The Diocese of Portsmouth is home to 71 Catholic Schools across several sectors:

44 Voluntary Aided Schools
12 Academies
14 Independent Schools

Together they provide education and faith formation for almost 32,000 pupils from age 5 to 18.

The Church provides Catholic schools:

To assist in its mission of making Christ known to all people
To assist parents, who are the primary educators of their children, in the education and religious formation of their children
To be at the service of the local Church, the diocese, the parish and the Christian home
To be of service to society
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There are approximately 31,000 children and young people in the 70 Catholic schools of the Diocese of Portsmouth. In the Diocese there is 1 first school, 45 primary schools, 1middle school, 8 secondary schools, 1 all-through school and 14 independent schools. The children and young people in our schools are central to the life of the diocese. The Catholic Academies and Schools Office works to ensure that our schools have the teachings of Christ and his Church at their centre enabling pupils to receive the very best educational opportunities and life fulfilling experiences “in order that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

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Portsmouth Diocese is located in southern England working with 13 local education authorities, including Hampshire, Southampton, Oxford and Portsmouth, as well as the States of Guernsey and Jersey.

57% of the pupils are Catholic with the rest coming from other Christian traditions (27%), other faiths (7%) or none (9%). We are blessed with pupils and staff from a range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. We welcome and value them all.

In Portsmouth Diocese the work of the schools come under the Vicariate for Education and Chaplaincy which is led by Canon PJ Smith, Episcopal Vicar for Education and Chaplaincy.

All schools whether maintained or independent are divided into geographical partnership areas.; many of which are named after a patron saint. The partnerships work together to share good practice, support one another and foster a sense of belonging. Many of the partnership areas share their name with the Catholic Academy Trust that schools in that area will join if they wish or are directed to become an academy.

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