Ark Kings Academy
Ark Kings Academy is a state-funded all-through school in Birmingham, part of the Ark Schools multi-academy trust, providing free education to children aged 3-16 across primary and secondary campuses with a knowledge-rich curriculum and 1:1 Chromebooks.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ark Kings Academy does
Ark Kings Academy is a state-funded all-through school in Birmingham, England, providing free education to children aged 3-16 across two campuses: a primary phase at Tees Grove (B38 9DH) and a secondary phase at Shannon Road (B38 9DE). It is part of Ark Schools, a multi-academy trust (MAT) operating 39 schools across Birmingham, Hastings, London and Portsmouth. Pupils follow a knowledge-rich, expert-sequenced curriculum via Ark Curriculum Plus (including Maths Mastery and English Mastery), with a strong emphasis on reading, SEND and EAL support (including Flash Academy licences), and an on-site Place2Be counsellor for mental health and welfare. Extended curriculum offerings include the Ark Music Programme (with an annual gala at venues such as the Barbican Centre, funded in part by a £20,000 Restore the Music grant), the Duke of Edinburgh Award, careers provision integrated through Unifrog, and over 40 extra-curricular clubs.
The school's technology stack combines a 1:1 Chromebook programme (Year 5+ in primary, all secondary, with over 500 laptops deployed at secondary) with a portfolio of third-party SaaS learning and wellbeing platforms: Sparx Maths, Seneca Learning, LanguageNut, Hegarty Maths, Oak National Academy, BBC Bitesize, Microsoft Teams Assignments, Ark Spark, Unifrog, and SHARP for behaviour management, alongside iPay Impact for parental payments and Applicca Admissions+ for in-year admissions. In March 2024 the school was rated 'Good' by Ofsted in all areas, a significant improvement from its February 2022 special measures designation.
Commercially, Ark Kings operates a non-revenue, per-pupil funding model: it charges no tuition, and its operating budget is set by Department for Education funding flows routed via Birmingham City Council. Admissions for Reception and Year 7 intakes are coordinated through the Birmingham City Council admissions portal (with application deadlines of 15 January 2027 and 31 October 2026 respectively), while in-year admissions are handled directly by the school via the Applicca Admissions+ system. The school supplements this core funding with grants (e.g. Restore the Music) and partnerships (Place2Be, Magic Breakfast, NFL). As an academy within a non-profit MAT, the entity has no shareholders, no external equity exposure, and no commercial customer base; its "customers" are pupils, parents and Birmingham City Council as referring local authority.
Ark Kings Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ark Kings Academy
- Legal name
- Ark Kings Academy
- Website
- https://arkkingsacademy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ark Kings Academy is a state-funded all-through school in Birmingham, part of the Ark Schools multi-academy trust, providing free education to children aged 3-16 across primary and secondary campuses with a knowledge-rich curriculum and 1:1 Chromebooks.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ark Kings Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Primary and Secondary Education (K-12)
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Early Childhood Development (ECD) & Pre-Primary Education (BPADAKAB)
Keywords
Where Ark Kings Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ark Kings Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- State Education Funding: As a state-funded academy within the Ark Schools network, Ark Kings Academy receives government funding for education services. The school is free to attend for all pupils, with funding coming from the Department for Education via local authority funding arrangements.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ark Kings Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ark Kings Academy is a state-funded all-through school in Birmingham, UK, delivering education to children aged 3-16 across Nursery, Primary (Reception to Year 6), and Secondary (Year 7 to Year 11) phases leading to GCSE qualifications. The school is part of the Ark Schools multi-academy trust and provides a knowledge-rich curriculum supplemented by extensive digital learning platforms (Sparx Maths, Seneca Learning, LanguageNut, Microsoft Teams) and a 1:1 Chromebook programme for Year 5 and Secondary pupils. Education is free at the point of delivery, funded by the UK Department for Education via local authority arrangements.
Product overview
Ark Kings Academy is an all-through school (Nursery to Year 11) operated by the Ark Schools multi-academy trust. The Academy offers a unified educational programme comprising three phases: Nursery (ages 3+), Primary (Reception to Year 6), and Secondary (Year 7 to Year 11). The core educational products are supplemented by extended curriculum offerings including the Ark Music Programme with annual gala performances, a comprehensive Careers Programme integrated with Unifrog, and over 40 extra-curricular activities spanning performing arts, sport, and clubs. The Academy provides digital learning through platforms including Sparx Maths, Seneca Learning, LanguageNut, and Microsoft Teams, with a 1:1 device programme (Chromebooks from Year 5 in Primary and for all Secondary students). Additional services include SEND support, Ark Teacher Training (rated Outstanding by Ofsted), and mental health support through Place2Be partnership.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Nursery Education
- Primary Education
- Secondary Education
- SEND Support
- Ark Music Programme
- Careers Programme
- Extended Curriculum (Clubs, Sport, Performing Arts)
- Ark Teacher Training
Quantifiable outcome
- 4 percentage point increase in pupils achieving grades 9–4 in English and Maths
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ark Kings Academy
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Ark Kings Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
Feature4 records
Ark Kings Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Place2BecoreMental health charity partnership providing comprehensive approach to mental health and wellbeing. Place2Be professionals work with individuals one-to-one or in small groups, providing regular support for pupils who need it. Agreement is obtained from parents/carers before individual counselling, with regular updates provided.
