School Chooser

Ark Globe Academy

All-through · ages 3-18MixedAcademy1,272 pupilsSixth formNurseryLondonSouthwark
School Chooser Score · secondary phase
82
Above
similar schools
Likely range 76 to 86
Out of 100. Better than 96% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
Primary phase: 81, above similar schools
OfstedStrong teachingOfsted report card, May 2026
Strong pass in English and maths49%England 46%
Attendance92.8%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families64%Far more than most schools
Places373 spare1,272 pupils, 1,645 places
Pupils per teacher20.2School workforce census

Ark Globe Academy is a sponsored academy in London for boys and girls aged 3 to 18. It has 1,272 pupils and room for 1,645. About 64 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 82 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 96% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in May 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Harper Road, London, SE1 6AG020 7407 6877arkglobe.orgMr Matt Jones OBE principalAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 6 May 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.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
Strong
Achievement
Strong
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
Strong
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
Exceptional
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
Exceptional
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
Exceptional
Early years
Strong
Sixth formOfsted calls this “post-16”
Exceptional
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
30 November 2021S5 InspectionGood

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

155 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score48.4
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths49%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths70%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Progress from age 11+0.22In each subject, pupils here finished a little ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level. (From 2023/24, the latest year there is. The government didn't work it out for the 2025 year group.)Official name: Progress 8
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 46.646.620182019: 45.845.820192022: 50.950.920222023: 47.847.820232024: 46.946.920242025: 48.448.42025
Since 2018: +1.8Steady overall
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018SouthwarkEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11155164145137113143
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 848.446.947.850.945.846.651.446.8
Progress from age 11Progress 8+0.22+0.31+0.48+0.41+0.39
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths49%52%44%52%37%48%53%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths70%66%74%72%59%67%72%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score4.604.474.474.794.314.304.744.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry88%85%88%74%69%55%66%41%
Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged48.145.446.049.743.346.0
Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged49.249.051.153.350.547.7
Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers29.233.635.530.929.4
Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers66.262.971.263.459.9

Subjects

Results came out for 21 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

Chemistry100%grades 9 to 5, England 81% · 404th of 2,537 schools
Physics100%grades 9 to 5, England 82% · 381st of 2,546 schools
Biology100%grades 9 to 5, England 82% · 337th of 2,570 schools
English Literature69%grades 9 to 5, England 58% · 655th of 3,202 schools

Subjects that did worse than the England average: Music (33% here, 61% across England), Physical Education (30% here, 56% across England).

What is taught hereOffers triple science, 2 languages, computer science, music.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Mathematics154 entries · 12th of 20 in Southwark
57%England 53%
English Language154 entries · 13th of 20 in Southwark
56%England 54%
English Literature153 entries · 11th of 20 in Southwark
69%England 58%
Combined Science133 entries · 13th of 19 in Southwark
40%England 36%
History104 entries · 18th of 20 in Southwark
47%England 52%
Spanish83 entries · 8th of 16 in Southwark
63%England 54%
Business82 entries · 5th of 11 in Southwark
61%England 51%
French66 entries · 8th of 15 in Southwark
62%England 60%
Physical Education53 entries · 6th of 8 in Southwark
30%England 56%
Geography48 entries · 15th of 19 in Southwark
44%England 51%
Media / Film / TV36 entries · 2nd of 2 in Southwark
53%England 55%
Food Preparation & Nutrition32 entries · 3rd of 3 in Southwark
56%England 52%
Computer Science29 entries · 7th of 13 in Southwark
48%England 56%
Drama26 entries · 5th of 6 in Southwark
58%England 60%
Chemistry21 entries · 6th of 13 in Southwark
100%England 81%
Physics21 entries · 6th of 13 in Southwark
100%England 82%
Biology21 entries · 6th of 13 in Southwark
100%England 82%
Music15 entries
33%England 61%
Art and Design14 entries
93%England 58%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Mathematics15417%57%73%53%1,166 of 3,211
English Language15416%56%74%54%1,299 of 3,210
English Literature15329%69%85%58%655 of 3,202
Combined Science1336%40%62%36%1,109 of 3,084
History10415%47%66%52%1,795 of 3,126
Spanish8334%63%75%54%697 of 1,941
Business8218%61%78%51%499 of 1,806
French6630%62%71%60%996 of 1,974
Physical Education536%30%49%56%1,334 of 1,559
Geography4819%44%60%51%1,834 of 3,116
Media / Film / TV3614%53%75%55%309 of 580
Food Preparation & Nutrition3222%56%69%52%464 of 1,098
Computer Science2914%48%83%56%1,103 of 1,861
Drama2612%58%77%60%515 of 844
Chemistry2119%100%100%81%404 of 2,537
Physics2129%100%100%82%381 of 2,546
Biology2124%100%100%82%337 of 2,570
Music157%33%60%61%
Art and Design1436%93%100%58%
Other Modern Languages80%0%0%49%
Religious Studies875%75%88%60%

