OFSTED
8 March 2023
Latest ungraded inspection
Latest published outcome
School remains Outstanding
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Primary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
East Sussex
Trust
ARK SCHOOLS
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
623
623 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
306
49.1% of pupils
Male pupils
317
50.9% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
4.1 pts
below England
School
20.7%
Hastings
36.2%
South East
19.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
8.9 pts
below England
School
11.4%
Hastings
11.9%
South East
15.6%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
1.0 pts
below England
School
0.0%
Hastings
0.5%
South East
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
81.2%
506
Any other White background
3.5%
22
Any other Asian background
2.7%
17
Any other Mixed background
2.1%
13
Any other ethnic group
2.1%
13
White and Black African
1.9%
12
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
17.7%
110 of
623 pupils
3.2 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
0.8 pts
above
England
6.0%
3.9 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 2 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
EXPECTED STANDARD
Reading, writing & maths
92.0%
31.6 pts
above England
EXPECTED STANDARD
97.0%
Reading
23.2 pts above England
School
97.0%
Hastings
67.9%
South East
74.0%
England
73.8%
EXPECTED STANDARD
95.0%
Writing
24.7 pts above England
School
95.0%
Hastings
66.6%
South East
70.5%
England
70.3%
EXPECTED STANDARD
93.0%
Maths
21.0 pts above England
School
93.0%
Hastings
65.6%
South East
70.9%
England
72.0%
School results show the percentage of
pupils meeting the expected standard.
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages and are not
pupil-weighted official attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
5.08%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
1.14 pts
lower than
England
School
5.08%
Hastings
8.66%
South East
6.30%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
11.40%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
4.42 pts
lower than
England
School
11.40%
Hastings
22.84%
South East
15.75%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
0.37%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
1.44 pts
lower than
England
School
0.37%
Hastings
3.96%
South East
1.93%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open primary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
98.9%
10.7 pts
above England
Ark Blacklands Primary Academy
98.9%
Hastings
90.0%
South East
89.5%
England
88.2%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.