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Ark Blacklands Primary Academy

Hastings, TN34 2HUPrimaryAges 4–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Mar 2023
KS2 Results
86%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
84 1st-choice / 90 places
Ranking
🏆Top 10%
#687 of 13,686 nationally

About Ark Blacklands Primary Academy

Ark Blacklands Primary Academy sits in a strong position compared with the East Sussex local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes. The LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 59%, but at this school 86% of pupils hit that benchmark — a gap of 27 percentage points. That places Ark Blacklands first out of 16 primary schools in Hastings and in the top 10% nationally. Its overall Ofsted rating is Outstanding, awarded in the 2016 graded inspection and confirmed as remaining Outstanding in the most recent ungraded inspection in March 2023. That is a dramatic turnaround from the school’s previous graded inspection in 2013, which rated it Inadequate. Leadership and management, early years provision and overall effectiveness are all graded Outstanding, and the school is one of only ten Outstanding primaries in the entire local authority.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range4 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressOsborne Close, Freshwater Avenue, Hastings, Hastings, TN34 2HU
HeadteacherMary Quinn
Local AuthorityEast Sussex
Number of Pupils627
Free School Meals (FSM)21.4%
School Capacity627 / 630 (100% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

8 Mar 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Early Years Provision
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (8 Mar 2023): School remains Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 30 Nov 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

4
Art StudiosSensory RoomMusic RoomsOutdoor Playground

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

9

Sports

GymnasticsRoundersTennisAthleticsSwimmingCricket

Clubs & Activities

Book ClubDramaChoir

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyMulti-SensoryOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:55 – 15:15

Source: arkblacklandsprimary.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Ark Blacklands Primary Academy

Ark Blacklands Primary Academy has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.