Ark Charter Academy

When there are more applications than places for 2025-26 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Looked After Children and previously Looked After Children — 'Looked After Children' and children who have previously been a 'Looked After Child' but immediately following this became subject to adoption, a child arrangements order or special guardianship order, including those who appear (to Ark Schools) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
2. 2Service Pupil Premium — Children who are eligible for the Service Pupil Premium.
3. 3Children of staff (skill shortage post) — Children of staff at the school where the member of staff has been recruited to a post where there is a demonstrable skill shortage. Ark Schools must approve the Principal's assessment process and designation of such posts to confirm the staff members' eligibility under this criterion. Priority will be limited to one place for each form of entry in any year (i.e. 6 places in each 6-form year group).
4. 4Siblings — Children who, at the time of admission, have a sibling who attends the school. For this purpose, "sibling" means a whole, half or step-sibling or an adopted child resident at the same address.
5. 5Children of staff (employed 2+ years) — Children of staff in the school who have been employed at the school for two or more years at the time the application is submitted. Ark Schools must approve the Principal's decision to allocate places to staff under this criterion. Priority will be limited to one place for each form of entry in any year (i.e. 6 places in each 6-form year group).
6. 6Feeder primary schools (set A) — Children who attend one of the following feeder primary schools at the time of application: a. Ark Ayrton Primary Academy (URN: 139713) b. Ark Dickens Primary Academy (URN: 141020) c. St George's Beneficial CE Primary School (URN: 116346) d. St Jude's CE Primary School (URN: 116344)
7. 7Catchment area — Children who live in the catchment area for the school, which is defined as: south of and including both sides of Kingston Crescent; west of centre of Kingston Road and Fratton Road; west of and excluding Victoria Road North; west of centre of Victoria Road South, Lennox Road South and Clarence Parade down to Jack Cockerill Way then south of Clarence Parade and part of South Parade. See appendix 1 for map.
8. 8Outside catchment but attending feeder primary schools (set B) — Children living outside the catchment area but attend one of the following primary schools at the time of application: a. Arundel Court Primary Academy (URN: 144194) b. Cottage Grove Primary School (URN: 116203) c. The Flying Bull Academy (URN: 140719)
9. 9Distance — Children living outside the catchment area and not attending a feeder primary school will be prioritised by the nearest straight line distance between the child's home address and the main entrance to the school.

If two applications tie: If Ark Schools is unable to distinguish between applicants using the published oversubscription criteria, places will be offered via a random draw which will be supervised by someone independent of the school.

For criteria vi), vii) and viii), where there are more applications than available places within each criterion, priority will be given to children living closest to the school measured by straight line distance from the child's home to the main entrance of the school. The school is a Church of England secondary school but no faith-based oversubscription criteria are applied.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.