Ark Charter Academy
Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Ages 11–16 · Southsea, Portsmouth
Last distance offered · Year 7 2026
1.104 miles
Published by Portsmouth City Council · offers on 2 March 2026
Year 7 last distance offered, 2019–2026 (miles)
All: every applicant was offered a place.
Ark Charter Academy is a secondary school in Southsea, Portsmouth for ages 11–16 (academy sponsor led). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Not judged, from the inspection on 10 December 2024. Portsmouth has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2018 to 2026 entry.
Ark Charter Academy catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Year 7 2026 | 1.104 mi |
| Year 7 2025 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2024 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2023 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2022 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2021 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2020 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Year 7 2019 | 2.152 mi |
| Year 7 2018 | Every applicant was offered a place |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- 65.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, against a middle figure of 35.2% across the 8 nearest secondary schools in Portsmouth.
- There were 133 first-choice applications for 180 offers at Year 7 in 2026; 131 offers went to first-choice families and 2 first-choice families were not offered a place.
- In 2024/25, 36% got grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths (England 45%), 4th lowest of 9 schools: this one and the 8 nearest secondary schools in Portsmouth.
- For Year 7 in 2026 the last child offered a place lived 1.104 miles away, the 2nd longest of 5 Portsmouth secondary schools with a published last distance.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Portsmouth schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Hyde Park Road, Southsea, PO5 4HL
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–16
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Council
- Portsmouth
- Pupils on roll
- 883 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 65.6% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 16.9
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Not judged Inspected 10 December 2024
Strengths
- “Staff, pupils, parents and carers welcome the considerable improvements to Ark Charter Academy.”
- “The school has instigated a culture shift so that pupils are now proud to attend this school.”
- “The atmosphere is typically happy, kind, respectful and calm.”
To improve
- “However, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge because of previous weaknesses in the curriculum, some low attendance and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
- “This, along with the school’s work to reduce discriminatory behaviour, low-level disruption and truancy, has led to a rise in the use of suspensions.”
- “While attendance is not yet high, it is improving.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 29 January 2025 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 36% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 38.9 | 46 |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 133 first-preference applications, 180 offers in total, 131 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Portsmouth.
- St Edmund's Catholic School 0.2 mi School remains Outstanding Last distance published
- Priory School 0.5 mi Good Last distance published
- The Portsmouth Academy 0.8 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Miltoncross Academy 1.2 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Admiral Lord Nelson School 2.2 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Trafalgar School 2.5 mi Good Last distance published
- UTC Portsmouth 2.5 mi No Ofsted grade
- Springfield School 3.7 mi Not judged Last distance published