The Harbour School, Portsmouth

Ofsted's report card from its 18 March 2026 inspection grades The Harbour School on 6 areas: 1 needs attention and 5 urgent improvement. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Leaders are improving the curriculum."

Achievement - Urgent improvement. "Over time, too many pupils do not gain the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their next stage of education, training or employment."

Attendance and behaviour - Urgent improvement. "In most of the school's provisions, rates of attendance are extremely low and declining."

Inclusion - Urgent improvement. "Over time, the school has not been successful enough in removing the barriers to learning that many pupils face."

Leadership and governance - Urgent improvement. "Over time, the trust has not demonstrated that it has the expertise or capacity to establish secure and effective ways of bringing about improvements to this complex school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Urgent improvement. "Although the curriculum includes a programme of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, a significant proportion of pupils do not access it because of their low attendance."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders and governors must urgently develop effective strategies to raise pupils' attendance. This should include ensuring that any use of part-time timetables follows government guidance. Leaders should monitor the effectiveness of these strategies to ensure that they have sustained impact"; "Leaders should ensure that recent improvements to the curriculum and teaching are further embedded so that pupils develop detailed knowledge and their achievement improves. In particular, leaders should ensure that assessment processes help staff to understand pupils' gaps in learning and that there are effective methods in place to support staff in filling these gaps"; "Leaders should develop strategies to ensure that pupils who do not attend regularly receive timely, effective help that supports their personal development and wellbeing and helps to reduce pupils' risks of harm"; "The trust should improve how well it oversees the school so that school leaders feel better supported in their work and that barriers to pupils' learning and wellbeing are reduced more comprehensively".

The nearest other special schools to The Harbour School are Cliffdale Primary Academy (0.9 miles, Outstanding); Redwood Park Academy (1.8 miles, Outstanding); The Wymering School (2 miles); and Oarsome Chance (2.5 miles).

The Harbour School is one of 11 schools run by Southern Education Trust, an academy trust.

30 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Harbour School (as of September 2026): 57% would recommend the school, 53% say their child is happy there and 25% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (57%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (25%).

Of the 30 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 57% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 53% to a further education college and 3% into work.

82.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (89%) and Mixed (7%).

In 2026, 33 pupils (19.5%) received SEN support and 136 (80.5%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The Harbour School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Hilsea Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tipner Lane (n-bound), 30 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 272 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Portsmouth (499).

In 2024/25, The Harbour School issued 402 suspensions, 326.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.