Portland School, Stoke-on-Trent
Portland School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 16 in Stoke-on-Trent, part of The Shaw Education Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Portland School in detail
Portland School in its own words
In its own words: "At Portland School, we are dedicated to providing exceptional learning and experiences to pupils with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health Difficulties (SEMHD). Our mission is to empower young minds and nurture futures, ensuring that every student reaches their full potential. Our day begins at 08:45am and finishes at 14:15pm, Monday to Friday."
From the headteacher's welcome: "A s Head of School, I am delighted to welcome you to the Trent Vale site of Portland School, a place where every child is valued, understood, and supported. At Trent Vale, we specialize in providing a nurturing and structured environment for children with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Portland School are Rowan House School (1.5 miles, Good); Draycott Moor College (1.5 miles, Good); Abbey Hill Academy & College (1.7 miles); and Sycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre (2.3 miles).
Rowan House SchoolDraycott Moor CollegeAbbey Hill Academy & CollegeSycamore Meadow Outdoor Learning Centre
The trust
Portland School is one of 31 schools run by The Shaw Education Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 9 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 56% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 44% to a further education college.
Who goes there
54.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Portland School has an education, health and care plan (144 of 144 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Portland School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Blythe Bridge Rail Station, about 550 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Portland School (opposite), 150 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Portland School issued 148 suspensions, 109.6 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Portland School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in February 2023. Before that, as Portland School and Specialist College (URN 124498), it was rated Inadequate in December 2021.
At a Glance
54.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Speech and language, Autism, SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 6% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Portland School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Portland School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Portland School is in Stoke-on-Trent; for families living there:
- Stoke-on-Trent's school travel policy: School transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 8 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
4 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 Stoke-on-Trent is 12.5 (the median across 116 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
School Occupancy
103%
Over capacity
144 pupils
140 places
4 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Stoke-on-Trent
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Stoke-on-Trent
Across Stoke-on-Trent council
Places available
3,140
Applications
3,223
Got 1st preference
88.5%
Got preferred school
97.0%
All secondary applications across Stoke-on-Trent council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
144
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Portland School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
144
Total Pupils
125
Boys
19
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
6.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,386
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
33.1%
Overall absence
70.9%
Persistent absence
151
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Portland School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Portland School
What are GCSE results like at Portland School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Portland School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 2. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Portland School's Ofsted rating?
Portland School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in February 2023. Before that, as Portland School and Specialist College (URN 124498), it was rated Inadequate in December 2021.
What is the catchment area for Portland School?
No fixed boundary. When Portland School is oversubscribed, Stoke-on-Trent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Portland School?
Portland School has around 144 pupils on roll. 55% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Portland School have specialist SEN provision?
Portland School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Portland School?
33.1% of sessions were missed at Portland School in 2024/25. 70.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Portland School?
Apply through Stoke-on-Trent's coordinated admissions process, naming Portland School 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 School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 8 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 4 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 Stoke-on-Trent is 12.5 (the median across 116 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Portland School?
Portland School is at Uttoxeter Road, Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST11 9JG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)