EDUCATION

ARK Academies’ ethos
Extended Schools Programme 
ARK Plus

ARK Schools was established in 2004 to help break the cycle of underachievement in schools in the UK’s most challenging urban areas. As part of the Government Academies Programme, ARK Schools is developing a network of academy schools providing high quality education.

It aims to give children a real opportunity to develop the knowledge, qualifications and skills to go on to higher education or to pursue the career of their choice. Academies are non-selective, state-funded schools for local children, established and run by sponsors, in this case ARK Schools.

Through the generosity of ARK’s academy sponsors, ARK Schools is able to create an endowment for each academy. The DCSF meets the running costs of each academy on the same per head basis as for comparable state schools.

ARK now runs eight academies, six in London, one in Portsmouth and one in Birmingham. The first ARK academy, Burlington Danes Academy in Hammersmith & Fulham, opened in September 2006. King Solomon Academy in Westminster and Walworth Academy in Southwark opened in 2007. Globe Academy in Southwark, Evelyn Grace Academy in Lambeth and Ark Academy in Brent opened in 2008, and Charter Academy in Portsmouth and St Alban’s Academy in Birmingham in 2009.

By September 2009 ARK academies had enrolled more than 4,400 pupils. By 2012, ARK aims to be running 12 academies eventually providing places for more than 12,000 pupils.

For more information on ARK Schools please visit www.arkschools.org

If you are interested in working for an ARK Academy please click here.