Classpot

Ark Charter Academy

Portsmouth, PO5 4HLSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
4 Good
Dec 2024
Progress 8
-0.32
Below average
−20+2
Competition
0.6×
Not oversubscribed
105 1st-choice / 180 places
Ranking
#2,295
of 3,141 nationally

About Ark Charter Academy

Ark Charter Academy is a Church of England secondary school in Portsmouth, part of the Ark academy chain, and sits third out of eight schools in the local authority when ranked by Progress 8. That puts it ahead of Admiral Lord Nelson School but behind Trafalgar School and the nearest outstanding-rated school, St Edmund's Catholic School, which is just 0.3 kilometres away. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, receiving 321 applications for 180 places, with 105 first-preference offers made. It serves a notably high proportion of disadvantaged pupils, with 60.7 per cent eligible for free school meals. The headteacher is Christian Down, and the school caters for mixed-gender pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form provision. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2024 judged the school Good across all graded areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in July 2022.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressHyde Park Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 4HL
HeadteacherChristian Down
Local AuthorityPortsmouth
Number of Pupils917
Free School Meals (FSM)60.7%
School Capacity917 / 900 (102% full)

The full report on this school

What 73 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, 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

10 Dec 2024
View Report
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 28 Jan 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Science LabsAstro TurfGymnasiumTennis CourtsSixth Form CentreTheatreDining HallChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

13

Sports

DanceHockeyCross CountryCricketRugbyTennisGymnasticsRowing

Clubs & Activities

Art ClubDuke of EdinburghGardeningDramaEco Club

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.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:00

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Ark Charter Academy

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