OFSTED
13 September 2023
Latest graded inspection
Latest published outcome
Outstanding
OEIF
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour & attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership & management
Outstanding
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Free schools
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Barnet
Trust
ARK SCHOOLS
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,107
1,107 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
413
37.3% of pupils
Male pupils
694
62.7% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
14.2 pts
above England
School
39.0%
Barnet
20.6%
London
26.3%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
11.5 pts
above England
School
31.8%
Barnet
43.3%
London
39.2%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.6 pts
below England
School
0.4%
Barnet
0.6%
London
0.5%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
21.6%
239
Any other White background
19.2%
213
African
13.6%
150
Any other ethnic group
13.2%
146
Any other Mixed background
7.3%
81
Indian
5.1%
57
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
16.3%
180 of
1,107 pupils
4.6 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
3.1 pts
below
England
6.0%
1.4 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
56.0
16.8 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.57 · 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
6.84%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
0.63 pts
higher than
England
School
6.84%
Barnet
5.90%
London
6.38%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
17.70%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
1.89 pts
higher than
England
School
17.70%
Barnet
14.89%
London
17.60%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
2.19%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.38 pts
higher than
England
School
2.19%
Barnet
1.29%
London
1.67%
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 secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
92.3%
0.1 pts
below England
Ark Pioneer Academy
92.3%
Barnet
94.0%
London
91.3%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.