Ark Castledown Primary Academy

About Ark Castledown Primary Academy

Ark Castledown Primary Academy is a primary school in Hastings, East Sussex, classified by the DfE as a sponsor-led academy. Around 396 pupils aged 2 to 11 attend the school. The school holds a 'Good' judgement from Ofsted (November 2025). 78% of its pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2, well above the national average (national figure: 61%). The proportion reaching the expected standard has risen by 3.0 percentage points year on year. On our composite score, which combines the DfE attainment measures above, this places it in the top 26% of primary schools nationally.

Pupils achieved an average scaled score of 104 in reading and 104 in maths (national averages are about 105 and 104). 8% reached the higher standard across all three subjects (around 8% do so nationally). Getting a place is straightforward: for the September 2026 intake every family who made Ark Castledown Primary Academy their first choice was offered one of its 42 Reception places. Overall pupil absence was 6.7%. There are about 20.4 pupils per teacher. The school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage: about 58% of pupils have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years, compared with roughly 24% nationally — useful context when reading the results above. 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.