Admiral Lord Nelson School
Academy converter · 1,245 pupils
85% stayed in education · Attainment 8 40.4
Other independent school · independent
Portsmouth High School GDST
- Pupils on roll
- 436of 650 places
- Free school meals
- —
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 55
- Ofsted
- Not covered by Ofsted school inspections
What the data says
The Department for Education has not published where Portsmouth High School GDST’s Year 11 leavers went next (destination measures are not published for independent schools), so this page relies on the school’s results and subjects.
Drama is unusually popular at GCSE: 29% of the year group took it, against 7% of pupils across England.
A level grades average B+, well above the England average of B-. The largest A level subjects are Chemistry, Business Studies and Biology.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Portsmouth and England.
The Department for Education has not published destination figures for this school (new school, small cohort or not a state-funded school).
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
No published destinations for sixth-form leavers yet.
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Portsmouth High School GDST | Portsmouth | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 12.4 | 39.5 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 0% | 35% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 0% | 56% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 0% | 42% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 0.10 | 3.50 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | — | 39% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | — | 29.8 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | — | 45.6 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | — | 19% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Art | 18 | 33% | 9% | 33% | 28% | 94% |
| Business Studies | 17 | 31% | 18% | 35% | 20% | 82% |
| Drama | 16 | 29% | 7% | 56% | 27% | 100% |
| Music | 13 | 24% | 5% | 69% | 33% | 92% |
| Religious Studies | 10 | 18% | 31% | 40% | 32% | 90% |
| Computer Science | 10 | 18% | 13% | 60% | 30% | 90% |
| Physical Education | 9 | 16% | 11% | 22% | 24% | 89% |
| Design and Technology | 8 | 15% | 11% | 63% | 23% | 100% |
| Chinese | 3 | 5% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
| Classical Civilisation | 2 | 4% | 1% | — | 40% | — |
| Arabic | 1 | 2% | 1% | — | 47% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Portsmouth High School GDST | Portsmouth | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 74 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 44 | 476 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | B+ | C | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 41.79 | 30.76 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B- | C | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 15% | 6% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 13 | 30% | 17% |
| Business Studies | 11 | 25% | 13% |
| Biology | 11 | 25% | 20% |
| English Literature | 10 | 23% | 11% |
| History | 9 | 20% | 13% |
| Sociology | 9 | 20% | 13% |
| Psychology | 6 | 14% | 23% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Product Design | — | — | 2% |
| Economics | — | — | 13% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| Politics | — | — | 6% |
| Classical Civilisation | — | — | 1% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Physical Education | — | — | 3% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Religious Studies | — | — | 4% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 29 | 66% | — |
| Sports / Movement Science | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Portsmouth
Ark Charter Academy
Academy sponsor led · 883 pupils
78% stayed in education · Attainment 8 38.9
Castle View Academy
Academy converter · 757 pupils
74% stayed in education · Attainment 8 35.6
Mayfield School
Academy sponsor led · 1,354 pupils
75% stayed in education
Miltoncross Academy
Academy sponsor led · 983 pupils
82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 36.3
Priory School
Academy sponsor led · 1,278 pupils
89% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.7
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.