- Magic BreakfastcoreMagic Breakfast provides nutritious breakfast food to ensure children start their school day in the best possible way. The partnership ensures pupils are settled and ready to learn, with breakfast providing the energy needed for busy school mornings.
- Ark Schools NetworkcorePart of the Ark Schools multi-academy trust network of 39 schools across Birmingham, Hastings, London, and Portsmouth. Provides sector-leading training, resources, and expertise. Teachers access network-wide CPD, coaching, and opportunities to lead programmes.
- Ark Teacher TrainingmajorOutstanding-rated (Ofsted) teacher training programme that provides high-quality professional development. Ark Kings benefits from well-trained graduates entering the teaching profession through this programme.
- Birmingham City CouncilcoreAdmissions are coordinated through Birmingham City Council's coordinated admissions arrangements for both primary and secondary phases. The local authority manages the application process and communicates offers to parents.
- Ark Curriculum PlusmajorProvides curriculum support including Maths Mastery (original inspiration for national teaching for mastery approach) and English Mastery programmes, shaped by practices from Ark primary schools.
- FFT EducationminorEducation data organisation that provides attendance awards and recognition for schools with outstanding attendance compared to national figures.
- Universities and EmployersminorSchools visits prestigious universities and employers as part of careers programme. Pupils receive one-to-one careers guidance to prepare for future pathways.
- NFL (National Football League)minorPartnership for physical activity and sports programmes, including NFL Flag football tournaments and the AllStars event promoting teamwork, resilience, and community engagement.
- Barbican CentreminorVenue partner for the annual Ark Music Gala where pupils perform. The tenth Ark Music Gala had nearly 1300 guests including teachers, support staff, families and donors.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Ark Kings Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- United Learning: Large UK MAT running both state-funded academies and independent schools. Comparable on scale of network, shared curriculum resources, and approach to teacher training and development.
- Oasis Community Learning: UK multi-academy trust running all-through academies with a strong focus on character education and community engagement — directly comparable on all-through structure and extended curriculum emphasis.
- Greenwood Academies Trust: Multi-academy trust operating schools across the Midlands with similar demographic mix and a comparable focus on improving outcomes in urban catchments.
- Star Academies: Multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary schools across the UK with a knowledge-rich curriculum approach similar to Ark's. Comparable on curriculum philosophy and network operating model.
- Harris Federation: One of the largest UK multi-academy trusts, operating a portfolio of primary and secondary academies with a similar trust-led curriculum and CPD model. Directly comparable on governance structure, scale ambition, and urban academy footprint.
- Reach Academy Feltham: Smaller all-through academy in the London area with a comparable focus on character development, extended curriculum, and university destinations. Relevant peer for a school of similar size and all-through ambition.
- Ark St Alban's Academy: Another Ark Schools academy in Birmingham delivering secondary education with the same network-led curriculum and teacher training pipeline. Closely comparable on admissions geography, pupil demographics, and trust-level operating model.
- Outwood Grange Academies Trust: One of the largest UK MATs with a strong focus on school improvement and outcomes-driven performance, particularly in the North and Midlands. Comparable on the school-improvement-from-low-baseline narrative and data-led operating approach.
- Ark Boulton Academy: A sibling school within the Ark Schools multi-academy trust operating an all-through provision in Birmingham. Directly comparable as a same-network academy facing similar cohort demographics, admissions arrangements, and curriculum model.
Broad incumbents
- Nord Anglia Education: Global premium schools group offering K–12 education with strong digital learning and extracurricular programmes. Relevant as a broader incumbent in K–12 education with overlapping emphasis on digital tools and extended curriculum, though positioned in the fee-paying segment.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ark Kings Academy social profiles
Digital presenceArk Kings Academy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Ark Kings Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ark Kings Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Ark Kings Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ark Kings Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ark Kings Academy
What does Ark Kings Academy do?
Ark Kings Academy is a state-funded all-through school in Birmingham, UK, delivering education to children aged 3-16 across Nursery, Primary (Reception to Year 6), and Secondary (Year 7 to Year 11) phases leading to GCSE qualifications. The school is part of the Ark Schools multi-academy trust and provides a knowledge-rich curriculum supplemented by extensive digital learning platforms (Sparx Maths, Seneca Learning, LanguageNut, Microsoft Teams) and a 1:1 Chromebook programme for Year 5 and Secondary pupils. Education is free at the point of delivery, funded by the UK Department for Education via local authority arrangements.
Is Ark Kings Academy a public or private company?
Ark Kings Academy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ark Kings Academy founded?
Ark Kings Academy was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ark Kings Academy based?
Ark Kings Academy is headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Ark Kings Academy make money?
One revenue line is on record: state Education Funding.
Who are Ark Kings Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are United Learning, Oasis Community Learning, Greenwood Academies Trust, Star Academies, Harris Federation, Reach Academy Feltham, Ark St Alban's Academy, Outwood Grange Academies Trust and Ark Boulton Academy. Nord Anglia Education is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Ark Kings Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ark Kings Academy.
What industry is Ark Kings Academy in?
Ark Kings Academy's product category is Primary and Secondary Education (K-12). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAAAB, Public Elementary Schools, with a secondary code of BPADAKAB, Early Childhood Development (ECD) & Pre-Primary Education. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.