OFSTED
11 November 2025
Latest inspection
Latest published outcome
Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding
Met
Inclusion
Exceptional
Curriculum & teaching
Strong standard
Achievement
Strong standard
Attendance & behaviour
Strong standard
Personal development
Strong standard
Leadership & governance
Strong standard
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
23 November 2021
Graded inspection
Good
Published
19 January 2022
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Primary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
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
403
403 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
186
46.2% of pupils
Male pupils
217
53.8% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
27.1 pts
above England
School
51.9%
Hastings
36.2%
South East
19.0%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
1.5 pts
above England
School
21.8%
Hastings
11.9%
South East
15.6%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
3.7 pts
above England
School
4.7%
Hastings
0.5%
South East
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
64.5%
260
Any other White background
9.4%
38
African
5.5%
22
Indian
4.5%
18
Any other Mixed background
3.2%
13
Unclassified
2.7%
11
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
21.3%
86 of
403 pupils
0.5 pts
above England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
3.3 pts
above
England
6.0%
2.8 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
78.0%
17.6 pts
above England
EXPECTED STANDARD
80.0%
Reading
6.2 pts above England
School
80.0%
Hastings
67.9%
South East
74.0%
England
73.8%
EXPECTED STANDARD
84.0%
Writing
13.7 pts above England
School
84.0%
Hastings
66.6%
South East
70.5%
England
70.3%
EXPECTED STANDARD
82.0%
Maths
10.0 pts above England
School
82.0%
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
6.44%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
0.23 pts
higher than
England
School
6.44%
Hastings
8.66%
South East
6.30%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
19.33%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
3.51 pts
higher than
England
School
19.33%
Hastings
22.84%
South East
15.75%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
2.24%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.44 pts
higher than
England
School
2.24%
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
84.0%
4.2 pts
below England
Ark Castledown Primary Academy
84.0%
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.