11 best performing primary schools in Portsmouth with SATs results higher than national average

By Sophie Lewis

Published 3rd Jun 2025, 15:28 BST

Updated 29th Dec 2025, 07:00 BST

Before heading to secondary school youngsters will sit the SATs exams to measure the amount of progress made during primary school.

The finalised data for students who sat their SATs exams at the end of key stage 2 over the summer was released by the Department of Education (DofE) in September.

SATs, which stands for Standard Assessment Tests, are taken twice during primary school, once in year 1 and then again in year 6 – this is so that the DofE can measure and monitor the performance in primary schools accordingly.

The DofE found that nationally 62 per cent of students met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths which was up by one per cent from the previous year.

The News has compiled a list of the best performing primary schools in Portsmouth that have achieved higher than the 62 per cent national average.

Ark Ayrton Primary Academy had 78 per cent of pupils meeting expected standards for reading, writing and maths following the 2024 SAT's results. The average score in reading was 106 and in maths 107.

1. Ark Ayrton Primary Academy, Portsmouth

Ark Ayrton Primary Academy had 78 per cent of pupils meeting expected standards for reading, writing and maths following the 2024 SAT's results. The average score in reading was 106 and in maths 107. | Google Photo: Ark Ayrton Primary Academy

83 per cent of students at St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School met the expected standard following the SAT's exams. The average score for reading was 107 while the average score in maths was 107.

2. St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School

83 per cent of students at St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School met the expected standard following the SAT's exams. The average score for reading was 107 while the average score in maths was 107. | Google Photo: Google

Ark Dickens Primary Academy had 67 per cent of pupils meeting expected standards for reading, writing and maths. The average score in reading was 103 and in maths it was 105.

3. Ark Dickens Primary Academy, Portsmouth

Ark Dickens Primary Academy had 67 per cent of pupils meeting expected standards for reading, writing and maths. The average score in reading was 103 and in maths it was 105. | Google Photo: Google

St Swithun's Catholic Primary School had 69 per cent of students meeting the expected standard. The average score in reading was 107 while the average score in maths was 104.

4. St Swithun's Catholic Primary School

St Swithun's Catholic Primary School had 69 per cent of students meeting the expected standard. The average score in reading was 107 while the average score in maths was 104. | Google Photo: Google

Portsmouth Department of Education