Schools by area › Croydon › Ark Blake Academy
Ark Blake Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Free school
6 Morland Road, Croydon CR0 6NA · arkblake.org · 020 3443 9000
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Feb 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 45.6
- average Attainment 8 score. Croydon 44.5, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 5.69 mi
- 9.16 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · Croydon Council
- Demand for places
- 0.7
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 759
- 63% of 1,200 places
- Local authority
- Croydon
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 50.4%
- First language not English
- 34.4%
- 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 5.69 mi (9.16 km) from the school; in September 2025 it was 4.03 mi (6.49 km). Source: Croydon Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 115 families put the school first and 158 places were offered; 100% 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 | 158 | 115 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 157 | 117 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 162 | 107 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 178 | 189 | 1.1▲ | 76% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 174 | 188 | 1.1▲ | 68% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 5.69 mi9.16 km | |
| September 2025 | 4.03 mi6.49 km | |
| September 2024 | 4.05 mi6.51 km | |
| September 2023 | 1.05 mi1.69 km | |
| September 2022 | 0.90 mi1.45 km | |
The furthest distance at which a place was offered under the distance criterion.
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 45.6, and 50.6% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Croydon it was 44.5, and across England 46.
| 2024/25 | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 | ●45.6 | 46.0 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths | ▲50.6% | 45.4% |
| Grade 4+ English & maths | ●63.6% | 64.8% |
| Entered for EBacc | ▲58.4% | 40.5% |
| EBacc average points | ●4.28 | 4.09 |
Ofsted
Ark Blake Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 22 February 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 22 Feb 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Requires improvement |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
What parents said
46% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (65 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 46%
- Replies
- 65
- 12% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 80% who raised concerns
based on the 49% who had a child bullied
based on 17 parents (26%) with SEND