Ark Academy, Wembley

Outstanding
All-through
Academy sponsor led
Mixed
Ages 318

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Ms Delia Smith
Pupils:1,639 / 1,650 capacity
LA:Brent
Phone:02083854370
Address:Forty Avenue, Wembley, HA9 9JR
Trust:ARK SCHOOLS
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:30 September 2008

Ofsted Rating

Outstanding

Overall

URN:135600
UKPRN:10024211
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Brent West
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Ark Academy excels at developing well-rounded pupils who are not only high achievers but also active contributors to their community. The school offers an exceptional range of trips, clubs and enrichment activities that are carefully planned to broaden pupils' experiences, with particular focus on supporting disadvantaged pupils. Teachers are highly skilled at delivering subjects with clear explanations and strong subject knowledge, while also expertly supporting pupils with additional needs to access the curriculum successfully.

Key Strengths

  • Exceptional personal development programme with the 'Civitas' active citizenship scheme that develops pupils as agents of positive change
  • Pupils achieve significantly above national averages, particularly disadvantaged pupils who perform extremely well
  • Extremely positive behaviour and attendance across the school, with highly effective support systems in place
  • Broad and ambitious curriculum with expert teachers who check understanding and swiftly address gaps
  • Inclusive approach with targeted support that ensures all pupils, including those with special needs, thrive academically

Areas for Improvement

  • Early years staff sometimes miss opportunities during activities to help children practise and embed their learning

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with an open and positive culture where all legal requirements are fulfilled, ensuring pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Active citizenship programme (Civitas), mentoring by sixth form students, reading sessions, fundraising for local charities, multiple trips per year, high-quality enrichment activities and clubs, house system activities, sixth form societies

Ark Academy is an exceptional school where pupils achieve very highly across all phases and benefit from a remarkably high-quality wider offer. Leaders have established highly effective systems that ensure pupils are safe, well-supported and prepared for their next steps.

At a Glance

41.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+4ppMaths-2ppWriting-3pp

Reading has improved from 82% to 86%. Maths has remained stable at around 89%. Writing has remained stable at around 86%.

Class Sizes

24.0

Avg class size

29.3

Infant (KS1)

29.4

KS2

59

Total classes

4 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Tube / Metro / Tram

Wembley Park Underground Station (southbound)
63m · 1 min walk
Wembley Park Station
264m · 4 min walk

Bus Stops

Corringham Road (Stop P)
46m · 1 min walk
Bridge Road (HA9) (Stop R)
110m · 2 min walk
Wembley Park Station (->E)
166m · 3 min walk
Lycee International / Kings Drive (Stop S)
310m · 5 min walk
Brook Avenue (Stop U)
319m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

99%

Near capacity

1,639 pupils

1,650 capacity

11 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Wembley

High pressure
New homes approved:1,285
Projected new pupils:231

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Wembley

Admissions Demand - Brent

Low demand0.94x oversubscription

Places available

3,572

Applications

3,350

Got 1st preference

73.2%

Got preferred school

94.1%

Secondary admissions across Brent (2025/26)

Inspection History(15)

Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding
Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding
Date not published by Ofsted
Outstanding

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.91464%

Overall absence

11.23245%

Persistent absence

1,282

Enrolments

Authorised3.73178%
Unauthorised1.18287%
Persistent (10%+)11.23245%
Severe (50%+)0.23401%

Absence trend

4.47968%
18/19
3.58953%
20/21
5.29926%
21/22
6.05116%
22/23
4.87069%
23/24
4.91464%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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