Ark Alexandra Academy

What Ark Alexandra Academy does

Ark Alexandra Academy is a state-funded Church of England secondary school operating across two campuses (William Parker in Hastings and Helenswood in St. Leonards-on-Sea, approximately one mile apart) in East Sussex, United Kingdom. The school serves students in Years 7-11, typically aged 11-16, delivering a broad GCSE curriculum across more than 15 subject areas alongside an extended programme that includes Combined Cadet Force, Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions, performing arts, sport, and after-school clubs. Supporting services span SEND provision, mental health support through a Place2Be partnership, a QA-accredited PSHE/personal development curriculum, instrumental music tuition via Create Music, and STEM mentoring through the Generating Genius charity. Technology is consumed via third-party platforms rather than built in-house: My Child at School (MCAS) for parent engagement, iPayimpact for payments, and Seneca and Sparx for homework and revision.

The school is part of the Ark Schools multi-academy trust, a non-profit network of academies across England, and was formed from the merger of Helenswood Academy and William Parker Sports College. As a state-funded academy, Ark Alexandra receives government per-pupil funding and charges no tuition fees; the go-to-market is the standard UK national secondary school admissions process, with campus allocations determined under a unified admissions policy after offer acceptance. The school's marketing footprint centres on its website, open days, Year 6 transition events, and parent bulletins/newsletters. Following its June 2026 Ofsted inspection the school was graded 'Strong in all areas' and is positioned as the highest-performing secondary school in Hastings by Department for Education metrics (Attainment 8, English and Maths, EBacc entry).

The revenue model is structurally that of a public-sector educational institution: recurring state grants per pupil, with ancillary income from optional paid services (music tuition with Pupil Premium subsidies, school meals, uniform purchases via iPayimpact) and fundraising. The customer base is parents and students in the local catchment with no commercial customer diversification. External stakeholders include Place2Be (embedded mental health partner), Create Music / East Sussex Music Hub (tuition provider), Generating Genius (STEM mentors), and five house charities; the school also holds Cyber Essentials certification and a Gold kitemark from the SmartPhone Free School Rating scheme, reflecting a focus on regulatory and operational standards rather than commercial growth.

Name

Ark Alexandra Academy

Legal name

Ark Alexandra Academy

Website

https://arkalexandra.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ark Alexandra Academy is a state-funded Church of England secondary school in Hastings, East Sussex, operating across two campuses under the Ark Schools multi-academy trust, serving Years 7-11 students with GCSE preparation, mental health and music partnerships, and digital parent engagement tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Special Education & Inclusive Programs (EDAJACAF)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• GCSE curriculum
• Academy school
• Pastoral care
• SEND support

Headquarters

HQ city

Hastings

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Funding: As an academy within the Ark Schools network, the school receives government funding based on pupil numbers. No tuition fees are charged.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ark Alexandra Academy is a state-funded secondary school providing full-time education for students aged 11–16 (Years 7–11) across two campuses in Hastings, East Sussex. It delivers a broad and balanced National Curriculum-aligned programme culminating in GCSE qualifications in over 15 subjects, complemented by an extended curriculum of extracurricular activities, SEND provision, mental health support through Place2Be, and personal development/PSHE education. The school does not charge tuition fees as it is government funded.