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.

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

57 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1175%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level11%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score106.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 76%76%20172018: 73%73%20182019: 85%85%20192023: 71%71%20232024: 65%65%20242025: 75%75%2025
Since 2017: -1%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017SouthwarkEngland
Pupils tested575256595549
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths75%65%71%85%73%76%70%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths11%6%11%14%11%10%12%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0105.0106.0107.0107.0103.0106.6105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score106.0104.0106.0108.0107.0106.0105.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0105.0107.0110.0111.0107.0106.7105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard84%79%79%92%84%78%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard89%85%82%92%85%88%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)81%85%84%85%76%84%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.8+0.0+0.5-3.8
Maths progressMaths progress score+0.8+0.1+1.2+0.0
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged75%58%73%90%68%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged76%76%64%74%83%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

70 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeB-36.1 points per entry
A level progress+0.32Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better7%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished88%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students70747770121102
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry36.1139.5138.7942.0532.9834.96
Average A level gradeB-BBB+C+C+
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS36.1139.5038.7742.0135.5638.25
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects7%17%4%13%7%26%
A level progressA level value added+0.32+0.42+0.50+0.10
Applied general courses: points per entry39.0740.2443.0243.49
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed88%90%89%100%91%84%

A level subjects

10 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

Strongest A levels

Economics84%A* to B, England 57% · 19 entries
Sociology68%A* to B, England 49% · 25 entries
A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsSociology25Economics19Mathematics14Government and Politics10English Literature10Psychology9Chemistry9Biology9Media / Film / TV Studies8Computer Science5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Sociology25 entries · 16% A* or A · 100% passed
68%England 49%
Economics19 entries · 16% A* or A · 100% passed
84%England 57%
Mathematics14 entries · 21% A* or A · 100% passed
57%England 60%
Government and Politics10 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
60%England 55%
English Literature10 entries · 10% A* or A · 100% passed
40%England 52%
Psychology9 entries · 11% A* or A · 100% passed
56%England 46%
Chemistry9 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
33%England 53%
Biology9 entries · 22% A* or A · 100% passed
56%England 49%
Media / Film / TV Studies8 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
63%England 46%
Computer Science5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 46%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

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. 5 of the 7 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

Average GCSE scoreLow-income pupils vs other pupils
48.149.2
Gap 1.1England 12.2
Strong pass in English and mathsLow-income pupils vs other pupils
52%43%
Gap 9 ptsEngland 22 pts
Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
46.451.3
Gap 4.9England 3.0

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
75%76%
Gap 1 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
66%86%
Gap 20 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
74%75%
Gap 1 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
8%11%
Gap 3 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

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.

Plenty of spare places1,282 pupils for 1,645 places, 2024/25
78% full

363 places were empty (22% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Southwark council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

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.

