Ofsted: Good trending_up Popular emoji_events #2 in Portsmouth public Top 16% UK

Ark Ayrton Primary Academy

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

personMrs Sophie Bennett-Acres

corporate_fareARK SCHOOLS

location_onPortsmouth, PO5 4LS

language Visit Website phone 2392824828

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2018

groups

Students

418

school

Expected Standard

78%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.2x

summarize

Ark Ayrton Primary Academy is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Portsmouth, serving ages 2-11. Rated Good by Ofsted. Demand is above capacity (1.2×) — apply through your local authority on time. Ranks in the top 16% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Ark Ayrton Primary Academy is an academy sponsor led in Portsmouth, admitting pupils aged 2-11. It is part of ARK SCHOOLS. The school has approximately 501 pupils on roll, of whom 63% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 78% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 5% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #2 of 32 primaries in Portsmouth and #684 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2018. The school's current overall rating is Good.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.2× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 23.2:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there was 1 permanent exclusion. The average suspension rate was 0.3 per 1,000 pupils per term.

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

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

78%

LA 51%

Reading78% LA 65%

Writing83% LA 63%

Maths81% LA 62%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

80%

LA 49%England 61%

Reading83% LA 65% · Eng 74%

Writing80% LA 60% · Eng 72%

Maths87% LA 63% · Eng 73%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

58%

LA 48%England 60%

Reading60% LA 63% · Eng 73%

Writing82% LA 61% · Eng 71%

Maths81% LA 64% · Eng 73%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.3

Read

LA -1.5

-4.0 to -0.5

0.9

Write

LA -2.0

-0.8 to 2.6

-0.8

Maths

LA -1.4

-2.5 to 0.8

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

80%

LA 55%England 65%

Reading82% LA 64% · Eng 73%

Writing80% LA 72% · Eng 78%

Maths82% LA 72% · Eng 79%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

108

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.2

Read

LA -1.5

-1.8 to 2.1

-1.0

Write

LA -2.3

-2.7 to 0.8

-0.5

Maths

LA -1.8

-2.1 to 1.2

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

47%

LA 53%

Reading51% LA 66%

Writing70% LA 70%

Maths72% LA 64%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.9

Read

LA -1.9

-4.9 to -0.9

-2

Write

LA -2.3

-3.9 to -0.1

-2.5

Maths

LA -2.1

-4.3 to -0.7

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

10 July 2024

Inspection Report

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06 November 2018

Inspection Report

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20 November 2017

Inspection Report

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04 May 2016

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2018-11-06

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2017-11-20

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2016-05-04

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2013-02-26

None Legacy

Inadequate

Education

Inadequate

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

Inadequate

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

0.2%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.2%(1 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: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 501 pupils. During this period, there were 1 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.2%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	501	1	0.2%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	492	2	0.4%	0.9%	1
2023/24 (Summer term)	416	2	0.5%	0.8%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	411	1	0.2%	0.7%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	408	5	1.2%	0.8%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	418	8	1.9%	0.7%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	418	8	1.9%	0.6%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	416	9	2.2%	0.6%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	415	10	2.4%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	417	15	3.6%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	416	7	1.7%	0.5%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	410	3	0.7%	0.4%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	410	0	0.0%	0.1%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	400	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	405	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	405	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	402	0	0.0%	0.6%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	426	1	0.2%	0.4%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	422	2	0.5%	0.5%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	419	0	0.0%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	415	10	2.4%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	416	10	2.4%	0.4%	1
2017/18 (Autumn term)	405	8	2.0%	0.5%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	408	16	3.9%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	392	9	2.3%	0.4%	1
2016/17 (Autumn term)	384	13	3.4%	0.5%	0

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

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psychology_alt

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 39 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 16 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 6 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 4 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 4 pupils

Hearing Impairment 3 pupils

Physical Disability 3 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

101.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

96.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

41.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree25%

agree50%

disagree25%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree42%

agree42%

disagree13%

don't know4%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree46%

agree25%

disagree8%

strongly disagree4%

don't know4%

not applicable13%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree42%

agree46%

disagree4%

don't know8%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree38%

agree54%

disagree4%

don't know4%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree38%

agree50%

disagree13%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree46%

agree46%

don't know8%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree46%

agree54%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree33%

agree42%

disagree13%

don't know13%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes83%

no17%

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Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Westover Primary School

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Ark Dickens Primary Academy

Good

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The Victory Primary School

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Portsmouth

St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School

St George's Beneficial Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School

St Paul's Catholic Primary School

Westover Primary School

Ark Dickens Primary Academy

The Victory Primary School