CHARTER ACADEMY LIMITED

What CHARTER ACADEMY LIMITED does

Charter Academy Limited operates Ark Charter Academy, a non-selective state-funded secondary school located in Southsea, Portsmouth (PO5 4HL), serving approximately 900 students aged 11-18 across Years 7-11, with 180 Year 7 places allocated annually through Portsmouth City Council's coordinated admissions system. The school is a constituent entity of Ark Schools, a multi-academy trust operating 39 schools across Birmingham, Hastings, London, and Portsmouth. The school's core product is a knowledge-rich, carefully sequenced curriculum aligned to the National Curriculum, delivered alongside an extended curriculum comprising the Ark Music Programme (with annual performances at the Barbican Centre), the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award, an aspirational careers programme including university visits and employer engagement, and SEND support services. The technology stack is standard educational SaaS rather than proprietary: iPay Impact for cashless payments including biometric catering, My Child at School (MCAS) for parent engagement, Cognito Forms for admissions appeals, and Microsoft 365/Google Calendar integrations, all underpinned by Cyber Essentials certified IT infrastructure.\n\nThe business model is government-funded with no tuition fees charged to families. Revenue flows from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) via pupil-led funding formulas, supplemented by Pupil Premium for eligible students. Admissions are non-selective, with in-year transfers handled within 15 school days through Portsmouth City Council. The school is Oversubscribed for September 2025, with places allocated before the open day, indicating demand materially exceeds fixed supply. Revenue is therefore structurally deterministic and capped by physical capacity rather than market-driven.\n\nManagement is led by Principal Mr Down, supported by Assistant Principals Miss Duffy (Teaching and Learning) and Ms Vickie Hart (SEND Coordinator), with Arlene Gajdus as Business and Community Manager. The school was rated 'Good' by Ofsted in December 2024 across all areas and similarly 'Good' by SIAMS for its Christian values. Charter Academy Limited operates as a non-profit entity under the Ark Schools charitable trust structure; there is no evidence of external investment, private equity involvement, or public listing. Notable student outcomes include 57% achieving grades 9-4 in English and Mathematics (2025 GCSEs), and the school's positioning that Ark Schools students are three times more likely to progress to a top-tier university.

Name

CHARTER ACADEMY LIMITED

Legal name

Ark Schools

Website

https://charteracademy.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Charter Academy Limited operates Ark Charter Academy, a state-funded non-selective secondary school in Portsmouth, UK, serving approximately 900 students aged 11-18 as part of the Ark Schools multi-academy trust, funded by the UK Government via the ESFA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• State-funded schooling
• GCSE preparation
• SEND support services
• Careers guidance

Headquarters

HQ city

Portsmouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Education Services: Ark Charter Academy is a state-funded secondary school operating as part of the Ark Schools multi-academy trust. The school receives government funding for providing education services to students. Revenue comes from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) via pupil-led funding formulas. No direct tuition fees are charged to families.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ark Charter Academy is a non-selective state-funded secondary school in Portsmouth, offering 180 Year 7 places annually for students aged 11-18. The school delivers a knowledge-rich, sequenced curriculum aligned with the National Curriculum, preparing students for GCSEs and post-16 pathways, supported by an extended curriculum of performing arts, sport, Duke of Edinburgh, and extracurricular clubs. It also provides SEND support, a values-based rewards programme, and an aspirational careers programme featuring university visits, employer engagement, and one-to-one guidance.

Product overview

Ark Charter Academy operates as a non-selective secondary school within the Ark Schools multi-academy trust, offering a comprehensive educational programme for Years 7-11 with 180 Year 7 places annually. The school's core offering comprises a knowledge-rich curriculum designed by subject experts, supplemented by extended curriculum programmes including the Ark Music Programme (with annual national performances), Duke of Edinburgh Award, and diverse extracurricular clubs. The institution provides dedicated support services including SEND provision, a values-based rewards system (Justice, Courage, Respect) with badge progression, and an aspirational careers programme featuring university visits and employer partnerships. Digital and reading curricula support core learning, while parent engagement is facilitated through the My Child at School (MCAS) portal and iPay Impact payment system. The school is part of Ark Schools network of 39 schools across Birmingham, Hastings, London, and Portsmouth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary Education Programme Comprehensive secondary school education for Years 7-11, offering 180 Year 7 places annually, with full access to the National Curriculum, GCSE qualifications, and pastoral support for students aged 11-18 in Portsmouth.
• Knowledge-Rich Curriculum Sequenced curriculum designed by subject experts and informed by educational research, covering core subjects and extended curriculum including performing arts, sport, and Duke of Edinburgh award.
• Careers Programme Aspirational careers programme featuring university visits, employer engagement, one-to-one guidance, workshops, and visiting speakers, preparing students for post-16 options and future careers.
• SEND Support Services Special Educational Needs and Disabilities support including high expectations, full National Curriculum access, reasonable adjustments, assessment, monitoring, and close collaboration with families.
• Ark Music Programme Music education programme fostering lifelong love of music, including annual Music Gala performances at national venues such as the Barbican Centre.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award DofE Bronze Award programme including practice expeditions, navigation training, campcraft, and assessed walks on Harting Down.
• Extended Curriculum (Clubs) Wide range of extracurricular activities including sports, performing arts, cultural activities, and enrichment clubs.
• In-Year Admissions Admissions service for students joining outside the standard September intake, including mid-year transfers and applications from overseas, processed within 15 school days via Portsmouth City Council.

