Ark Charter Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Southsea, Portsmouth, for children and young people aged 11 to 16. In January 2026, 173 of its 883 pupils (19.6%) were getting SEN support and 30 (3.4%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–16
- 883 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Portsmouth.
19.6% get SEN support
173 of 883 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Higher than the England average.
3.4% have an EHC plan
30 of 883 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health69
- Speech, language and communication57
- Moderate learning difficulty26
- Autism21
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia18
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 883 (places for 900)
- Headteacher
- Mr Christian Down (Principal)
- Part of
- Ark Schools
- Faith
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 65.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Portsmouth
- School reference (URN)
- 135965
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Portsmouth council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, December 2024
Inspected in December 2024. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Hyde Park Road, Southsea, PO5 4HL
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Arundel Court Primary Academy and Nursery Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.4 miles
- Penbridge Infant School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–7 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Mary Rose Academy Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.4 miles
- The Harbour School Special school · Ages 5–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.8 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Ark Ayrton Primary Academy Primary · Ages 2–11 · SEN support 9.1%, EHC plans 8.5% 0.2 miles
- St Edmund's Catholic School Secondary · Ages 11–16 · SEN support 11.2%, EHC plans 2.7% 0.2 miles
- St John's Cathedral Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 12.7%, EHC plans 7.6% 0.3 miles
All mainstream schools in Portsmouth SEND schools in Portsmouth
Questions about Ark Charter Academy
How many pupils at Ark Charter Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 173 of the 883 pupils (19.6%) were getting SEN support and 30 (3.4%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Ark Charter Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (69 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (57 pupils) and moderate learning difficulties (26 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Ark Charter Academy?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Ark Charter Academy?
Through Portsmouth council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Ark Charter Academy?
You can ask for Ark Charter Academy to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Ark Charter Academy have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Arundel Court Primary Academy and Nursery, about 0.4 miles away.
Where is Ark Charter Academy?
Hyde Park Road, Southsea, PO5 4HL, in Portsmouth.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.