The Portsmouth Grammar School A GSG School
- The Portsmouth Grammar School
High Street
Portsmouth
PO1 2LN - Head: Mr David Wickes
- T 023 9236 0036
- F 023 9236 4256
- E admissions@pgs.org.uk
- W www.pgs.org.uk/
- An independent school for boys and girls aged from 2 to 18.
- Boarding: No
- Local authority: Portsmouth
- Pupils: 1,319; sixth formers: 277
- Religion: Christian
- Fees: £12,156 - £18,945 pa
- Open days: See website
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
- ISI report: View the ISI report
What The Good Schools Guide says..
Lives up to its strong academic reputation. Languages are strong and broad with excellent results. Continual assessment ‘takes the pressure off performance based assessment,’ reckon teaching staff, who also say it ‘avoids early grade pegging of students’. In practice, a refreshing avoidance of key stage exams. This is a city school so it doesn’t boast the green pitches of its country cousins. But despite the ‘logistical nightmare’ of transporting pupils to games lessons at Hilsea four miles away, sport is…
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Curricula
International Baccalaureate: diploma - the diploma is the familiar A-level equivalent.
Other features
All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.
Choir school - substantial scholarships and bursaries usually available for choristers.
What The Good Schools Guide says
Head
Since September 2022, David Wickes, previously head of Merchant Taylors’ School in Crosby. He read modern history at the University of Oxford, followed by an MA in war studies at King’s College London. Began his teaching career at Dulwich College, before moving to Abingdon School as deputy head pastoral and then Warwick School as senior deputy head.
Entrance
Selective. Junior school ability tests in maths, English, NVR, creative writing and an interview. ‘It’s all about attitude and potential not simply ability,’ says head of junior school. At year 7, half of places are internally filled, the rest from a mix of local schools. Papers in maths, English, NVR and an interview. Places (two applications per place) are offered ‘not simply on mechanical results’, confirmed by an observed taster day.
Sixth form conditional offers...
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Overall school performance (for comparison or review only)
Results by exam and subject
Subject results
Entry/Exit
Special Education Needs
Parents are asked to inform the school at the time of entry of any additional educational needs. All members of the teaching staff are informed, by means of the school’s information management system, of pupils requiring support, the nature of support and possible strategies to help. Staff take account of this information in the classroom. The school endeavours to identify other pupils who may have a learning difficulty by screening all new entrants to the school in the autumn term or at time of entry. Referral by subject teachers of individual pupils to the Head of Learning Support may occur throughout the year. Pupils will be assessed in school for access arrangements while diagnostic assessments must be sought externally. Access arrangements are granted across the school according to the criteria specified by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) Pupils may be referred for additional support either via teachers or parents. The Learning Support department has an open door policy and pupils may also self-refer. Pupils may be seen weekly on an individual or small group basis. The Portsmouth Grammar School provides outstanding pastoral support. This includes on-site counselling for pupils who may be experiencing social or emotional difficulties.
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder | Y |
| Aspergers | Y |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders | Y |
| CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia | |
| Dyscalculia | Y |
| Dysgraphia | Y |
| Dyslexia | Y |
| Dyspraxia | Y |
| English as an additional language (EAL) | Y |
| Genetic | |
| Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory | |
| Has SEN unit or class | |
| HI - Hearing Impairment | Y |
| Hospital School | |
| Mental health | Y |
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty | |
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment | |
| Natspec Specialist Colleges | |
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability | |
| Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | Y |
| PD - Physical Disability | Y |
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty | |
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health | Y |
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication | Y |
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty | |
| Special facilities for Visually Impaired | |
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | Y |
| VI - Visual Impairment | Y |
Who came from where
| School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westbourne House School | 2023 | 1 |
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