Best Schools in Portsmouth, Virginia
32 schools · 19 Elementary · 3 Middle · 5 High · 5 Other
Choosing a school in Portsmouth?
Use this page to compare every school in Portsmouth by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Churchland High
High · Portsmouth City Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Churchland Elementary
Elementary · Portsmouth City Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Churchland Middle
Middle · Portsmouth City Public Schools. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Portsmouth for 2026 are Churchland High (7.2/10), Churchland Elementary (5.7/10), and Churchland Middle (5.3/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 19 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
32
22 public · 10 private
Avg Score
4.8
out of 10
Median Home
$220,140
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Schools
32
22 public · 10 private
Avg Score
4.8
out of 10
Median Home
$220,140
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Rates 7.2/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.3 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Portsmouth schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Portsmouth
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 19 rated schools; 32 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Churchland High | 7.2 / 10 |
| 2 | Churchland Elementary | 5.7 / 10 |
| 3 | Churchland Middle | 5.3 / 10 |
| 4 | Manor High | 5.3 / 10 |
| 5 | I.c. Norcom High | 5.2 / 10 |
| 6 | William E. Waters Middle | 4.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Churchland Primary & Intermediate | 4.3 / 10 |
| 8 | Simonsdale Elementary | 4.0 / 10 |
| 9 | Churchland Academy Elementary | 3.9 / 10 |
| 10 | Park View Elementary | 3.8 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 4.8/10
- Median household income
- $56,658
- Median home value
- $220,140
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 22%
- Avg commute
- 23 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 55%
7% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Portsmouth compares
Virginia rank
#173 of 185
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-1.5
below Virginia avg (6.2)
Median household income
$57k
65% of Virginia median
Schools in this city
30
Portsmouth City Public Schools runs Portsmouth's public schools
22 public schools. Portsmouth City Public Schools is the only district on the page.
Every assigned public school in Portsmouth is a Portsmouth City Public Schools school (22 of 22).
Among 19 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 1.7 to 7.2 — the spread is inside Portsmouth, not a citywide average.
About Schools in Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth, Virginia operates 22 ranked public schools through a single unified district, giving parents a contained landscape to navigate. The city's schools average 4.4 out of 10, and only one school — Cradock Middle — clears the 7.0 threshold, putting it in a tier reached by just 5% of Portsmouth's ranked schools. That concentration at the top is narrow, so families researching the district should go in with clear eyes about the performance spread.
Cradock Middle leads the city at 7.0 and stands as the clear standout. At the high school level, Churchland High scores 6.2, making it the strongest secondary option in the district. William E. Waters Middle comes in at 6.3, giving middle-grade families two viable options worth comparing directly. The early childhood programs — Churchland Preschool Center (6.5) and Mount Hermon Preschool Center (6.2) — both outperform the citywide average by a meaningful margin, which is a notable positive for parents with young children entering the system.
The 4.4 average reflects a district where most schools are performing below mid-range on a 10-point scale. Parents evaluating Portsmouth against neighboring Virginia Beach or Chesapeake will find a meaningful gap in average school performance — Portsmouth's district average sits well below regional peers. Within the city, though, there is real differentiation: the top five schools all score between 6.2 and 7.0, while weaker schools pull the average down considerably.
Practically, Portsmouth rewards specific school selection rather than district-wide confidence. Families with middle schoolers should look closely at Cradock Middle and Waters Middle as the two anchors. High school parents have Churchland High as the clearest option. Early education families are actually well-served relative to the rest of the district. Attendance boundaries matter here — confirm which school your address feeds before drawing conclusions, and use the school-level scores rather than the district average as your decision input.
Elementary Schools
19 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 760 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.7 |
| 2 | 511 students · Kindergarten–6th | 4.3 |
| 3 | 609 students · Kindergarten–6th | 4.0 |
| 4 | 600 students · Kindergarten–6th | 3.9 |
| 5 | 473 students · Kindergarten–6th | 3.8 |
| 6 | 405 students · Kindergarten–6th | 3.4 |
| 7 | 445 students · Kindergarten–6th | 3.3 |
| 8 | 570 students · Kindergarten–6th | 3.2 |
| 9 | 474 students · Kindergarten–6th | 2.6 |
| 10 | 457 students · Kindergarten–6th | 2.4 |
Show all 19 elementary schools in Portsmouth
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 840 students · 7th–8th | 5.3 |
| 2 | 562 students · 7th–8th | 4.8 |
| 3 | 526 students · 7th–8th | 3.4 |
High Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,452 students · 9th–12th | 7.2 | ||
| 2 | 1,167 students · 9th–12th | 5.3 | ||
| 3 | 1,027 students · 9th–12th | 5.2 | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Harbor Point AcademyPrivate 107 students · 6th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 115 students · 6th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 114 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 6.4 | ||
| 2 | 227 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 6.1 | ||
| 3 | 194 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 4.3 | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Portsmouth Christian SchoolPrivate 473 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Sweethaven Christian AcademyPrivate 145 students · Pre-K–11th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Virginia · 32 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 5 ZIP codes
Median Income
$56,658
Median Home Value
$220,140
Median Rent
$1,255/mo
Population
96,427
College Educated
22%
Homeownership
55%
Avg Commute
23 min
Poverty Rate
18.7%
Community Profile
Portsmouth has a median household income of $56,658. It is a community where 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $220,140, with a median rent of $1,255/month. The area has a poverty rate of 18.7%. The average commute for residents is 23 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Virginia
- Elementary
- 19
- Middle
- 3
- High
- 5
- Other
- 5
Resources
School District
Other Major Cities in Virginia
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Portsmouth, Virginia
How many schools are in Portsmouth, Virginia?
Portsmouth has 32 schools, including 22 public and 10 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Portsmouth, Virginia?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Portsmouth is 4.8 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Portsmouth, Virginia?
The top-ranked school in Portsmouth on MySchoolScout is Churchland High with a composite score of 7.2/10.
What is the best elementary school in Portsmouth, Virginia?
The top-ranked elementary school in Portsmouth on MySchoolScout is Churchland Elementary with a composite score of 5.7/10.
What is the best middle school in Portsmouth, Virginia?
The top-ranked middle school in Portsmouth on MySchoolScout is Churchland Middle with a composite score of 5.3/10.
What is the best high school in Portsmouth, Virginia?
The top-ranked high school in Portsmouth on MySchoolScout is Churchland High with a composite score of 7.2/10.
How many school districts serve Portsmouth, Virginia?
Portsmouth is served by 1 school district: Portsmouth City Public Schools.
What is the education level in Portsmouth, Virginia?
According to Census data, 22% of adults in Portsmouth have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Portsmouth, Virginia?
The median household income in Portsmouth is approximately $56,658 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Portsmouth, Virginia?
Yes, Portsmouth has 10 private schools alongside 22 public schools. The top-rated private school is Portsmouth Catholic Regional School with a score of 7.8/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Portsmouth, Virginia?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Portsmouth is 12.7:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Portsmouth, Virginia?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Virginia Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.