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catchment.school

Ark Charter Academy Catchment Area

Reviewed by the catchment.school editorial team · Last updated 15 March 2026

Ark Charter Academy is an academy sponsor led secondary school in Southsea, Portsmouth , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 917 pupils, and a capacity of 900 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.

11-16

Age range

917

Pupils

900

Capacity

102%

Fill rate

Ark Charter Academy Catchment Area Information

What is the catchment area for Ark Charter Academy?

The catchment area for Ark Charter Academy is the geographic zone Portsmouth uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Portsmouth publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.

Admission to Ark Charter Academy is managed by Portsmouth and typically includes both faith criteria and catchment area proximity. The weighting given to each criterion depends on the school's published oversubscription policy, which is reviewed annually.

Currently oversubscribed: 917 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 900 places. Living within the catchment area is especially important for this school.

Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →

Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Portsmouth publishes the 2027 Ark Charter Academy numbers →

The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Portsmouth before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.

Find Portsmouth catchment area documents →

Ark Charter Academy: at or above its 900 place limit

Ark Charter Academy has a published admission number of 900 places. 917 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 102%. The school is at or above its published limit of 900 places. Portsmouth allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. The last-distance figure is likely to remain tight if demand holds at this level.

The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 60.7% of pupils at Ark Charter Academy are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Southsea.

To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.

Portsmouth publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find Portsmouth school admissions →

Ark Charter Academy: School Information

Full address
Hyde Park Road, Southsea, PO5 4HL
Local authority
Portsmouth
School type
Academy sponsor led
Phase of education
Secondary
Age range
11-16 years
Religious character
Church of England
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Free school meals
60.7% of pupils
DfE URN
135965

Other Secondary Schools in Southsea

If Ark Charter Academy is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Southsea are the next closest alternatives.

Other Church of England Schools in Portsmouth

Ark Charter Academy shares its religious character with these Church of England schools across Portsmouth. Faith criteria typically sit alongside catchment distance in each school's admissions policy.

Nearest secondary schools by distance

These are the secondary schools closest to Ark Charter Academy by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.

Frequently Asked Questions: Ark Charter Academy

What is the catchment area for Ark Charter Academy?

The catchment area for Ark Charter Academy is the geographic zone Portsmouth uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Portsmouth publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.

Is Ark Charter Academy oversubscribed?

Yes, Ark Charter Academy currently has 917 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 900 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.

What is the admissions policy for Ark Charter Academy?

Ark Charter Academy uses both faith criteria and catchment area proximity in its admissions policy. The weighting is reviewed annually and published by Portsmouth before each admissions cycle.

What age range does Ark Charter Academy cover?

Ark Charter Academy is a secondary school in Southsea, Portsmouth, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.

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