Pupils on roll1,272Census January 2026
Places1,64577% full
Pupils from low-income families64%64% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English34%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support17%218 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%39 pupils with a plan
Average class size24.246 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils4%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)63%£848,350 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls691 / 581
White British pupils4%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.7 pupils (England 26.2); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 25.4 (England 28.2).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (101), emotional and mental health (64), Autistic spectrum disorder (56), Other difficulty or disability (9), Specific learning difficulty (8), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (7).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,2721,2751,3151,3341,3411,294
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals64%63%59%56%52%49%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language34%34%36%40%41%42%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support18%18%20%17%16%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%3%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.8% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance92.8%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school18.7%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils18.42024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission4.0%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence7.2%7.5%8.2%7.0%7.2%4.1%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.1%3.8%4.7%4.7%5.7%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence4.0%3.7%3.5%2.3%1.6%1.2%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence18.7%20.7%25.5%21.4%21.4%8.2%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate18.417.120.611.95.9
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00100

What pupils do next

After GCSEs

Where the 145 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training89%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 85%, compared with 96% for everyone else.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training89%96%98%97%
Education87%94%98%96%
Apprenticeship1%0%0%1%
Work1%2%0%0%
Not in education, work or training8%2%0%3%

After sixth form

Where the 73 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training86%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 86%, compared with 88% for everyone else.

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training91%England 72%
Top-third universities43%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship3%England 6%
Higher technical course0%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 90% went on to degree-level study or training and 45% to a top-third university.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training86%96%93%
Education74%88%81%
Apprenticeship3%0%6%0%
Work10%7%6%
Not in education, work or training8%1%3%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers63.0full-time equivalent, 63 people
Pupils per teacher20.2Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£60,749
Teachers who left in the year21%2023/24, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher4.02024/25

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.

Spend per pupil£10,692England £7,965. Total £14m
Income per pupil£11,052England £8,423. Total £14m
Spent on teachers per pupil£5,740England £4,444
Money in reserve7%Not much put by: £970k, £758 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£461kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£10,692spent per pupil

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

Crimes within 500 m2,30012 months to June 2026, mostly anti-social behaviour
Local crime rate230 per 1,000 people153% higher than the England average
Typical house price£550,000Southwark
Nearest bus stop180 mBricklayers Arms / New Kent Rd, 19 stops within 500 m

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.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Saviour's and St Olave's Church of England SchoolChurch of England250 m620Good 202277Compare
Imperial Oak SchoolIndependent (grammar)270 m21Not inspectedCompare
Victory Primary SchoolCouncil330 m112Good 202349Compare
London Christian SchoolIndependent520 m114Not inspectedCompare
English Martyrs' Roman Catholic Primary SchoolRoman Catholic580 m299Not inspected90Compare
Beormund Primary SchoolCouncil600 m37Outstanding 2024Compare
Grange Primary SchoolCouncil620 m275No overall grade 202555Compare
The Autism Project - CareTradeSpecial post 16 institution660 mNot inspectedCompare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Ark Globe 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.

Beats96%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the very top of its group. Its score of 82 is 56 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 26 · highest 99100

No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 82 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 82% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 76 to 86. 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 atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years20%in line
-0.01
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 155 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well above
+0.29
Ofsted report card, 0.4 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.03
DfE progress measure; 155 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.06
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.05
2024/25; 1,141 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well above
+0.25
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 155 pupils
What pupils do next5%below
-0.03
145 pupils
What parents say0%no data

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 Globe Academy a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Ark Globe Academy scores 82 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 96% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 76 to 86, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Ark Globe Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 6 May 2026 it rated teaching as strong, achievement as strong, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as exceptional.

How good are Ark Globe Academy's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 49% 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 48.4, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished a little ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.

How good are Ark Globe Academy's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 75% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 11% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Ark Globe Academy have?

1,272 pupils aged 3 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 1,645 places, so it is 77% full.

Is Ark Globe Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 363 places were empty in 2024/25 (22% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Ark Globe Academy?

Pupils were in school 92.8% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 19% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Ark Globe Academy?

The average class had 24.2 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 4% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Ark Globe Academy have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was B-. 10 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Harper Road, London, SE1 6AG
Telephone
020 7407 6877
Website
arkglobe.org
Principal
Mr Matt Jones OBE
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
All-through school, ages 3-18, with nursery, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
ARK Schools (48 schools)
Local authority
Southwark
Ward
Chaucer
Constituency
Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2008 (new provision)
URN
135584 · LAESTAB 2106912 · UKPRN 10024133
Formerly
Joseph Lancaster Primary School, Geoffrey Chaucer Technology College

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from