Schools by area › Portsmouth › Ark Charter Academy
Ark Charter Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Hyde Park Road, Southsea PO5 4HL · charteracademy.org.uk · 023 9282 4204
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Dec 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 38.9
- average Attainment 8 score. Portsmouth 39.5, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 1.10 mi
- 1.78 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · Portsmouth Council
- Demand for places
- 0.7
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 883
- 98% of 900 places
- Local authority
- Portsmouth
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 65.6%
- First language not English
- 41.8%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Ark Schools
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, the last place offered on distance went to a home 1.10 mi (1.78 km) from the school. Source: Portsmouth Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 133 families put the school first and 180 places were offered; 98% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 180 | 133 | 0.7 | 98% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 180 | 105 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 192 | 87 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 146 | 86 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 173 | 102 | 0.6 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 1.10 mi1.78 km | |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 38.9, and 35.9% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Portsmouth it was 39.5, and across England 46.
In 2017/18 the average A level result was grade D+ (23.1 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼38.9 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼35.9% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼52.5% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼38.1% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.49 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 1.2 | — |
| Sixth form college | 4.6 | +3.2 |
| Further education | 82.1 | +10 |
| Other education | 1.2 | +0.5 |
| Employment | 2.3 | −5.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.4 | −3.8 |
| Activity not captured | 2.3 | −3.1 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2017/18 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 students | D+ (23.1) | Well above average +0.49 | |
| 10 students | D+ (23.1) | Well above average +0.49 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | 20 | D+ (24.6) | -0.12 |
| 2015/16 | 4 | — | -0.57 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2017/18 | Since 2016/17 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 11 | −18 |
| Employment | 44 | +26 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 33 | +21 |
| Activity not captured | 11 | — |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Ark Charter Academy on 10 December 2024 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 10 Dec 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jul 2022
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Jul 2022Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Dec 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective May 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
64% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (73 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 64%
- Replies
- 73
- 8% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 71% who raised concerns
based on the 62% who had a child bullied