Ark Dickens Primary Academy Catchment Area
Ark Dickens Primary Academy is an academy sponsor led primary school in Portsmouth , serving pupils aged 2-11, with 448 pupils, and a capacity of 480 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
2-11
Age range
448
Pupils
480
Capacity
93%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2019
Ark Dickens Primary Academy Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Ark Dickens Primary Academy?
The catchment area for Ark Dickens Primary Academy is the geographic zone Portsmouth uses to prioritise admissions when this primary 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 siblings. Portsmouth publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
As an academy, Ark Dickens Primary Academy sets its own admissions criteria, agreed with Portsmouth. The catchment area boundary is defined in the school's annual admissions policy, which may differ from the LA's general school admissions arrangements.
Get an alert if Ark Dickens Primary Academy goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
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 Dickens Primary Academy: 480 places, 93% filled: nearing capacity
Ark Dickens Primary Academy has a published admission number of 480 places. 448 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 93%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 480, Portsmouth's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 51% of pupils at Ark Dickens Primary 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 Portsmouth.
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 Dickens Primary Academy: School Information
- Full address
- Turner Road, Portsmouth, PO1 4PN
- Local authority
- Portsmouth
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 2-11 years
- Free school meals
- 51% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 141020
Other Primary Schools in Portsmouth
If Ark Dickens Primary Academy is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Portsmouth are the next closest alternatives.
Medina Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · PO6 3NH
Manor Infant and Nursery School Catchment Area
Community school · PO1 5QR
Portsdown Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · PO6 3JL
St Jude's CofE Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · PO1 2NZ
St George's Beneficial Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · PO1 3BN
St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · PO1 1PX
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to Ark Dickens Primary 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Ark Dickens Primary Academy
What is the catchment area for Ark Dickens Primary Academy? ▾
The catchment area for Ark Dickens Primary Academy is the geographic zone Portsmouth uses to prioritise admissions when this primary 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 siblings. Portsmouth publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Ark Dickens Primary Academy oversubscribed? ▾
Ark Dickens Primary Academy is operating close to its capacity of 480 places (93% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Ark Dickens Primary Academy? ▾
Admission to Ark Dickens Primary Academy is managed by Portsmouth. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Ark Dickens Primary Academy cover? ▾
Ark Dickens Primary Academy is a primary school in Portsmouth, serving pupils aged 2-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Ark Dickens Primary Academy? ▾
Ark Dickens Primary Academy was rated Good by Ofsted in 2019. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.