New Year R Parents

Applications close on Thursday 15 January 2026. National offer day for on-time applicants is Thursday 16 April 2026.

Apply online at Portsmouth City Council here: 

Apply To Start School

Our school values:

• Teamwork - Families, children and school working together.
• Respect - Politeness, fairness, tolerance.
• Aim High - Trying our very best to learn from our mistakes and be the best we can be.

We promote these values in everything that we do and value our families support in promoting them with the pupils.

• Mr Simpson - Headteacher.
• Mrs Pinnington - Reception Class Teacher.
• Mrs Warner - Reception Class Teaching Assistant.
• Mrs Sweenie - Special needs Coordinator (SENDCo).

Please talk to us to make us aware at the earliest opportunity, initially speaking to the class teacher or making an appointment via the school office if you wish to discuss this before accepting a place for your child.

If you have a diagnosis or notes from your child's preschool, the school SENDCo (Mrs Sweenie) will be happy to discuss your child's needs and what the school will be able to do to support these.

Please do not worry that this is unique to you - it is more common than you think!

Our Pastoral Leader is here to support you, whatever your worry, big or small. She works with families, either face to face or by telephone and with children, either one to one or in the classroom. Most of our families find that this support really helps with any concerns but we can refer you to external support services if we think these are required. See our pastoral page on the website for more information. 

If your child has been attending a nursery or pre-school setting then much of the 'school ready' preparation will already have begun.

We know that the following are really helpful for children before they start school:

• Talking (and listening) - Children who hear lots of varied and extended vocabulary on a daily basis will be school ready. Talking in complete sentences helps them prepare for early writing and communicating with others so the more talk the better!
• Reading - Lots and lots! Adults who read and share books with their children are giving them a flying start into language development and imaginative thinking.
• Counting - Use simple opportunities for counting when using money at the shops, counting games or just talking about numbers.
• Socialising - Children at school clearly are part of a bigger group so supporting them with the skills of sharing, communicating, helping and encouraging will help the development of key personal skills.
• Physical development - Being fit and healthy by having a simple understanding of healthy foods and the importance of exercise promote a positive start to school life. Practising balancing and finger gripping (for early writing) really help too!

Schools follow the Early Years Curriculum in the first year of primary school. This covers three prime areas:

• Communication and language.
• Physical development.
• Personal, social and emotional development.

Through this we teach the specific areas of literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design.

We use a phonics approach to the teaching of reading and your child will read daily at school.

We provide lots of outdoor and practical learning experiences for children to practise their reading, writing and maths skills and to develop their personal and social skills too. In short, our Year R children spend a lot of time in our outdoor area as well as the classroom, whatever the weather!

We have a detailed home learning policy which details our home learning expectations. In Year R their is a focus on regular reading, phonics support, maths and speaking and listening practice.

Upon starting you will also be issued with a password to our online learning app Seesaw which will support the sharing of work between the family and the school.