School profile

Ark Blacklands Primary Academy

Primary · Academy sponsor led · Hastings, TN34 2HU

Outstanding

Map showing Ark Blacklands Primary Academy

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

National ranking

Key stage 2 2024/25

#257 of 15,057

Better than 98% of schools in England

Ranked by pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Ark Blacklands Primary Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 1 Nov 2016

Ofsted rating
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Early years
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeAcademy sponsor led
Ages4 to 11
Pupils623
GenderMixed
Head teacherMrs Mary Quinn
TrustARK SCHOOLS
Local authorityEast Sussex
Opened01 Sept 2014
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 141021.

Key stage 2 results

2024/25

Year 6 results in national curriculum tests and teacher assessments. The expected standard is the level pupils should reach by the end of primary school.

MeasureThis schoolEast SussexEngland
Expected standard in reading, writing and maths92%, better than England, better than East Sussex61%63%
Higher standard in reading, writing and mathsScore of 110 or more in reading and maths, greater depth in writing.14%, better than England, better than East Sussex6%8%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.110, better than England, better than East Sussex105106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.108, better than England, better than East Sussex104105
Average grammar, punctuation and spelling scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.107, better than England, better than East Sussex103105
Expected standard in reading97%, better than England, better than East Sussex74%76%
Expected standard in writing95%, better than England, better than East Sussex72%73%
Expected standard in maths93%, better than England, better than East Sussex71%75%
Pupils taking tests87--

Source: DfE, Compare school performance, Compare school performance 2024-2025.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils623
Girls306
Boys317
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.20.7%
First language not English11.4%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.630
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.1.1%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.97
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.13
Average class size29.7

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

White British
81.2%
Other White
3.5%
Other Asian
2.7%
Other mixed
2.1%
Other ethnic group
2.1%
White and Black African
1.9%
Indian
1.8%
White and Black Caribbean
1.3%
White and Asian
1.1%
African
1.1%

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 teacher23.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.7
Teachers (FTE)26.73
Teaching assistants (FTE)24.6
Support staff (FTE)38.84
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2529
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2526.4
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/251
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/251.6

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 (Reception)Places offered on national offer day.90
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.184
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.88
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.83
Applications from another local authority (Reception)0

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 schoolEast SussexEngland
Overall absence4.9%, similar to England, better than East Sussex5.7%5.1%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.12.3%, similar to England, better than East Sussex15%13.2%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0.7%, similar to England, better than East Sussex1.4%1%

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 rate1.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions0.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 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 Blacklands Primary Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.5 miPrimaryMulberry Baird PrimaryAcademy sponsor led
Requires improvement
0.5 miSecondaryArk Alexandra AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimarySt Paul's Church of England AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miPrimaryArk Castledown Primary AcademyAcademy sponsor led
Outstanding
0.9 miPrimaryMulberry Silverdale PrimaryAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimaryChrist Church CofE Primary and Nursery AcademyAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimarySt Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimarySacred Heart Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Unrated
1.2 miPrimaryDudley Infant AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miPrimaryHollington Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Inadequate

Frequently asked questions about Ark Blacklands Primary Academy

What is Ark Blacklands Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ark Blacklands Primary Academy is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, last inspected on 1 Nov 2016.

How does Ark Blacklands Primary Academy rank in England?

Ark Blacklands Primary Academy ranks 257 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (better than 98% of schools).

What are Ark Blacklands Primary Academy's SATs results?

In 2024/25, 92% of pupils at Ark Blacklands Primary Academy met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 63%).

How hard is it to get into Ark Blacklands Primary Academy?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, Ark Blacklands Primary Academy made 90 offers from 184 applications (2 per offer), and 83 of 88 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Ark Blacklands Primary Academy?

Ark Blacklands Primary Academy has 623 pupils aged 4 to 11.

What is the capacity of Ark Blacklands Primary Academy?

Ark Blacklands Primary Academy had 630 school places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Ark Blacklands Primary Academy?

At Ark Blacklands Primary Academy, the average class had 29.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 23.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Ark Blacklands Primary Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Ark Blacklands Primary Academy missed 4.9% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 12.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).

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.