Proposal to merge two Ark academies after collapse in pupil numbers since the chain took over

One of England’s largest and most well-connected academy chains is proposing merging two of its secondary schools after, Education Uncovered can disclose, they suffered locally exceptional falls in pupil numbers under its management.

The roll at Ark William Parker Academy, a boys’ comprehensive in Hastings, East Sussex, has halved in the five years since its takeover by London-based chain Ark Schools, analysis of official DfE data by this website discloses.

That drop is the highest of any secondary in East Sussex, our scrutiny of 26 schools with comparable data over the period 2013 to 2018 shows.

Meanwhile, numbers at Ark Helenwood, a girls’ comprehensive also in Hastings, have slumped by 38 per cent since 2013, the joint-second highest fall in the county since 2013.

Ark has not denied that pupil numbers have slumped since it arrived. It told this website that difficulties with the schools’ sites, along with the fall in popularity of single-sex education, were part of the reason.