Ark Kings Academy

Ark Kings Academy has shown significant improvement since its previous inspection grade of inadequate. The school is now rated as good across all areas, indicating that leaders and staff have effectively enhanced the quality of education and made substantial progress in student outcomes. Notably, there is a strong focus on character development from an early age, which contributes to pupils' positive attitudes towards learning and their good behaviour in classes.

Strengths

• High expectations from staff that foster a 'can do' attitude among pupils.
• Strong focus on personal development, preparing pupils for future stages.
• Effective early reading instruction supported by well-trained staff.
• Good progress made by pupils with SEND due to coordinated support.
• High pupil attendance and a positive culture around attendance.

Areas for Improvement

• Occasional mismatches between learning activities and intended outcomes.
• Insufficient teaching of subject-specific vocabulary limiting pupils' responses.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Ark Kings Academy attended 92.4% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 23.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 13.8% of pupils at Ark Kings Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 4 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Ark Kings Academy had 20.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 36.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 24.8% of pupils at Ark Kings Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 1.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Ark Kings Academy received £10,235 and spent £10,004 for each of its 801 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £892,000 (£1,114 per pupil).

Across all 48 schools of Ark Schools, income was £9,191 and spending £9,015 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Birmingham · Birmingham local authority: places and applications

Ark Kings Academy is part of Ark Schools, which runs 48 schools. The nearest others:

• Ark Tindal Primary Academy Birmingham
• Ark St Alban's Academy Birmingham
• Ark Boulton Academy Birmingham
• Ark Victoria Academy Birmingham
• Ark Northfield Primary School Pontefract
• Ark Pioneer Academy Barnet
• Ark Academy Wembley
• Ark Elvin Academy London
• Ark Carleton High School Pontefract
• Ark Larks Hill Primary School Pontefract

What is Ark Kings Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ark Kings Academy is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Ark Kings Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Ark Kings Academy was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Ark Kings Academy have?

Ark Kings Academy has 739 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ark Kings Academy cover?

Ark Kings Academy for pupils aged 3 to 18.

What are Ark Kings Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 39.9, and 28% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are Ark Kings Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Ark Kings Academy?

Ark Kings Academy is at Shannon Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, West Midlands, B38 9DE.