Ryde School with Upper Chine
Same Portsmouth area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
The Portsmouth Grammar School is a private secondary-stage school in Portsmouth, Hampshire, with a published age range of 2-19.
Private school Co-ed Ages 2-19 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
The Portsmouth Grammar School
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-19
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
History gives The Portsmouth Grammar School a long memory without fixing it in one model. Founded in 1732, it became independent in 1976, welcomed its first girl to the Sixth Form that year and completed the move to full co-education by 1995. Pre-School, Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form now share a day-school community in Old Portsmouth.
Curiosity, creativity, commitment, courage, compassion and collaboration provide the stated vocabulary for learning. In the senior years, analytical skills, creative talents and independent study habits are supported by clinics and library access as well as classroom teaching. The Sixth Form offers 22 A-level subjects, small classes and a timetabled academic enrichment programme.
A long-running house system connects drama, music, sport and the Portsmouth Festivities with everyday community life. Co-curricular scholarships recognise achievement in art, drama, music and sport. Entry is direct, with routes through Years 7 to 10 and the first year of Sixth Form, while means-tested assistance is available through admissions and the William Smith Fund, which has helped more than 450 pupils since 2015.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 41.5 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 48% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Portsmouth and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 41.5
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 2.86
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Portsmouth and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 2-19
- Headmaster
- Mr David Wickes
- Pupil roll
- 973 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- High Street, Old Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire
- Postcode
- PO1 2LN
- Area
- Portsmouth
School leadership
- Headmaster
- Mr David Wickes
School contact
- School phone
- 02392360036
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 02392360036
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- Senior day tuition £8,538 per term, including VAT, 2026/27.
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
Key dates
Get date reminders-
Applications open for September 2026 entry
Applications for September 2026 are open
Route: whole-school admissions, including secondary-stage entry; entry: September 2026.
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 41.5 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 2.86 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 48% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 46.71 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 23 September 2025
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2025 records an inspection beginning 23 September 2025. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Portsmouth Grammar School handle admissions?
Portsmouth Grammar School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Portsmouth Grammar School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Portsmouth Grammar School?
Applications open for September 2026 entry: Applications for September 2026 are open
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Portsmouth Grammar School?
Portsmouth Grammar School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 23 September 2025.