OFSTED
8 January 2025
Latest ungraded inspection
Latest published outcome
Standards maintained
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Community special school
Phase
Not applicable
Gender
Boys
Religious character
Does not apply
Local authority
Kent
Trust
Not applicable
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
80
80 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
0
0.0% of pupils
Male pupils
80
100.0% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
44.0 pts
above England
School
68.8%
Dover
32.6%
South East
19.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
19.0 pts
below England
School
1.3%
Dover
8.4%
South East
15.6%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.5 pts
above England
School
2.5%
Dover
4.5%
South East
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
92.5%
74
White and Black Caribbean
3.8%
3
Any other Mixed background
1.3%
1
Any other White background
1.3%
1
Gypsy / Roma
1.3%
1
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
100.0%
80 of
80 pupils
79.2 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
14.8 pts
below
England
6.0%
94.0 pts
above
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
13.2
26.0 pts
below England
Latest published: -1.82 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
29.38%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
23.16 pts
higher than
England
School
29.38%
Dover
7.45%
South East
6.30%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
62.96%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
47.15 pts
higher than
England
School
62.96%
Dover
20.75%
South East
15.75%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
28.40%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
26.59 pts
higher than
England
School
28.40%
Dover
2.25%
South East
1.93%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open not applicable schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
100.0%
20.2 pts
above England
Portal House School
100.0%
Dover
73.7%
South East
79.9%
England
79.8%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.