Classpot

Ark Blake Academy

Croydon, CR0 6NASecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Feb 2023
Progress 8
No data
Competition
0.8×
Not oversubscribed
117 1st-choice / 157 places
Ranking
Not ranked

About Ark Blake Academy

Ark Blake Academy, a mixed secondary in Croydon, was rated Good overall in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, with the quality of education, personal development, and leadership and management all judged Good. However, the inspection flagged behaviour and attitudes as Requires Improvement, which is a significant point for parents to weigh. On the academic front, the school’s most informative metric is its Progress 8 score, which sits at -0.04 against the Croydon local authority average of the same figure. This means pupils at Ark Blake make progress that is broadly in line with the average for students across the borough, neither significantly above nor below expectations. For a school with a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals (46.1%), this is a solid baseline, though it doesn’t place the school among the top performers in the area.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
Address6 Morland Road, Croydon, Croydon, CR0 6NA
HeadteacherSam Rispoli
Local AuthorityCroydon
Number of Pupils782
Free School Meals (FSM)46.1%
School Capacity782 / 1,200 (65% full)
Sixth FormYes

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

22 Feb 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 26 Apr 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
Swimming PoolLibraryTennis CourtsSports HallDining HallICT SuiteSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

20

Sports

DanceHockeyTennisGymnasticsBasketballNetballMartial ArtsCross CountrySwimming

Clubs & Activities

Eco ClubDuke of EdinburghDramaArt ClubChoirBook ClubScience ClubOrchestraGardeningNewspaperYoung Enterprise

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Ark Blake Academy

Ark Blake Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.