SecondaryState · Academy sponsor led

Ark Charter Academy

Hyde Park Road, Southsea, Hampshire, PO5 4HL ·

Ofsted:Good or better in all areas· 2024Church of England

At a glance

A state Church of England secondary academy for ages 11–16 in Southsea. Ofsted inspection (December 2024): Good or better in all areas (no overall grade was given). GCSE results are below the England average (Attainment 8: 38.9 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 133 families put it first for 180 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages: 11–16
Pupils: 883
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: No
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: Portsmouth
Academy trust: ARK SCHOOLS
Headteacher: Mr Christian Down
Opened: Sept 2009

School website 02392824204 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

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Graded inspection 10 Dec 2024

Inspections from September 2024 did not give an overall grade, only the separate judgements below.

Quality of education: Good
Behaviour and attitudes: Good
Personal development: Good
Leadership and management: Good

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 181 pupils

Attainment 8

38.9

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

35.9%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

52.5%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

-0.32

2023/24 · CI -0.55 to -0.08

This school

38.9

Portsmouth

39.5

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

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Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made

180

1st preferences

133

All applications

377

1st prefs per place

0.74

Fewer first choices than places

131 of 133 first-preference applicants were offered a place (98%).

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

917

Capacity

900

98% full

Girls / boys

49/51

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)61.7%
English as an additional language38.7%
SEN support18.4%
Education, Health and Care plan2.8%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.