Ark Academy

“A great deal of work has brought about a new school that has quickly established high expectations and secured impressive progress in the short period since opening. Pupils make outstanding progress in their studies.”

Ark Academy is an all through school that offers excellent learning from nursery through to higher education. In an all through school, school parents can expect their son/daughter to transfer seamlessly from primary to secondary school. We now have three years of Ark primary students who have transferred to secondary. Ark Academy are one and share the same values and expectations. Ark Academy aim is to ensure that all our pupils develop as high achieving, confident, articulate young people whose education fully equips them to go on to university or the career of their choice and this starts from an early age.

We are very ambitious for all our pupils and believe that our emphasis on the study of subjects in depth is a key feature of our success. From 3.30 to 4.30pm we also enrich our offer with a wide variety of activities, from extra sports and clubs to extended support for literacy, mathematics and science. We expect a great deal of hard work from our pupils. We know nothing worthwhile was ever achieved differently. We expect high standards from everyone and believe that the simple formula of “work hard, be nice” will ensure the best future for our pupils. To this end we are “compassionately ruthless” in implementing our standards.

Our motto ‘Civitas’ everywhere around the school. We are first and foremost citizens and this is what binds us together. We want our students to grow into rounded, confident, ambitious young people who aspire to high achievement and will make a mark on the world.

Ark Academy has at its core the pursuit of the highest standards possible in education. We believe in high aspirations, high motivation and high achievement for all. Through our extended curriculum and community life we seek to meet the needs of the whole person. Civitas - citizenship - is at our core. We will build a community of civic pride and social justice in which all members are equally valued. We are committed to the service of young people and help them play their full part in society.

• Provide every student with the knowledge, skills, self belief and motivation to be
  successful in their learning and lives
• Welcome, value and respect all who come to the school
• Build a community based on justice and a sense of personal responsibility
• Provide opportunities for all to experience Civitas whilst developing a spirit of
  tolerance and understanding for all cultures, traditions and faiths
• Promote dialogue and co-operation with the wider community

Ark Academy is an all through 3-18 school with common values across primary and secondary that bring us together. In Ark Academy we have 4 core values: Civitas, Excellence, Participation and Persistence. Each week there is a Celebration Assembly in which children from each class are recognised for their commitment to the Ark values.

We maintain a happy, respectful and orderly environment throughout the academy. We believe that a successful education includes developing and nurturing the personal qualities of every pupil. Weaving the citizenship specialism through the curriculum, we will positively reinforce young people’s responsibility for their actions and their effect on others.

Our first priority at Ark Academy is to build a foundation in literacy and numeracy, as this provides a gateway to all other learning. In Reception and Year 1, our pupils partake in two literacy lessons (phonics and English) and two mathematics lessons per day, as well as having regular opportunities to read to an adult on a one-to-one basis and in groups. From Year 2 onwards, all children have two literacy lessons (English grammar and spelling, and guided reading) and two mathematics lessons per day. Thanks to this structure, all of our pupils learn to read, write, and work with numbers confidently and to a high standard. Where pupils need extra support, it is provided to ensure that every child reaches and exceeds nationally expected standards.

Our English teaching focuses on speaking and listening, reading, and writing using synthetic phonics and other reading strategies. We use the Read Write Inc. reading programme which is based on "synthetic phonics." In this programme, children learn what combinations of letters make all the different sounds in English and to blend these to make words and how to decode words when they see these combinations.

At all times our priority is to ensure every single student makes progress and achieves their potential, following the pathway of their choice. Our specialist and dedicated staff ensure that lessons meet individual needs, supported by the best information technology and teaching and learning resources.

In collaboration with professional organisers, North London Citizens develops leadership skills through hands-on experience taking action for change and through formal training of parents, teachers, and children. Upon identifying an issue requiring change, we work together to determine what person or entity can help solve the issue and how we can enter into a constructive relationship with them. Those involved in this exciting initiative develop confidence, public speaking skills, and the ability to persuade and develop arguments in a coherent and inclusive fashion.