Ark Kings Academy
74%
Capacity
795
Pupils
4.4x
Demand
About Ark Kings Academy
Ark Kings Academy is a mixed, all-through state school in Birmingham that currently educates 795 pupils against a capacity of 1,080, meaning it is operating well below its physical maximum. However, that spare capacity does not reflect a lack of demand. For entry into Year 7 in the 2025/26 academic year, the school received 236 total applications for just 54 places, an oversubscription ratio of 4.37 to one, and made 41 offers to first-preference families. The school’s intake is notably disadvantaged: 68.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure far above the national average and one that places it among the most deprived secondary intakes in Birmingham. This context matters because the school’s academic results, while below the local authority average, need to be read against the significant challenges its cohort faces. The headteacher is Caz Brasenell, and the school has no religious character.
Academically, the school’s Progress 8 score in the 2023/24 exams was -0.53, placing it in the ‘well below average’ banding nationally. This is a significant gap compared with the Birmingham local authority average Progress 8 of +0.09, and it ranks Ark Kings 75th out of 83 secondary schools in the LA. The Attainment 8 score was 35.8, and just 23.4% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score was 3.21, with only 8.1% achieving the EBacc at grade 5 or above. That said, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, rated it Good overall, a remarkable turnaround from its previous Inadequate rating in February 2022. Inspectors judged behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and the quality of education all as Good. The early years provision was also rated Good.
The school offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, tennis courts, theatre, and music rooms, alongside a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include cricket, football, martial arts, and netball, and there are clubs such as Young Enterprise, coding, and orchestra. The school’s SEND provisions are extensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. Given its high FSM intake and strong oversubscription, Ark Kings is clearly a school that local families actively choose, despite its below-average outcomes. It will suit parents who value a genuinely inclusive, comprehensive environment with strong pastoral and SEND support, and who are comfortable with a school that is still on an improvement journey after a recent Ofsted upgrade. The sixth form is officially part of the school, so pupils can stay on post-16.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Shannon Road, Birmingham, Birmingham, B38 9DE |
| Headteacher | Caz Brasenell |
| Local Authority | Birmingham |
| Number of Pupils | 795 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 68.3% |
| School Capacity | 795 / 1,080 (74% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 Mar 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 25 Apr 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.53)
2648th of 3,141
Nationally
314th of 371
In West Midlands
75th of 83
In Birmingham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/233%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 106 pupils).
- FE college62%
- Sixth form college15%
- Not sustained10%
- School sixth form (stay)3%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Employment2%
85% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed54
236
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
41 families put this school as their 1st choice (17% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British46.0%
- Mixed14.3%
- Asian7.2%
- White (other)3.9%
- Black1.6%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
8
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ark Kings Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Shannon Road, Birmingham
Birmingham, B38 9DE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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