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Ark Dickens Primary Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 2–11 · Sponsored academy
Turner Road, Portsmouth PO1 4PN · arkdickensprimary.org · 023 9282 6514
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Nov 2019
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 67%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Portsmouth 54%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2026 entry · Portsmouth Council
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 446
- 93% of 480 places
- Local authority
- Portsmouth
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 54.8%
- First language not English
- 32.3%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Ark Schools
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, everyone who applied was offered a place. Source: Portsmouth Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 34 families put the school first and 37 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 37 | 34 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 32 | 29 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 54 | 44 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 41 | 38 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 46 | 46 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 67% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 0% the higher standard. Across Portsmouth it was 54%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲67% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼103 | 106 | ||
| ●105 | 105 | ||
| ▼102 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ark Dickens Primary Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 12 November 2019, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework. An ungraded inspection in Apr 2025 found: Standards maintained.
- Outcome
- Standards maintained
- Inspected
- 1 Apr 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Nov 2019
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2019Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Jun 2017Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
What parents said
73% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (11 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 73%
- Replies
- 11
- 2% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 82% who raised concerns
based on the 64% who had a child bullied