News

Ark Ventures
Monday 3rd April 2023

There are some important changes coming at Ark. Since our foundation in 2002, innovation and entrepreneurship have been central to our approach.
We exist to make sure that all children, regardless of their background, have access to a great education and real choices in life. In seeking to close the gap for every child, education has been the driving force of our work over the last 20 years.

Wednesday 8th February 2023

We know that there are many talented pupils in our network of schools and that they will thrive with the pathways, support and guidance that are available to their more affluent peers. Ark’s scholarships programme is deliberate about unearthing talent and giving these young people the opportunity they would not otherwise have to develop their passions and compete in the real world.

Lucy Heller
Monday 6th February 2023

This article was written by Ark CEO Lucy Heller, originally published on the Financial Times on Saturday 4 February 2023.
Many of us in the education world had mixed feelings during the teachers’ strike on “Walkout Wednesday”. No one wants children to be missing out on school. But equally, it is hard not to sympathise with staff who have seen their pay fall by almost 15 per cent since 2010, while their job gets ever tougher, particularly in recent years.

Thursday 2nd February 2023

Extracurricular activities like sport hold benefits for students both in and outside the classroom. At Ark, we’re committed to giving all our students opportunities to participate in sports activities, and we are actively working to expand our provision.
Inaugural netball tournament

Athletics Championship 2022
Thursday 1st December 2022

Salesforce has pledged more than £600,000 over two years to enable Ark to provide extracurricular music and sports programmes to our 29,000 students.
Extracurricular activity and working outside the classroom can positively impact young people's prospects when they leave school.
Group activities, such as singing in a choir or playing on a sports team, help create a sense of belonging to a group, support social connectedness, and reduce loneliness.

Remembrance Day
Friday 11th November 2022

On Remembrance Day, Ark’s 39 schools came together to mark the moment.
Also known as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day marks the ceasefire that began at 11am on 11 November 1918 and brought an end to the fighting in the First World War. Since then, Remembrance continues to unite people across faiths, cultures, and backgrounds, honouring the personal sacrifices made by men and women, past and present, to protect the freedoms we have today.

AC+ logo
Tuesday 11th October 2022

Primary schools across England will be supported to adopt an approach to teaching maths that has been shown to improve pupil achievement. Mathematics Mastery Primary is an evidence-informed curriculum and teacher development programme from Ark Curriculum Plus.

GSF Fellowship in Zambia
Tuesday 4th October 2022

Two teachers from Ark Schools travelled to Zambia over the summer for their placement on the Global Schools Forum (GSF) Fellowship Programme.
Connor McElwaine from North London’s Ark Pioneer Academy and Sarah Al-Hanoush from Birmingham’s Ark Boulton were successful in getting a place on the Fellowship programme.

Ark Little Ridge Primary Academy
Friday 30th September 2022

Ark Little Ridge Primary Academy in St Leonards-on Sea has been praised by Ofsted and told it has the potential to receive an outstanding rating at its next inspection.
Inspectors visited the school from 12 to 13 July, and its report was published today. It described the school as feeling ‘like another family’, where children ‘feel safe’. It went on to praise Year 6 pupils, describing them as ‘role models’ who are ‘kind and caring towards each other’. The report said: "Pupils are inspired by each other's successes.

Ark John Keats and Spencer Steadman Trust
Tuesday 27th September 2022

Ark John Keats Academy is delighted to celebrate the formal opening of its new school library.
A year of hard work from all involved has seen the creation of a new library space which puts reading at the heart of being an Ark John Keats pupil. Supported by a generous donation from the Spencer Steadman Trust, the students can now access more than a thousand new books and enjoy a warm and welcoming space to read and study.

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