OFSTED
23 October 2024
Latest ungraded inspection
Latest published outcome
Improved significantly
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Free schools
Phase
All-through
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Birmingham
Trust
ARK SCHOOLS
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,519
1,482 full-time ·
37 part-time
Female pupils
729
48.0% of pupils
Male pupils
790
52.0% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
42.3 pts
above England
School
67.1%
Birmingham
45.4%
West Midlands
30.6%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
58.0 pts
above England
School
78.3%
Birmingham
38.9%
West Midlands
22.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.5 pts
below England
School
0.5%
Birmingham
0.5%
West Midlands
0.6%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
Pakistani
41.5%
630
Bangladeshi
30.4%
462
African
13.2%
200
Any other ethnic group
7.0%
107
Any other White background
1.8%
27
Any other Asian background
1.3%
19
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
19.0%
289 of
1,519 pupils
1.8 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
3.1 pts
above
England
6.0%
4.9 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 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
48.4
9.2 pts
above England
Latest published: -0.11 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority 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
5.60%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
0.61 pts
lower than
England
School
5.60%
Birmingham
7.01%
West Midlands
6.28%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
16.80%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
0.99 pts
higher than
England
School
16.80%
Birmingham
20.05%
West Midlands
16.42%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
0.82%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.98 pts
lower than
England
School
0.82%
Birmingham
2.18%
West Midlands
1.82%
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 all-through schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
79.1%
12.0 pts
below England
Ark Victoria Academy
79.1%
Birmingham
76.8%
West Midlands
76.3%
England
91.1%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.