Solent Junior School, Portsmouth
Solent Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Portsmouth, part of The de Curci Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 7th-highest of the 28 schools in Portsmouth with published results, and 8,057th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- Capacity
- Full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Solent Junior School in detail
Solent Junior School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At Solent, our aim is simple: to provide a high-quality education for all children within the community we serve. Solent Junior School provides a caring and nurturing educational environment at the centre of its local community."
The school runs after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Solent Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 70% and 68% in Portsmouth and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (72% in reading, 79% in maths).
Getting a place at Solent Junior School
Across Portsmouth, 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 Portsmouth lodged 51 appeals against primary school offers; 30 reached a hearing and 4 succeeded (13.3% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Solent Junior School are Solent Infant School (0.1 miles, Good); Morelands Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 61% reading, 55% maths); Court Lane Junior Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 78% reading, 69% maths); and Court Lane Infant Academy (0.8 miles, Good).
Solent Junior School's 2025 results were higher than all 2 of them.
Solent Infant SchoolMorelands Primary SchoolCourt Lane Junior AcademyCourt Lane Infant Academy
The trust
Solent Junior School is one of 3 schools run by The de Curci Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
80 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Solent Junior School (as of September 2025): 88% would recommend the school, 86% say their child is happy there and 48% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (48%).
Who goes there
13.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (83%) and Mixed (8%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cosham Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is South Road (e-bound), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Solent Junior School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 102 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Portsmouth (499).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Solent Junior School issued 1 suspension, 0.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Solent Junior School are Springfield School (0.4 miles) and Purbrook Park School (0.9 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2014, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Solent Junior School creates a warm, inclusive environment where children thrive academically and socially. Staff prioritise reading and mathematics, ensuring pupils develop strong core skills and confidence. The school goes further by supporting vulnerable pupils and offering varied enrichment activities that develop leadership and broaden children's experiences.
Key Strengths
- Excellent reading programme with targeted phonics support helping all pupils read and write with confidence
- Strong mathematics teaching with expert staff who encourage deep thinking and problem-solving
- Exemplary pupil behaviour with warm relationships and strong values like friendship and teamwork
- Effective support for vulnerable pupils including service children and young carers through dedicated Rainbow rooms
- Well-designed broad curriculum with identified key knowledge and skills in all subjects
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers' methods for checking what pupils remember from previous learning need refinement in some subjects
- Need to use retrieval activities and assessment more effectively across all subjects so pupils retain prior knowledge better
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong systems in place to keep pupils safe and supported.
Extracurricular Activities
Makaton choir, eco-warriors programme, peer readers, wide range of lunchtime and after-school activities
Solent Junior School is a friendly and inclusive school where pupils are happy, safe, and enjoy a varied curriculum. The school has maintained good standards and continues to strive for improvement.
At a Glance
13.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
80 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 72% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 79% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 76% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.9
Avg class size
29.9
KS2
9
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Solent Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Solent Junior School.
- Farlington Wraparound Solent JuniorAt the school · Not yet graded
- CM Sports After School ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
- CM Sports After School Club320m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Solent Junior School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Portsmouth's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Solent Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Solent Junior School is in Portsmouth; for families living there:
- Portsmouth's school travel policy: Travel assistance policy for school age (5-16) children
- How to apply: apply for discretionary travel assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 13 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 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 Portsmouth is 57 (the median across 67 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
100%
Full
360 pupils
360 places
No spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Portsmouth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Portsmouth
Across Portsmouth council
Places available
2,230
Applications
1,887
Got 1st preference
93.0%
Got preferred school
98.7%
All primary applications across Portsmouth council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
65
SEN Support
17
EHC Plans
22.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
359
Total Pupils
171
Boys
188
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
19.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,652
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1924k
Total funding
£70k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
9.3%
Persistent absence
364
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Solent Junior School
Questions parents ask about Solent Junior School
What are SATs results like at Solent Junior School?
Of the pupils at Solent Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is Solent Junior School's Ofsted rating?
Solent Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Solent Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When Solent Junior School is oversubscribed, Portsmouth allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Solent Junior School?
Solent Junior School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Solent Junior School?
Classes at Solent Junior School average 29.9 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Solent Junior School?
Solent Junior School has around 359 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Solent Junior School?
4.7% of sessions were missed at Solent Junior School in 2024/25. 9.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Solent Junior School?
Apply through Portsmouth's coordinated admissions process, naming Solent Junior 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.
Does Solent Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs at the school: Farlington Wraparound Solent Junior (registered, not yet graded) and CM Sports After School Club (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Solent Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 13 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 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 Portsmouth is 57 (the median across 67 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Solent Junior School?
Solent Junior School is at Solent Road, Drayton, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 1HJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)