Ark Putney Academy

Ark Putney Academy is performing well across all key domains, with an overall effectiveness rated as good. The school offers a calm and inclusive environment where clear routines support effective learning. Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that caters to the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Additionally, opportunities for personal development and extracurricular activities are a strong focus, which helps pupils prepare for their future. However, the school faces some challenges in ensuring that all sixth-form students complete their programs of study and that teaching consistently fosters deeper thinking and understanding in all pupils.

Strengths

• Strong and inclusive leadership providing clear guidance and support.
• Effective curriculum designed to build on previous learning.
• High expectations of behavior leading to respectful relationships.
• Strong provision for students with SEND, ensuring their needs are met.
• Wide range of extracurricular activities encouraging student participation.

Areas for Improvement

• Tight teaching routines may limit opportunities for pupils to explore complex ideas.
• A number of sixth-form students do not complete their intended courses.

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 Putney Academy attended 90.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 29.8% 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, 8.0% of pupils at Ark Putney Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No 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 Putney Academy had 14.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 21.1% 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, 18.2% of pupils at Ark Putney Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.9% 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 Putney Academy received £11,712 and spent £11,687 for each of its 787 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £1,568,000 (-£1,992 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 Wandsworth · Wandsworth local authority: places and applications

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

• ARK John Archer Primary Academy London
• Ark Bolingbroke Academy London
• Ark Priory Primary Academy London
• Ark White City Primary Academy London
• Ark Byron Primary Academy London
• Ark Conway Primary Academy London
• Ark Bentworth Primary Academy London
• Ark Acton Academy London
• Ark Soane Academy London
• Ark Burlington Danes Academy London

What is Ark Putney Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ark Putney Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was Ark Putney Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Ark Putney Academy was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does Ark Putney Academy have?

Ark Putney Academy has 746 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ark Putney Academy cover?

Ark Putney Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Ark Putney Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 47.7, and 42% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Ark Putney Academy?

Ark Putney Academy is at Pullman Gardens, Putney, London, SW15 3DG.