Summary:
Elementary education in ZIP code 03801 includes five schools or programs serving preschool through sixth grade, with the main comparison focused on three similarly sized K–5 schools in the Portsmouth School District; the area also includes a small Pre-K–6 school in Newington and a preschool program.
The three Portsmouth elementary schools are all exceptional by statewide standards, ranking in the top 12 of 230 New Hampshire schools and the 95th percentile or higher. New Franklin School ranks highest overall, with 85% reading and 80% mathematics proficiency, and has especially strong fourth-grade math results. Little Harbour School leads the group in mathematics at 84% and has the strongest fifth-grade reading score at 91%. Mary C. Dondero Elementary School offers the most balanced results and is the clear science leader, with 70% proficiency compared with 51% at Little Harbour and 54% at New Franklin. Across the Portsmouth schools, mathematics and reading proficiency averages about 81% and 80%, respectively, well above statewide averages.
For parents comparing the Portsmouth schools, science is the biggest point of difference, while fourth-grade mathematics and fifth-grade reading are broad strengths. Fifth-grade mathematics is less consistent, particularly at New Franklin, and recent reading results declined modestly at all three Portsmouth schools. Newington Public School serves only 43 students and reports 57% proficiency in both mathematics and reading; its small enrollment can make year-to-year results fluctuate considerably. PEEP School - Pre School Program serves 24 students from Pre-K through kindergarten and has no comparable test or ranking data, so it should be viewed as a specialized early-childhood program rather than compared directly with the elementary schools.
Thank you for your feedback!