Product overview

Ark Alexandra Academy is a Church of England secondary school operating across two campuses (Helenswood and William Parker) in Hastings, East Sussex. The institution offers a comprehensive secondary education programme spanning Years 7-11, providing a broad and balanced curriculum aligned to the National Curriculum with GCSE examination pathways in over 15 subject areas. The educational offering is structured around a core curriculum of traditional academic subjects complemented by an extended curriculum of extra-curricular activities including performing arts, sport, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Supporting services include SEND provision, mental health support through Place2Be partnership, personal development (PSHE), and instrumental music tuition. The school utilises digital parent engagement tools (MCAS and iPayimpact) for communication and payments. Students are allocated to one of two campuses under a unified admissions policy, with equitable distribution of resources and consistent implementation of the same curriculum and expectations across both sites.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary Education Curriculum (Years 7-11) Comprehensive secondary school curriculum covering core subjects (English, Mathematics, Science), humanities (History, Geography), creative arts (Art, Music, Drama, Dance), languages (French, Spanish), technology (Design & Technology, Computing), and personal development, culminating in GCSE examinations.
• GCSE Examination Subjects GCSE qualifications offered across a wide range of subjects including English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Combined Science, Separate Sciences, History, Geography, Religious Studies, Business Studies, Art, Photography, Music, Drama, Dance, Modern Foreign Languages (French/Spanish), Physical Education, Hospitality & Catering, and Design & Technology.
• Extended Curriculum and Extra-Curricular Activities Richer educational experiences beyond the classroom including Performing Arts (theatrical productions, music ensembles), Sport (competitive sports teams, inter-school competitions), Combined Cadet Force, Duke of Edinburgh Award (Bronze, Silver, Gold expeditions), and a wide range of after-school clubs.
• Personal Development Programme QA-accredited PSHE curriculum using Life Lessons and Unifrog resources, covering Relationships, Health & Wellbeing, and Living in the Wider World. Includes careers education aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks and Christian distinctiveness emphasis.
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Support Inclusive education programme providing high-quality support for students with special educational needs or disabilities, including careful assessment, close monitoring, reasonable adjustments, and celebration of achievement across both campuses.
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Services Partnership with Place2Be providing one-to-one counselling, small group support, and Place2Talk drop-in sessions. Includes signature strategies for mental health (breathe, ground, distance techniques) and whole-school positive mental health approach.
• Instrumental and Vocal Lessons Music tuition delivered by Create Music (East Sussex Music Hub), offering instrumental and vocal lessons with subsidies for Pupil Premium students (85% funded) and full funding for Looked After Children.
• Transition Programme Year 6 to Year 7 transition support including welcome letters, campus allocation process, induction days, SEND transition day, parent information evening, summer transition project, and one-to-one meetings with form tutors.
• Parent Engagement Platform Digital parent engagement tools including MyChild at School (MCAS) app for real-time updates, iPayimpact for school meal payments and uniform purchases, parent bulletins, newsletters, and parent handbooks.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Place2BecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's mental health charity that helps pupils explore their emotions and feel better about themselves. Young people can access the Place2Be room to express themselves through art and talking. Anna Atkinson serves as School Project Manager for Place2Be at the academy.
• Create Music (East Sussex Music Hub)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers instrumental and vocal lessons at both campuses. Cost varies by lesson type; Pupil Premium students receive 85% funding and Looked After Children are fully funded. Instrument hire is free.
• Generating Genius CharityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEM careers programme providing students with personally selected mentors from STEM industries who meet online to discuss career aspirations and pathways.
• SmartPhone Free School RatingminorOthersOrganisation that rates schools on smartphone-free policies; Ark Alexandra has achieved Gold kitemark status as a smartphone-free school since September 2024.
• RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution)minorOthersHouse charity supported by Aqua house. RNLI provides 24-hour rescue service in UK and Ireland, with Hastings lifeboat station having two lifeboats.
• Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS)minorOthersHouse charity supported by Aer house. Responds to over 3,300 incidents annually across Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, reaching any location within 30 minutes.
• Barby Keel Animal SanctuaryminorOthersHouse charity supported by Terra house at William Parker Campus. Non-profit charity founded in 1971, rehoming abused, abandoned and unwanted animals.
• Hastings FoodbankminorOthersHouse charity supported by Terra house at Helenswood Campus. Part of Trussell Trust network providing three days' nutritionally balanced emergency food to local people in crisis.
• Warming up the HomelessminorOthersHouse charity supported by Ignis house. Award-winning registered frontline charity supporting homeless people on the South East Coast from Hastings to Eastbourne, providing daily outreach support, food banks and welfare advocacy.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ark Globe Academy: All-through academy within Ark Schools providing a directly comparable secondary phase model, governance, and trust-level operational support structure.
• Oasis Academy South Bank: Secondary academy within Oasis Community Learning, a multi-academy trust, running an analogous state-funded secondary model with comparable curriculum, enrichment, and pastoral infrastructure.
• Ark Elvin Academy: Secondary academy within the Ark Schools network delivering the same network-wide curriculum framework, shared central services, and academy operating model as Ark Alexandra.
• Ark Burlington Danes Academy: Secondary academy operating under the same Ark Schools multi-academy trust as Ark Alexandra, with a comparable curriculum, ethos, and shared back-office model.
• Harris City Academy Crystal Palace: Secondary academy operated by Harris Federation, a large multi-academy trust, offering a comparable state-funded secondary model with similar curriculum breadth and trust-level shared services.

Regional players

• The Hastings Academy: Local state-funded secondary school serving the same Hastings catchment as Ark Alexandra, competing directly for the same pupil pool under the UK admissions system.

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: Large multi-academy trust operating a broad portfolio of state-funded and independent schools across England, representing a wider organisational peer to Ark Schools within the UK academy sector.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ark-alexandra-academy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles31 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 Ark Alexandra Academy