Schools by area › Birmingham › Ark Boulton Academy
Ark Boulton Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Sponsored academy
Golden Hillock Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham B11 2QG · arkboulton.org · 0121 773 8156
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Jun 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 44.2
- average Attainment 8 score. Birmingham 46.6, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 1.91 mi
- 3.08 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · Birmingham Council
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 877
- 97% of 900 places
- Local authority
- Birmingham
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 66.4%
- First language not English
- 83.5%
- 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 1.91 mi (3.08 km) from the school. Source: Birmingham Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 145 families put the school first and 176 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 | 176 | 145 | 0.8 | 98% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 207 | 132 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 177 | 105 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 180 | 123 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 180 | 141 | 0.8 | 97% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 1.91 mi3.08 km | |
| September 2022 | 1.70 mi2.73 km | |
| September 2025 | All | |
| September 2024 | All | |
| September 2023 | All | |
Every applicant was offered a place.
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 44.2, and 42.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Birmingham it was 46.6, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●44.2 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼42.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲67.5% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲52.8% | 40.5% | ||
| ●3.92 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 7.5 | +4.2 |
| Sixth form college | 39.3 | −10.7 |
| Further education | 40.5 | +9.4 |
| Apprenticeship | 1.7 | +1.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5.8 | −3.1 |
| Activity not captured | 5.2 | −0.4 |
Ofsted
Ark Boulton Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 25 June 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 25 Jun 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Concerns, ungraded inspection, Jul 2022
Other inspections
Report cards, from November 2025
Jun 2026Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Met
September 2019 to November 2025
Jul 2022Ungraded inspectionConcerns
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
May 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 2015Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate
What parents said
20% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (20 replies, to 7 April 2025).
- Recommend
- 20%
- Replies
- 20
- 2% · 7 Apr 2025
based on the 90% who raised concerns
based on the 60% who had a child bullied