Ark Alexandra Academy
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Ark Alexandra Academy is a sponsored academy in Hastings for boys and girls aged 11 to 16. It has 1,315 pupils and room for 1,800. About 31 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 32 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 40% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in June 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.
Park Avenue, William Parker Campus, Park Avenue, Hastings, TN34 2PG01424 439888arkalexandra.orgMr Alex Birks-Agnew/ Mr Tommy Ittu principalAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted visited on 16 June 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.
Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 20 February 2024 | Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 3 | Requires improvement |
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
221 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | East Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 221 | 258 | 263 | 216 | 91 | 113 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 42.6 | 38.4 | 38.4 | 39.9 | 43.0 | 38.5 | 44.3 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | -0.79 | -0.87 | -0.55 | +0.00 | -0.54 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 41% | 33% | 30% | 27% | 42% | 27% | 43% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 65% | 52% | 49% | 54% | 60% | 47% | 66% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 3.68 | 3.40 | 3.23 | 3.38 | 3.64 | 3.12 | 3.91 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 20% | 23% | 17% | 22% | 29% | 18% | 39% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 34.4 | 26.8 | 29.1 | 32.7 | 37.1 | 29.3 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 46.5 | 46.0 | 42.4 | 44.8 | 45.1 | 43.1 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 19.1 | 18.9 | 24.7 | 24.2 | 21.9 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 58.8 | 54.2 | 60.6 | 57.7 | 53.0 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 20 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
Strongest subjects
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Drama (28% here, 60% across England), English Language (44% here, 54% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 217 | 18% | 48% | 71% | 53% | 1,814 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 217 | 12% | 44% | 70% | 54% | 2,292 of 3,210 |
| Religious Studies | 185 | 22% | 64% | 74% | 60% | 844 of 1,825 |
| Combined Science | 183 | 7% | 34% | 60% | 36% | 1,530 of 3,084 |
| English Literature | 180 | 14% | 62% | 83% | 58% | 1,145 of 3,202 |
| History | 69 | 35% | 70% | 84% | 52% | 502 of 3,126 |
| Geography | 67 | 19% | 69% | 91% | 51% | 473 of 3,116 |
| Physics | 33 | 24% | 91% | 100% | 82% | 1,049 of 2,546 |
| Chemistry | 33 | 36% | 94% | 100% | 81% | 856 of 2,537 |
| Biology | 33 | 42% | 100% | 100% | 82% | 327 of 2,570 |
| Spanish | 32 | 41% | 88% | 97% | 54% | 103 of 1,941 |
| Design & Technology | 29 | 21% | 76% | 86% | 50% | 205 of 1,478 |
| Business | 28 | 11% | 54% | 61% | 51% | 721 of 1,806 |
| Physical Education | 22 | 14% | 86% | 96% | 56% | 162 of 1,559 |
| Art and Design | 22 | 32% | 50% | 96% | 58% | 1,813 of 2,818 |
| Drama | 18 | 0% | 28% | 50% | 60% | – |
| French | 14 | 36% | 86% | 93% | 60% | – |
| Computer Science | 13 | 31% | 92% | 92% | 56% | – |
| Other Modern Languages | 9 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 49% | – |
| Dance | 7 | 14% | 86% | 100% | 58% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
A level and sixth-form results, 2024
59 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 59 | 98 | 116 | 40 | 73 | 93 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | 35.14 | 32.86 | 35.93 | 29.72 | 31.47 | 23.51 |
| Average A level grade | B- | C+ | B- | C | C | D+ |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | 36.55 | 34.81 | 34.48 | 32.05 | 35.11 | 26.81 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | 14% | 11% | 23% | 8% | 7% | 8% |
| A level progressA level value added | +0.53 | – | – | +0.44 | +0.31 | -0.16 |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | 76% | 82% | 93% | 93% | 81% | 88% |
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 3 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At GCSE, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Open to all. There is no entrance test. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
719 places were empty (34% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 3% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.
In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.
We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.