Quantifiable outcome

• 57% of students achieved grades 9-4 in English and Mathematics; 38% achieved 9-5 in English and Mathematics (2025 GCSE results)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MountjoyminorOthers · 1 June 2026Local employer that hosted Year 10 work experience students, providing real-world workplace exposure as part of the school's careers programme.
• Premier InnminorOthers · 1 June 2026Employer that provided work experience placement opportunities for Year 10 students during their work experience programme.
• British Red CrossminorOthers · 1 June 2026Charity that stepped in at the last minute to offer additional work experience placements, ensuring no student missed out on this important experience.
• Pompey in the CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Ongoing partnership with Portsmouth Football Club's community arm. Students won the Premier League Inspires Challenge and will travel to Everton FC's Hill Dickinson Stadium for finals. Students also participated in youth mental health presentation recognized at national level.
• PEAS (Promoting Equality in African Schools)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Ark teachers worked with PEAS network in Zambia supporting teachers to master effective teaching practices through review of resources and teacher training. Part of Global Schools Forum Fellowship Programme.
• Lockheed Martin / UNLOCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Twelve STEM ambassadors from Ark Charter participated in a STEM Challenge Day hosted by UNLOC and coordinated by Lockheed Martin. Students investigated real-world cybersecurity threats and designed innovative solutions, culminating in a professional pitch to Lockheed Martin employees. Team Charter emerged victorious.
• Chichester Festival TheatreminorOthers · 1 December 2025160 Year 9 pupils attended 'Dear England' production at Chichester Festival Theatre, engaging with themes of psychology, identity and racism in football.
• Lockheed MartincoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2025Global technology company coordinating STEM Challenge Days with UNLOC. Hosted student teams designing cybersecurity solutions, providing industry professionals for mentoring and judging.
• UNLOCcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2025Organization coordinating STEM Challenge Days. Brings together students from multiple schools to engage with industry professionals and develop problem-solving skills.
• The LighthouseminorOthers · 1 July 2025Local charity selected by winning First Give team (9Tut5). The school community donated £1000 to the charity following the students' social action project and presentation.
• Rotary Club Portsmouth and SouthseaminorOthers · 1 July 2025David Sanders, President of Rotary Club Portsmouth and Southsea, served as judge at the First Give final, evaluating student presentations on local charities.
• Portsmouth Sailing Training TrustminorOthers · 1 August 2022Students participated in sailing programme and regatta. Andante received the Standout Achievement Award and the Year 8 racing team won the regatta overall including the duck race.
• Somerville College, Oxford (Universify Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022Partnership through the Universify programme offering Year 10 students a summer residential at Oxford, providing authentic student experience and raising aspirations for higher education.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oasis Academy Trust: National multi-academy trust running secondary schools that share values-based ethos and similar non-selective admissions models relevant to Ark Charter.
• United Learning (multi-academy trust): Major UK multi-academy trust operating both primary and secondary schools; comparable on centralised curriculum design, teacher training pipelines, and shared services.
• Academies Enterprise Trust: Large UK academy sponsor operating non-selective secondary schools comparable to Ark Charter on admissions policy, funding model, and trust-level central services.
• Harris Federation (multi-academy trust): Large UK multi-academy trust operating secondary schools under similar funding and curriculum models; provides a comparison point for trust-level leverage and operational scale.

Direct peers

• Mayfield School, Portsmouth: Secondary school in Portsmouth competing head-to-head with Ark Charter for the same parent pool and serving a comparable non-selective intake.
• Admiral Lord Nelson School: Portsmouth secondary serving the same catchment area under similar coordinated admissions arrangements, sharing pupil-led ESFA funding dynamics.
• The Portsmouth Academy: Local state secondary in Portsmouth serving a similar demographic. Directly comparable pupil-led funding model and admissions pathway via Portsmouth City Council.
• Miltoncross Academy: Portsmouth-based secondary academy sharing the same local-authority admissions process and serving overlapping catchments, directly competing for Year 7 entrants.
• Priory School, Portsmouth: A non-selective Portsmouth secondary directly competing with Ark Charter for the same Year 6 cohort under coordinated admissions. Comparable on catchment, age range, and non-selective ethos.
• St Edmund's Catholic School: Faith-based secondary within the same Portsmouth admissions geography, also targeting families seeking values-led secondary education with church-school ethos.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charter-academy-limited

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CHARTER ACADEMY LIMITED