Schools by area › East Sussex › Ark Castledown Primary Academy
Ark Castledown Primary Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 2–11 · Sponsored academy
Priory Road, Hastings TN34 3QT · arkcastledown.org · 01424 444046
On the mapSearch near TN34 3QT
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Nov 2025 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 78%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. East Sussex 61%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- No limit
- Reception, September 2026 entry · East Sussex Council
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 403
- 84% of 480 places
- Local authority
- East Sussex
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 51.9%
- First language not English
- 21.8%
- 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: East Sussex Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 41 families put the school first and 42 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 | 42 | 41 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 35 | 34 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 54 | 52 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 51 | 45 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 43 | 35 | 0.8 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 78% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 8% the higher standard. Across East Sussex it was 61%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲78% | 62% | ||
| ●8% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●104 | 106 | ||
| ●104 | 105 | ||
| ●103 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 114474)
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Ark Castledown Primary Academy on 11 November 2025 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Exceptional
- Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard
- Achievement: Strong standard
- Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard
- Personal development and well-being: Strong standard
- Early years: Strong standard
- Leadership and governance: Strong standard
- Inspected
- 11 Nov 2025
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Exceptional |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Strong standard |
| Achievement | Strong standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Strong standard |
| Early years | Strong standard |
| Leadership and governance | Strong standard |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Nov 2021
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 114474), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Nov 2021Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Sept 2013Good
Leadership and management Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 114474)
What parents said
97% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (31 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 97%
- Positive
- 93%
- Replies
- 31
- 8% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 84% who raised concerns
based on 7 parents (23%) whose child was bullied
based on 9 parents (29%) with SEND