How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (244 offers for 360 places). 178 families put it down as their first choice and 190 of them got in (107%).
| Entry | Places | Put it first | Applied at all | Got a place | First choices who got in | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Secondary | 360 | 178 | 360 | 244 | 107% | – all offered | LA |
What parents say
From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 141 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for secondary schools with enough answers to publish.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Specific learning difficulty (50), Autistic spectrum disorder (48), emotional and mental health (42), Physical disability (20), language and communications needs (14), Vision impairment (5).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 1,315 | 1,431 | 1,552 | 1,557 | 1,454 | 1,393 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 31% | 31% | 34% | 29% | 32% | 30% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 11% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 8% | 9% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 14% | 22% | 20% | 13% | 9% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 1% | 1% | 0% | 1% | 1% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 91.1% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 9.0% | 12.6% | 11.3% | 9.3% | 6.7% | 5.0% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 6.0% | 8.7% | 6.7% | 5.2% | 3.4% | 3.1% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 3.0% | 3.9% | 4.6% | 4.2% | 3.3% | 1.9% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 27.9% | 38.1% | 31.6% | 26.7% | 17.3% | 12.3% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 74.7 | 104.7 | 42.5 | 25.4 | 19.7 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 2 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 2 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 263 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 80%, compared with 93% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 89% | 85% | 87% | 93% |
| Education | 86% | 82% | 81% | 89% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 1% | 3% | 2% |
| Work | 1% | 2% | 4% | 2% |
| Not in education, work or training | 8% | 10% | 11% | 7% |
After sixth form
Where the 49 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 70%, compared with 82% for everyone else.
Where the ones heading for university went
Among students from low-income families, 50% went on to degree-level study or training and 14% to a top-third university.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 80% | 72% | 92% | – |
| Education | 45% | 43% | 67% | – |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 4% | 5% | 0% |
| Work | 33% | 26% | 21% | – |
| Not in education, work or training | 14% | 26% | 8% | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lansdowne Children's Centre | Secure units | 1.5 miles | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Mulberry Academy St Leonards | Academy | 2.0 miles | – | No overall grade 2025 | – | Compare |
| Mulberry Academy Hastings | Academy | 2.0 miles | 833 | Report card 2026 | 7 | Compare |
| St Richard's Catholic College | Academy | 4.2 miles | 1,029 | Good 2021 | – | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Ark Alexandra Academy with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 32 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 32% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 24 to 41. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | below | -0.12 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 221 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | above | +0.16 | Ofsted report card, 0.2 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | well below | -0.27 | DfE progress measure; 221 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | above | +0.10 | results and attendance rising year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | below | -0.07 | 2024/25; 1,525 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well below | -0.12 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 221 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | below | -0.02 | 263 pupils |
| What parents say | 5% | above | +0.03 | Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 141 responses |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Ark Alexandra Academy a good school?
The figures are weak. Ark Alexandra Academy scores 32 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 40% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 24 to 41, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Ark Alexandra Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 16 June 2026 it rated teaching as strong, achievement as strong, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as strong.
How good are Ark Alexandra Academy's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 41% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 42.6, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How many pupils does Ark Alexandra Academy have?
1,315 pupils aged 11 to 16 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,800 places, so it is 73% full.
Is Ark Alexandra Academy oversubscribed?
Probably not. 719 places were empty in 2024/25 (34% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Ark Alexandra Academy?
Pupils were in school 91.1% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 28% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
What do parents say about Ark Alexandra Academy?
87% of the 141 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 82% say their child is happy there. Across England, 77% of parents would recommend their child's school.
How big are the classes at Ark Alexandra Academy?
The average class had 22.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 9% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Ark Alexandra Academy have a sixth form?
No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship; 89% of 2022/23 leavers were still in education, work or training six months on.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Park Avenue, William Parker Campus, Park Avenue, Hastings, TN34 2PG
- Telephone
- 01424 439888
- Website
- arkalexandra.org
- Principal
- Mr Alex Birks-Agnew/ Mr Tommy Ittu
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- Secondary school, ages 11-16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of Chichester
- Multi-academy trust
- ARK Schools (48 schools)
- Local authority
- East Sussex
- Ward
- St Helens
- Constituency
- Hastings and Rye
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 September 2013 (new provision)
- URN
- 139821 · LAESTAB 8454003 · UKPRN 10042410
- Formerly
- Ark Helenswood Academy, William Parker Sports College
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: East Sussex council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2026.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.