School profile

Ark Greenwich Free School

Secondary · Free schools · London, SE18 4LH

Outstanding

Map showing Ark Greenwich Free School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#140 of 3,312

Better than 95% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

Ark Greenwich Free School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 25 Apr 2023

Ofsted rating
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeFree schools
Ages11 to 16
Pupils615
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr James MacNaughton
TrustARK SCHOOLS
Local authorityGreenwich
Opened01 Sept 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 138245.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolGreenwichEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.65.8, better than England, better than Greenwich47.446.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.91.6%, better than England, better than Greenwich65.3%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.86%, better than England, better than Greenwich48.9%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.40.2%, better than England, better than Greenwich16.1%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths90.7%, better than England, better than Greenwich61.2%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4107--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils615
Girls272
Boys343
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.41.5%
First language not English18.5%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.700
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.12.1%
Sixth form places2021/22100
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.65
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.20
Average class size26.5

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

African
30.4%
White British
12.2%
Other White
12%
Other mixed
9.8%
Other ethnic group
6.3%
Other Asian
3.4%
White and Black Caribbean
2.9%
Chinese
2.9%
Caribbean
2.4%
White and Black African
2.3%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.7
Teachers (FTE)40.1
Teaching assistants (FTE)2
Support staff (FTE)16.07
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2546.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2535.1
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/257
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/254

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.115
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.1,188
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.357
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.95
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)180

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolGreenwichEngland
Overall absence3.8%, better than England, better than Greenwich7.1%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.10.8%, better than England, better than Greenwich18.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.1.3%, better than England, better than Greenwich2.6%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate26.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions13%
Permanent exclusion rate0.5%
Permanent exclusions3

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.99.1%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.98.1%
School sixth form78.5%
Sixth form college16.8%
Further education2.8%
Apprenticeship0.9%
Employment0%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Ark Greenwich Free School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.4 miPrimaryChrist Church Church of England Primary School, Shooters HillVoluntary aided school
Good
0.4 mi16 plusShooters Hill Sixth Form CollegeAcademy 16-19 converter
Unrated
0.5 miSecondaryLeigh Academy HalleyAcademy sponsor led
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryEglinton Primary SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.8 miPrimaryDeansfield Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.8 miPrimarySt Thomas More Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryCharlton Manor Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryHenwick Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryNotre Dame Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimaryKidbrooke Park Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Ark Greenwich Free School

What is Ark Greenwich Free School's Ofsted rating?

Ark Greenwich Free School is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, last inspected on 25 Apr 2023.

How does Ark Greenwich Free School rank in England?

Ark Greenwich Free School ranks 140 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 95% of schools).

What are Ark Greenwich Free School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 86% of pupils at Ark Greenwich Free School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 65.8 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Ark Greenwich Free School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Ark Greenwich Free School made 115 offers from 1,188 applications (10.3 per offer), and 95 of 357 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Ark Greenwich Free School?

Ark Greenwich Free School has 615 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Ark Greenwich Free School?

Ark Greenwich Free School had 700 school places in 2024/25.

Does Ark Greenwich Free School have a sixth form?

Yes, Ark Greenwich Free School has a sixth form with 100 places in 2021/22.

How big are classes at Ark Greenwich Free School?

At Ark Greenwich Free School, the average class had 26.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Ark Greenwich Free School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Ark Greenwich Free School missed 3.8% of sessions (England 8%), and 10.8% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.