Welcome to Ark Academy

Ark Academy is an all through school that offers excellent learning from nursery through to higher education. In an All Through School, school parents can expect their child to transfer seamlessly from primary to secondary school; we are one and share the same values and expectations. Our aim is to ensure that all our pupils develop as high achieving, confident, articulate young people whose education fully equips them to go on to university or the career of their choice, and this starts from an early age.

Ofsted have stated:

“Pupils relish coming to this school. From Nursery through to the sixth form, pupils are taught to be caring, polite, hard-working and motivated members of society. This culture runs like a golden thread throughout this large school. Staff are ambitious for pupils to excel. Pupils strive to meet these expectations, knowing that staff are there to support them every step of the way. Pupils are happy and kept safe.”
 
We are very ambitious for all our pupils and believe that our emphasis on the study of subjects in depth is a key feature of our success. We also enrich our offer with a wide variety of extra-curricular activities, from extra sports and clubs to extended support for literacy, mathematics and science. As teachers, we also spend a great deal of time ensuring that we are well prepared, continuously learning and enhancing how we teach in order to deliver the best for our students.
 
You will see our motto ‘Civitas’ everywhere around the school. We are first and foremost citizens and this is what binds us together. We want our students to grow into rounded, confident, ambitious young people who aspire to high achievement and will make a mark on the world.
 
We expect a great deal of hard work from our pupils. We know nothing worthwhile was ever achieved in any other way. We expect high standards from everyone and believe that the simple formula of “work hard, be nice” will ensure the best future for our pupils. To this end we are “compassionately ruthless” in implementing our standards.
 
We have worked hard to clarify our expectations which are clearly stated in our Behaviour and Ethos Policy and the Home School Agreement. We expect all parents to support these policies and work co-operatively with us.
 
We have a large and thriving sixth form that has an excellent reputation and excellent outcomes. Our past sixth form alumni regularly connect back with us from university and the world of work beyond university to encourage students to follow in their footsteps.

We are part of the wider Ark network - a leading education charity and one of the country’s top-performing academy operators, with a shared mission to transform lives through education.
 
We are very proud of the school we have built here and the opportunities it offers our students. I look forward to working with our parents in the coming years to ensure the best for their children.

Our mission is for all students to be able to access higher education and participate fully in our democratic society.
 
We pursue the highest standards possible in education. We believe in high aspirations, high motivation and high achievement for all. Through our extended curriculum and community life we seek to meet the needs of the whole person. Civitas - citizenship - is at our core. We will build a community of civic pride and social justice in which all members are equally valued. We are committed to the service of young people and help them play their full part in society.
 
In light of this we aim to:

• Provide every student with the knowledge, skills, self belief and motivation to be successful in their learning and lives 
• Welcome, value and respect all who come to the school
• Build a community based on justice and a sense of personal responsibility
• Provide opportunities for all to experience Civitas whilst developing a spirit of tolerance and understanding of all cultures, traditions and faiths
• Promote dialogue and co-operation with the wider community

Life at our academy is driven by four key values:

• Excellence
• Citizenship
• Participation
• Persistence

We refer to these values throughout school life and our rewards system is built around these values.