Ofsted: Outstanding trending_up High Demand emoji_events #6 in Brent public Top 10% UK

Ark Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMs Delia Smith

corporate_fareARK SCHOOLS

location_onWembley, HA9 9JR

language Visit Website phone 2083854370

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2022

groups

Students

1,640

trending_up

Attainment 8

51.5

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GCSE Rank

#6 in Brent

#770 of 3,216 nationally

summarize

Ark Academy is a Academy sponsor led secondary school in Wembley, serving ages 3-18. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade. Highly competitive: 1.9× more applications than places — plan well ahead.

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School Summary

Ark Academy is an academy sponsor led in Wembley, Brent, admitting pupils aged 3-18. It has a sixth form offering post-16 education. It is part of ARK SCHOOLS. The school has approximately 1,642 pupils on roll, of whom 36% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 51.5, placing the school #6 in Brent and #770 of 3,216 nationally. 50.60% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 25.6% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

In 2025, 82% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 11% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #1 of 15 primaries in Brent and #117 of 3,216 nationally.

The sixth form offers 14 A-level subjects. 65.0% of A-level entries were graded A*–B, with 31.7% at A*–A. A-level value added: 0.07 — sixth-form progress was broadly average.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2022. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Outstanding, behaviour and attitudes Outstanding, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Outstanding.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.9× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 18.4:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 2.2 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

51.5

Grade 5+ E&M

50.60%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)25.6%

Entering EBacc83.30%

EBacc APS4.92

2024

Progress 8 Score

0.45

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

52.7

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc82.30%

EBacc APS5.01

2023

Progress 8 Score

0.59

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

54.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc79%

EBacc APS5.17

2022

Progress 8 Score

0.55

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc80%

EBacc APS5.39

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc87%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

0.06

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

50.7

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc44%

EBacc APS4.52

2018

Progress 8 Score

0.37

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

50.1

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc62%

EBacc APS4.59

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)95%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)2%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

93%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)92%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

96%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)95%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)2%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

99%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)98%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment1%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)1%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

98%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)96%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment2%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)2%

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Sixth Form (A-Level) Performance

A-level results for students who stayed in sixth form at this school. Value added measures how much progress students made relative to their GCSE starting point.

2025

A-Level Value Added

+0.07

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make broadly expected progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

B-

Students

103

Grade Breakdown

Achieving A*4.5%

Achieving A*–A31.7%

Achieving A*–B65.0%

VA Banding Average

Retention rate97.1%

A-level subjects offered14

2024

A-Level Value Added

+0.22

vs expected from GCSEs

Pupils make above-average progress at A-level.

Avg Grade

Students

113

Retention rate94.70%

2023

Avg Grade

B-

Students

124

Retention rate95.20%

2022

Avg Grade

B+

Students

Retention rate100.0%

Source: DfE A Level and Other 16-18 Results

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Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

82%

LA 65%

Reading86% LA 76%

Writing86% LA 72%

Maths89% LA 76%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

106

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

78%

LA 61%England 61%

Reading82% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing89% LA 69% · Eng 72%

Maths91% LA 76% · Eng 73%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

82%

LA 61%England 60%

Reading84% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Writing86% LA 70% · Eng 71%

Maths88% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

2.0

Read

LA 0.8

0.2 to 3.8

2.9

Write

LA 0.7

1.2 to 4.6

4.0

Maths

LA 1.7

2.4 to 5.7

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

77%

LA 67%England 65%

Reading83% LA 74% · Eng 73%

Writing83% LA 77% · Eng 78%

Maths85% LA 82% · Eng 79%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

107

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.1

Read

LA 0.9

-1.6 to 1.9

-1.1

Write

LA 0.3

-2.8 to 0.5

1.1

Maths

LA 1.7

-0.4 to 2.6

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

87%

LA 61%

Reading89% LA 71%

Writing91% LA 74%

Maths93% LA 75%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

109

GPS SS

109

Progress (0 = national avg)

2.5

Read

LA 0.2

0.9 to 4.1

-1.7

Write

LA 0.1

-3.3 to -0.1

3.3

Maths

LA 1.4

1.8 to 4.8

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

22 February 2022

Inspection Report

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08 June 2011

Inspection Report

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24 November 2010

Inspection Report

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12 January 2010

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

2 Evaluations

2022-02-22

S5 Inspection EIF

Outstanding

Education

Outstanding

Behaviour

Outstanding

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Outstanding

2010-11-24

Academy First Section 5 EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

2.6%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.5%(24 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,642 pupils. During this period, there were 42 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 2.6%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,642	42	2.6%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,650	30	1.8%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,632	66	4.0%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,642	42	2.6%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,656	35	2.1%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,627	51	3.1%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,640	45	2.7%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,655	44	2.7%	5.9%	1
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,636	38	2.3%	4.7%	1
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,649	23	1.4%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,676	24	1.4%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	1,603	18	1.1%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	1,607	6	0.4%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	1,644	4	0.2%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	1,595	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	1,595	32	2.0%	3.2%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	1,607	41	2.6%	4.2%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	1,561	59	3.8%	3.1%	3
2018/19 (Spring term)	1,561	146	9.4%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	1,582	160	10.1%	3.8%	2
2017/18 (Summer term)	1,545	121	7.8%	3.4%	2
2017/18 (Spring term)	1,544	50	3.2%	3.0%	1
2017/18 (Autumn term)	1,561	109	7.0%	3.7%	3
2016/17 (Summer term)	1,525	74	4.9%	3.0%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	1,523	90	5.9%	3.3%	2
2016/17 (Autumn term)	1,536	76	4.9%	3.1%	5

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 73 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 37 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 32 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 28 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 17 pupils

Physical Disability 5 pupils

Hearing Impairment 4 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 3 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 2 pupils