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Academy sponsor led · Brent

Ark Academy

  • 3–18Ages
  • 1,639Pupils
  • All-throughPhase
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 135600URN

Forty Avenue, Wembley, HA9 9JR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Apr 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
6.0per place
3.5 above Brent median (2.5)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Brent

790 applications for 131 places · 2nd of 16 in Brent
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
56.7of 90
4th of 15 in Brent
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 14 April 2026Published 21 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
AchievementStrong standard
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and wellbeingExceptional
Early yearsExpected standard
Post-16 provisionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceStrong standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 14 April 2026
    Report card · 1 Exceptional, 6 Strong standard, 1 Expected standard
  2. 22 February 2022
    Graded inspection: Outstanding

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry
6.0applications per place, Year 7
3.5 above Brent median (2.5) 3.8 above England median (2.2)

790 applications · 131 places offered · 173 named it first

  1. 2026 6.0; Brent median median 2.5
  2. 2025 6.4; Brent median median 2.5
  3. 2024 7.1; Brent median median 2.8
  4. 2023 7.7; Brent median median 2.5
  5. 2022 6.3; Brent median median 2.1
  6. 2021 6.1; Brent median median 2.3
  7. 2020 7.3; Brent median median 2.4
  8. 2019 9.2; Brent median median 2.5
  9. 2018 8.2; Brent median median 2.6
  10. 2017 6.8; Brent median median 2.9
  11. 2016 7.0; Brent median median 3.0
  12. 2015 10.8; Brent median median 2.5
  13. 2014 7.9; Brent median median 2.6
More applications per place than the Brent median in 13 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • Brent median

Reception entry, September 2026: 5.4 per place (314 applications for 58 places).

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20261317906.01731.32
Sep 20251257946.41341.07
Sep 20241289037.11651.29
Sep 20231289857.72061.61
Sep 20221338396.31741.31
Sep 20211408496.11481.06
Sep 20201289327.31371.07
Sep 20191181,0849.21931.64
Sep 20181411,1568.22201.56
Sep 20171731,1706.82401.39
Sep 20161751,2207.02711.55
Sep 20151161,25710.82902.50
Sep 20141741,3817.93842.21

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

172 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)56.74th of 15 in Brent
Grade 5 or above in English and maths63%4th of 15 in Brent
Grade 4 or above in English and maths80%
  • This school
  • Brent median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.45
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)17256.763%80%–
2024/2516851.551%73%–
2023/2418152.758%73%+0.45
2022/2316454.561%82%+0.59

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
All-through
URN · DfE number
135600 · 304/6906
Trust
Ark Schools
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,650 pupils · 1,639 on roll
Free school meals
41.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery
Has nursery classes
Opened
30 September 2008
Address
Forty Avenue, Wembley, HA9 9JR
Local authority
Brent

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources