Ark Academy

Academy sponsor led·Primary school Wembley, Brent·HA9 9JR
Composite score
66.1
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#2,416
National rank
#604
In London
#11
In Brent
Top 16%
Nationally

Primary performance (KS2 SATs)

% meeting expected RWM
82%
% achieving higher RWM
11%
Reading average scaled score
106.0
National avg ≈ 105
Maths average scaled score
106.0
National avg ≈ 104
Reading progress
—
Maths progress
—

Getting a place

Offered a place after putting it first
43%
124 first choices, 58 places
First choices per place
2.14
more first choices than places
Applications naming the school
314
any preference, for 58 places
Last place offered lived
0.30 mi
straight line, 2026 intake · 490 m
Applications from another council area
4%
First preferences per place, last five years▲ 0.27
00.511.522.5
1 per place
1.8720221.8720231.9020241.8720252.142026

Red dashed line = one first choice per place. How to read this

The cut-off distance is how far the last child offered a place lived, not a catchment boundary: it moves every year with the number of applicants. Published by the council in its 2026 allocation figures, and checked against that document before we show it.

Application figures: DfE, school level applications and offers (2026 intake).

Getting a place

Offered a place after putting it first
54%
173 first choices, 131 places
First choices per place
1.32
more first choices than places
Applications naming the school
790
any preference, for 131 places
Last place offered lived
0.89 mi
straight line, 2026 intake · 1428 m
Applications from another council area
7%
First preferences per place, last five years▲ 0.25
00.511.52
1 per place
1.3120221.6120231.2920241.0720251.322026

Red dashed line = one first choice per place. How to read this

The cut-off distance is how far the last child offered a place lived, not a catchment boundary: it moves every year with the number of applicants. Published by the council in its 2026 allocation figures, and checked against that document before we show it.

Application figures: DfE, school level applications and offers (2026 intake).

Secondary performance (KS4 GCSE)

Ark Academy is an all-through school covering ages 3–18, so it has two sets of results. The headline score above reflects its primary (KS2) results, ranked against other primaries; its GCSE (KS4) results — ranked separately against other secondaries — are shown here.

#755
National rank
#213
In London
#6
In Brent
Top 24%
Nationally
Attainment 8 score
51.5
National avg ≈ 46
Progress 8 score
—
% achieving 9–5 in English & Maths
51%
% achieving 9–4 in English & Maths
73%
% EBacc grade 5+
36%
EBacc average points score
4.92

Ofsted judgements

Legacy framework · Read full report ↗

Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Safeguarding effective?
Yes
Early years provision
Outstanding
Sixth form provision
Outstanding

School profile

Age range
3–18
Pupils on roll
1,642
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Admissions
Non-Selective

Pupil background

% FSM ever-6
35.7%
Typical secondary: 27.5%
% EAL
48.4%
Typical secondary: 12.0%

Special educational needs

% SEN support
9.3%
Typical secondary: 13.7%
% with an EHC plan
3.4%
Typical secondary: 2.9%

Attendance

Overall absence
4.9%
Typical secondary: 8.9%
Persistently absent
12.2%
Typical secondary: 25.7%

Staffing & funding

Pupils per teacher
15.5
Typical secondary: 16.7
Spend per pupil
£8,639
Typical secondary: £7,815

“Typical” = the median secondary school in England. What this means

What pupils do next

The share of this school's Year 11 leavers in education, training or employment for at least two terms afterwards.

In education, training or work
96%
164 pupils tracked
Stayed in education
95%
Apprenticeship
0%
Employment
1%

DfE, KS4 destination measures.

Nearby primary schools

Location

Ark Academy at a glance

Located in Wembley, Brent, Ark Academy is an all-through school, classified by the DfE as a sponsor-led academy. The school educates roughly 1,642 pupils aged 3 to 18. Ofsted judged the school to be 'Outstanding' at its most recent inspection. In the most recent Key Stage 2 SATs, 82% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — well above the national average of 61%. That marks an improvement of 4.0 percentage points in the proportion reaching the expected standard on the previous year. At GCSE, the school's average Attainment 8 score was 51.5, above the national average of 46. On our composite score, Ark Academy ranks among the top 16% of primary schools in England for its primary (KS2) results. For its secondary (KS4) results, it ranks in the top 24% of secondary schools nationally.

Pupils achieved an average scaled score of 106 in reading and 106 in maths (national averages are about 105 and 104). 11% reached the higher standard across all three subjects (around 8% do so nationally). At Key Stage 4, 51% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, above the national average of about 45%. Competition for places is real here - 43% of first-choice applicants were offered a Reception place for September 2026 (124 first choices for 58 places). The council's own allocation figures show the last child offered a place for 2026 lived 0.30 miles away in a straight line — that distance is not a fixed catchment and moves each year. Overall pupil absence was 4.9%. There are about 15.5 pupils per teacher. When comparing schools, it is still worth visiting in person to see whether the atmosphere and approach suit your child. This overview is generated automatically from the latest published DfE performance tables and Ofsted data; figures are rounded, and you can check the originals via the official links above.

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