The Wymering School, Portsmouth
The Wymering School is a special school for pupils aged 9 to 16 in Portsmouth, part of Southern Education Trust. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 3 strong standard and 3 expected standard.
- Ofsted report card
- 3 of 6 areas strong or better
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Wymering School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 2 June 2026 inspection grades The Wymering School on 6 areas: 3 strong standard and 3 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders prioritise attendance at school."
Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders and staff are committed to improving the opportunities available for all pupils and giving them hope for the future."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school has designed an appropriate and coherent programme of personal development."
Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils make progress from their starting points across the curriculum and with attendance, behaviour and wellbeing at the school."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a curriculum that reflects the school's context."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear vision for the school, and they ensure this is shared by everyone involved."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue their work to support improvements in teaching so that the curriculum is implemented consistently well across all subjects and leads to all pupils developing the detailed knowledge and skills they need to consistently achieve well"; "Leaders should continue to act on their identified priorities for development, leading to further improvements across all areas of the school's work".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
The Wymering School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Unity is a strength…..where there is teamwork and collaboration wonderful things can be achieved Welcome to The Wymering School. We are a school community where we believe that positive relationships create positive outcomes. ‘Together’ is a word that you will feel and hear at The Wymering School, we believe in the importance of achieving as a community."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama and STEM.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Wymering School are Redwood Park Academy (1.1 miles, Outstanding); Cliffdale Primary Academy (1.9 miles, Outstanding); The Harbour School (2 miles, Inadequate); and Riverside Community Special School (2.2 miles, Good).
Redwood Park AcademyCliffdale Primary AcademyThe Harbour SchoolRiverside Community Special School
The trust
The Wymering School is one of 11 schools run by Southern Education Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
55.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at The Wymering School has an education, health and care plan (77 of 77 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cosham Rail Station, about 960 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is QA Hospital Main, 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Wymering School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 243 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Portsmouth (499).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Wymering School issued 5 suspensions, 6.8 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
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; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- InclusionStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at The Wymering School
Pupils want to attend school because they know they will be supported very well by kind and caring staff. Pupils develop highly positive and trusting relationships with staff. They know they will help them to do their best. This helps them to be happy and to achieve. Most pupils, many of whom have been out of school for long periods, re-engage with learning effectively. Pupils know their voice matters and that staff will listen carefully to any concerns they have. Pupils are very well-behaved across the school. They understand the routines and high expectations staff have for them and strive to live up to them. In lessons they show that they are keen to learn. This contributes to a sense of purpose and learning that permeates the school. Pupils are highly positive about their school, each other and staff. Pupils say the school is a safe and happy place to be. They know that staff will support them if they are worried about something. Leaders and staff enable pupils to feel they belong, enjoy learning and achieve, often for the first time. Leaders' work across all aspects of the school supports positive attendance for most pupils. The school successfully lives out its values of togetherness, resilience, enthusiasm and kindness. Staff get to know pupils quickly and ensure they become valued members of the school community. The school's highly inclusive culture allows all pupils to feel valued and experience success. A carefully considered and effectively taught curriculum helps all pupils to make progress. Leaders and staff have high ambitions for all pupils. Pupils become confident and resilient during their time at the school. Skilled staff support them to learn about themselves and manage their feelings and emotions. It prepares pupils well for the next steps in their education and life in modern Britain.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should continue their work to support improvements in teaching so that the curriculum is implemented consistently well across all subjects and leads to all pupils developing the detailed knowledge and skills they need to consistently achieve well.
- Leaders should continue to act on their identified priorities for development, leading to further improvements across all areas of the school's work.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 2 June 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Wymering School excels at bringing pupils back into education who have been out of school for long periods. Staff are exceptionally kind and caring, building strong trusting relationships that help pupils feel happy, valued and confident enough to learn. The school provides a rich personal development programme alongside strong support for behaviour and wellbeing, preparing pupils not just academically but for their future lives and independence.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional focus on attendance support - pupils arriving with very low attendance rapidly improve
- Strong inclusive culture where staff understand and remove barriers to learning
- Excellent behaviour management with pupils showing respect, positive attitudes and willingness to learn
- Highly effective personal development programme including careers preparation and transition support
- Skilled, caring staff who build trusting relationships and help pupils feel valued and confident
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching consistency across all subjects needs further development
- Curriculum implementation should be more consistent across different subject areas
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and managed, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
School pets care, careers fairs, travel training, college visits, visits to deepen understanding of cultural diversity and relationships education
The Wymering School is a specialist setting that successfully re-engages pupils who have experienced long periods out of school, creating a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment where most pupils significantly improve their attendance and develop positive attitudes to learning.
At a Glance
55.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Wymering School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Wymering School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Wymering 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
- 58
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 58 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 47 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
12 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
117%
Over capacity
77 pupils
66 places
11 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Portsmouth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Portsmouth
Across Portsmouth council
Places available
2,178
Applications
2,140
Got 1st preference
83.4%
Got preferred school
96.1%
All secondary applications across Portsmouth council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
77
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
77
Total Pupils
65
Boys
12
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
5.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,208
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
21.0%
Overall absence
58.9%
Persistent absence
73
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
The Wymering School
Showing 10 of 13 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Wymering School
What are GCSE results like at The Wymering School?
In the 2025 results, pupils at The Wymering School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.7. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is the catchment area for The Wymering School?
No fixed boundary. When The Wymering School is oversubscribed, Portsmouth allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Wymering School?
The Wymering School has around 77 pupils on roll. 56% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Wymering School?
21% of sessions were missed at The Wymering School in 2024/25. 58.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Wymering School?
Apply through Portsmouth's coordinated admissions process, naming The Wymering 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 The Wymering School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 58 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 47 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 12 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 The Wymering School?
The Wymering School is at Sevenoaks Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 3YB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)