Portal House School Catchment Area
Portal House School is a community special not applicable school in Dover, Kent , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 75 pupils, and a capacity of 80 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-16
Age range
75
Pupils
80
Capacity
94%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2015
Portal House School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Portal House School?
The catchment area for Portal House School is the geographic zone Kent uses to prioritise admissions when this not applicable school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Kent publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
The catchment area for Portal House School is set by Kent and reviewed annually. Children living within the catchment boundary receive priority consideration when applications exceed the number of available places.
Get an alert if Portal House School goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Kent before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Kent catchment area documents →Portal House School: 80 places, 94% filled: nearing capacity
Portal House School has a published admission number of 80 places. 75 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 94%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 80, Kent's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 64% of pupils at Portal House School are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Dover.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Kent publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find Kent school admissions →
Portal House School: School Information
- Full address
- Sea Street, St Margaret's-At-Cliffe, Dover, CT15 6SS
- Local authority
- Kent
- School type
- Community special school
- Phase of education
- Not applicable
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Gender
- Boys
- Free school meals
- 64% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 119062
Other Not applicable Schools in Dover
If Portal House School is oversubscribed, these not applicable schools in Dover are the next closest alternatives.
Nearest not applicable schools by distance
These are the not applicable schools closest to Portal House School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Learning Opportunities Centre Secondary Catchment Area
Other independent special school · Deal · 2.2 miles away
Ripplevale School Catchment Area
Other independent special school · Deal · 3.2 miles away
The Sallygate School Catchment Area
Other independent special school · Temple Ewell · 4.5 miles away
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Portal House School
What is the catchment area for Portal House School? ▾
The catchment area for Portal House School is the geographic zone Kent uses to prioritise admissions when this not applicable school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Kent publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Portal House School oversubscribed? ▾
Portal House School is operating close to its capacity of 80 places (94% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Portal House School? ▾
Admission to Portal House School is managed by Kent. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Portal House School cover? ▾
Portal House School is a not applicable school in Dover, Kent, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Portal House School? ▾
Portal House School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2015. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.