Portman Early Childhood Centre, London
Portman Early Childhood Centre is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Portman Early Childhood Centre in detail
Who goes there
33.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 86.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are other ethnic groups (60%), Asian (14%) and Black (11%).
In 2026, 28 pupils (43.1%) received SEN support and 7 (10.8%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Portman Early Childhood Centre has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 17 places, 17 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is London Marylebone Rail Station, about 420 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Rossmore Road / Lisson Grove, 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Portman Early Childhood Centre stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Parents and carers value the school very highly. As one parent commented, 'It is our extended family.' The needs of children and families are a priority here. Children are provided with the best possible start to their education. The school is highly ambitious for children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Skilled staff provide a wide range of activities tailored to the needs of each child.
Children, including those with SEND, are encouraged to persevere and 'have a go' if attempting something new. Children achieve well. The school has high expectations of behaviour that children strive to meet. This begins from the moment children join the provision for two-year-olds. Adults use vocabulary that helps children to understand, learn and follow the routines. Nurturing staff provide extra help for any children who need to manage their emotions.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school is determined that all children do well. It serves a diverse range of communities and backgrounds. Leaders have considered the needs of the many children with SEND when designing the curriculum. Leaders across the school and the governing body have sustained an excellent focus on its curriculum. This ensures that children receive an exceptional early years education.
The closely integrated provision of a high-quality school and childcare facilities has a transformative impact on families. This means that children and families can access a wide range of support, including library provision. At the heart of the curriculum, the school ensures that children develop their communication and language very well. Children learn to work collaboratively, listen and respond to adult instructions. In the specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, staff provide tailored and skilful support to meet children's needs.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
33.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SpLD, Vision, Other +9
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with Portman Early Childhood Centre
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Portman Early Childhood Centre from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Portman Early Childhood Centre is in Westminster; for families living there:
Apply to Westminster for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 171
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 31
- Children hurt
- 9
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 171 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 31 serious and 140 slight.
9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
29 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 Westminster is 185 (the median across 93 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 - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Westminster council
Places available
1,754
Applications
901
Got 1st preference
65.8%
Got preferred school
92.7%
All secondary applications across Westminster council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
28
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
53.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Portman Early Childhood Centre has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 17 places, 17 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
65
Total Pupils
33
Boys
32
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
16.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£61,695
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Portman Early Childhood Centre
What is Portman Early Childhood Centre's Ofsted rating?
Portman Early Childhood Centre was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024.
What is the catchment area for Portman Early Childhood Centre?
No fixed boundary. When Portman Early Childhood Centre is oversubscribed, Westminster allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Portman Early Childhood Centre?
Portman Early Childhood Centre has around 65 pupils on roll. 34% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Portman Early Childhood Centre have specialist SEN provision?
Portman Early Childhood Centre has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 17 places, 17 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Portman Early Childhood Centre?
Apply through Westminster's coordinated admissions process, naming Portman Early Childhood Centre 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 Portman Early Childhood Centre?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 171 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 31 serious and 140 slight. 9 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 29 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 Westminster is 185 (the median across 93 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Portman Early Childhood Centre?
Portman Early Childhood Centre is at 12 Salisbury Street, London, NW8 8DE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)