places available
9,842
Applications
9,200
Got 1st preference
92.5%
Got preferred school
98.5%
All secondary applications across Nottinghamshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(12)
Special educational needs provision
Portland College provides for pupils with physical disability and moderate learning difficulties.
Portland College 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 Portland College
What is Portland College's Ofsted rating?
Portland College's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2023, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Portland College?
No fixed boundary. When Portland College is oversubscribed, Nottinghamshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Does Portland College have specialist SEN provision?
Portland College provides for pupils with physical disability and moderate learning difficulties. Portland College 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 Portland College?
Apply through Nottinghamshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Portland College 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 Portland College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 3 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 Nottinghamshire is 10 (the median across 370 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Portland College?
Portland College is at Nottingham Road, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG18 4TJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)