Devonshire Infant School is a mainstream primary school with an SEN unit in Southsea, Portsmouth, for children and young people aged 4 to 7. Its SEN unit has 10 places for speech, language and communication and autism.
- Ages 4–7
- 171 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with an SEN unit
- Ages
- 4 to 7
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- An SEN unit, 10 places, 10 pupils
- Pupils
- 171
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rachel Arnold (Headteacher)
- Council
- Portsmouth
- School reference (URN)
- 116187
Needs its base supports
2 needs: speech and language, autism
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Portsmouth (3)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Portsmouth (5)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision are usually for children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask about the base
See the school and its specialist base, and ask how children split their time between the base and mainstream classes.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Portsmouth council) that you want this school and its base, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school, so ask how they decide.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Report card, May 2026: Expected standard in every area
Inspected in May 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Early yearsExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Since then: School remains Good (ungraded inspection, June 2022).
Contact and getting there
Francis Avenue, Southsea, PO4 0AG
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Penbridge Infant School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–7 · Ofsted: Good 0.4 miles
- Southsea Infant School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–7 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.6 miles
- Milton Park Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.6 miles
All SEND schools in Portsmouth
By need in Portsmouth: Speech and language (6) · Autism (4) · Moderate learning (4) · SEMH (2)
Questions about Devonshire Infant School
How do I get a place in Devonshire Infant School’s specialist base?
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult the school about its base. If the school is named in the plan it must admit your child; places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school.
What needs does Devonshire Infant School support?
Speech, language and communication and autism. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Devonshire Infant School take?
Aged 4 to 7, boys and girls.
What is Devonshire Infant School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2026 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Devonshire Infant School?
Francis Avenue, Southsea, PO4 0AG, in Portsmouth.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.