Schools by area › Wakefield › Ark The King's School
Ark The King's School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Academy
Mill Hill Lane, Pontefract WF8 4JF · arkkingsschool.org.uk · 01977 601701
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Oct 2022
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 49.9
- average Attainment 8 score. Wakefield 45.1, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,041
- 99% of 1,050 places
- Local authority
- Wakefield
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 26.1%
- First language not English
- 6.2%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Ark Schools
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 188 families put the school first and 207 places were offered; 96% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 207 | 188 | 0.9 | 96% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 202 | 220 | 1.1▲ | 92% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 205 | 194 | 0.9 | 98% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 203 | 208 | 1▲ | 97% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 207 | 244 | 1.2▲ | 84% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 49.9, and 60.2% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Wakefield it was 45.1, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲49.9 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲60.2% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲75.7% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲46.6% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.52 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 1.4 | +0.9 |
| Sixth form college | 40.6 | −11.7 |
| Further education | 39.1 | +13.7 |
| Other education | 0.5 | 0 |
| Apprenticeship | 4.3 | +1.3 |
| Employment | 4.8 | +0.7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.7 | −5.5 |
| Activity not captured | 1.4 | +0.4 |
Ofsted
Ark The King's School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 12 October 2022, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 12 Oct 2022
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jun 2017
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Jun 2017Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Jun 2015Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good
What parents said
82% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (106 replies, to 4 September 2023).
- Recommend
- 82%
- Replies
- 106
- 10% · 4 Sept 2023
based on the 80% who raised concerns
based on the 31% who had a child bullied
based on 31 parents (29%) with SEND