Ark Walworth Academy
81%
Capacity
971
Pupils
3.1x
Demand
About Ark Walworth Academy
Ark Walworth Academy sits within the Southwark local authority, a London borough with 24 secondary schools, 12 of which hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating. The school itself is ranked 16th out of 19 schools in the area by Progress 8 score, placing it in the bottom third locally. Its top-performing peers include The St Thomas the Apostle College, Sacred Heart Catholic School, and Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich, all of which post significantly higher Progress 8 scores. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Harris Academy Bermondsey, less than a kilometre away. With 971 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,200, the school is not yet full, but it is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 392 applications for 125 places, with 91 first-preference offers made. That works out at just over three applicants per place, reflecting strong local demand despite the competitive field.
Academically, Ark Walworth delivers a mixed but broadly solid picture. Its Progress 8 score of 0.18 is positive, meaning pupils on average achieve nearly a fifth of a grade more per subject than similar pupils nationally, though this sits below the Southwark average of 0.46. The school's Attainment 8 score is 41.5, and 67.7% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, dropping to 41.3% at grade 5 or above. Progress in maths (0.3) and English (0.27) is notably stronger than in the open element (-0.09). The EBacc entry rate is 49%, but only 9% of pupils achieved the full EBacc at grade 5 or above. In the sixth form, which Ofsted rates as Good, the average points per entry is 33.79 (equivalent to a C+ grade), and the value-added score of 0.04 is classed as average. The best three A-levels average out at a C+ grade, with 14.9% of entries achieving AAB or higher.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, playing fields, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision covers football, basketball, netball, rugby, swimming, tennis, and dance, while extracurricular clubs include Science Club, Drama, Model UN, Choir, Coding, and Debate. SEND support is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 68.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a significantly disadvantaged intake. It is a non-religious, mixed, state secondary with an official sixth form. This school will suit families who value strong pastoral and SEND support, a wide range of facilities, and a sixth form that offers average academic progress, but who are comfortable with a school that is not among the highest-performing in the borough.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Shorncliffe Road, London, Southwark, SE1 5UJ |
| Headteacher | Jessica West |
| Local Authority | Southwark |
| Number of Pupils | 971 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 68.6% |
| School Capacity | 971 / 1,200 (81% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
3 Nov 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (3 Nov 2023): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 17 Nov 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.18)
1123rd of 3,141
Nationally
294th of 487
In London
16th of 19
In Southwark
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
31.9
'22/23
34.8
'23/24
33.8
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2350%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 175 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)50%
- FE college30%
- Sixth form college13%
- Not sustained5%
- Employment2%
- Apprenticeship1%
94% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2368%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 85 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
21%
Russell Group
19%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)68%
- Employment16%
- Not sustained9%
- Apprenticeship2%
- Further education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics24
- Economics19
- Psychology16
- Chemistry12
- English Literature9
- History9
- Mathematics (Further)9
- Sociology9
- Biology8
- Geography8
- Spanish8
- Physics7
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed125
392
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
91 families put this school as their 1st choice (23% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
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
- Mixed11.6%
- White British9.3%
- Asian6.9%
- White (other)6.4%
- Black5.1%
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.
Better than half of schools in England.
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.
38
Total schools
32
Oversubscribed
27
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ark Walworth 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
Shorncliffe Road, London
Southwark, SE1 5UJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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