WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY
Dear Parent/Guardian,
A very warm welcome to St Edmund’s Catholic School, the only Outstanding school in the City of Portsmouth and the surrounding area.
Welcome to our website which is an opportunity to gain an insight into life at St Edmund’s. Moving to a new school is an important decision and our aim is to support you in making the choice that is right for you. St Edmund’s is a unique learning family, bringing together individuals from different cultures, faiths, backgrounds and traditions.
Together we form a family which works and grows together as a happy Catholic Christian community.
As you would expect from an outstanding school, we have an uncompromising approach to standards of behaviour, uniform and learning. We do not tolerate poor behaviour or allow anything which stops our children making use of their God-given talents. All students must meet the requirements of the uniform policy at all times. Students are required to present in full uniform every day if they are to be allowed into lessons. Strict rules are in place regarding haircuts, hair-colouring and the wearing of jewellery. All parents and students are required to read through the uniform policy and consent to adhere to the guidelines prior to joining the school.
Our expectation is that classwork and homework is demanding of students and that individuals will work extremely hard throughout their time with us. Parents and students should be prepared to be fully engaged.
Parents play a critical role in supporting their child with secondary school life, especially with the promotion of values that are consistent with academic achievement. Our faith journey very much falls under this umbrella and it plays a huge role within a student’s education. Homework at secondary school is far more demanding. Students will be required to spend far more time working at home and preparing for the rigors of GCSE examinations from as early as Year 7 and working with the school at all times.
Our spirituality is very important and is at the heart of the school and we aim to always place Christ at the centre of our learning. We have very high expectations of student, parental and family engagement with our ethos. Prayer is part of everyday life and all students are expected to fully engage with this act of worship. As a parent we advise that our spirituality is central in your decision to apply or discount St Edmund’s as the right choice of school for your child.
Students from St Edmund’s have consistently achieved examination results which reflect the quality of the educational experience our children have received over the past 5 years. At GCSE 84% of our students achieved 9-4 in both English and Mathematics. A remarkable achievement which reflects the high standards, personal care and strong family values that are part and parcel of life here at St Edmund’s.
We have, with the support of the Diocese invested over 6 million pounds in updated and improved facilities. These enable us to accommodate our wide ranging and outstanding curriculum. Students at St Edmund’s study a vast number of subjects ranging from Technology (Engineering, Graphics, Food and Textiles) through to Psychology and Sociology. We recently completed the refurbishment of our Science rooms as well as our central soul, The Chapel. Our new Wright Block is a modern new building with fantastic facilities.
Our achievement (progress) and attainment (headline figures) consistently place St Edmund’s in the Top 5-8% in the country. None of this happens by accident so I would like to thank staff, parents, Governors and all members of our family for their hard work and support. Staff at the school are extremely committed and their energy, love and enthusiasm seem to have no limits. They are truly inspirational.
As a Christ-centred learning community, we have a passion for developing the individual God-given gifts which have been bestowed upon us. Our students grow closer to God and develop a strong spiritual sense of who they are, as well as gaining qualifications which will allow them to open new doors in a competitive world.
This year we are focusing on the Power of Prayer (POP), focusing on:
School, Parish, Awareness, Community and Environment
Our Vincent De Paul group and Chaplaincy Team are putting together an activity that the whole school can get involved in. We hope that you will keep us in your thoughts and prayers throughout this year.
If you have any queries about applications to St Edmund’s or the admissions process, please contact Mrs White on 02392 892593 or email: nwhite@saintedmunds.org.uk we are happy to answer any questions you may have.
I would encourage you to look carefully at all of our information and where possible talk to other parents/students who are part of the St Edmund’s family.
Any application for a place at St Edmund’s should be made with as much knowledge about the school as possible and in the full support of all school practices.
Our prayer is that you will be guided to make the right choice for your child and that we can work together for the success happiness and growth of all members of the St Edmund’s family.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to consider the school for your child’s education.
Kind regards
Headteacher
For all Admission enquiries please contact Mrs N White -Office Manager/Admissions on:
02392 892593 or email: nwhite@saintedmunds.org.uk
Admissions September 2025
Please select from the relevant links below:
In-Year Transfer
Policies & Supplementary Information
Catchment Area
St Edmund's is a Catholic Voluntary Aided School open to boys and girls aged 11 to 16 of all abilities.
The School was established by the Roman Catholic people of Portsmouth to provide a Christian education for their children within the discipline and tradition of the Catholic Church. The fundamental aim of the School today is to present a clear Christian philosophy and way of life, providing opportunities in which Christian values may develop.
We ask all parents applying for a place at St Edmund's Catholic School to respect our Catholic ethos and its importance to the School community.
This does not affect the right of parents who are not of the faith of this School to apply for and be considered for a place here.
The majority of students are located within the boundaries of the City of Portsmouth, with most individuals transferring from four city primary schools. However, the area served by the school extends to the nearby towns of Gosport and Fareham and embraces some 31 primary schools altogether.
The main feeder Catholic primary schools to St Edmund's are:
- St. Swithun's Catholic Primary School, Portsmouth
- Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, Portsmouth
- St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Portsmouth
- St Paul's Catholic Primary School, Portsmouth
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Gosport
Transition 2024
If you have any questions or queries with regards Transition please contact our email: transition@saintedmunds.org.uk
For information regarding Year 7 September 2024 and forms Click here
Transition Year 6 1st & 2nd July 2024
SUMMER SCHOOL
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