The Harbour School is a special academy in Portsmouth for children and young people aged 5 to 19. It supports SEMH.
- Ages 5–19
- 169 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 5 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 169 (places for 200)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Sian Lacey (Head of School)
- Part of
- Southern Education Trust
- Opened
- 1 January 2021
- Free school meals
- 82.8% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Portsmouth
- School reference (URN)
- 147720
Needs it supports
1 need: SEMH
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Portsmouth (1)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through 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 questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Portsmouth council) that this is the school you want, 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. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
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
Special measures. Report card, March 2026: Urgent improvement in 5 of 6 areas
Ofsted has placed this school in special measures.
Inspected in March 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionUrgent improvement
- Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
- AchievementUrgent improvement
- Attendance and behaviourUrgent improvement
- Personal development and wellbeingUrgent improvement
- Leadership and governanceUrgent improvement
- SafeguardingMet
Contact and getting there
Tipner Lane, Tipner, Portsmouth, PO2 8RA
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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
- The Flying Bull Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.9 miles
- Cliffdale Primary Academy Special school · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted report card (2025) 0.9 miles
- Trafalgar School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 1.0 mile
All SEND schools in Portsmouth
By need in Portsmouth: Speech and language (6) · Autism (4) · Moderate learning (4) · SEMH (2)
Questions about The Harbour School
How do I get a place at The Harbour School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult The Harbour School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does The Harbour School support?
Social, emotional and mental health. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does The Harbour School take?
Aged 5 to 19, boys and girls.
What is The Harbour School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is The Harbour School?
Tipner Lane, Tipner, Portsmouth, PO2 8RA, 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.