Ark Castledown Primary Academy

Primary
Academy
Ages 2 to 11

Report card: Strong standard to exceptional

Priory Road, Hastings, TN34 3QTOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Ark Castledown Primary Academy is a primary school in Hastings for ages 2 to 11. It is one of the 214 schools in East Sussex. It ranks 4th of 9 primary schools in Hastings. Its latest Ofsted outcome is a report card, from an inspection in November 2025.

Ofsted report card

Inspected 11 November 2025, report published 11 January 2026

Each area is graded from urgent improvement to exceptional, and safeguarding is either met or not met.

Inclusion: Exceptional
Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard
Achievement: Strong standard
Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard
Personal development and wellbeing: Strong standard
Leadership and governance: Strong standard
Early years: Strong standard
Safeguarding: Met

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

49 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths78%

78%, 16 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths8%

8%, the same as the England average.

Reading, average scaled score104

104, 2 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score104

104, 1 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score103

103, 2 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

403 pupils on roll, with places for 480

Eligible for free school meals51.9%

51.9%, 25.4 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language21.8%

21.8%, 0.2 percentage points above the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support18.1%

18.1%, 3.3 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan3.2%

3.2%, 2.8 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Ark Castledown Primary Academy

School	Distance	Ofsted	Results
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School	0.3 miles	Ofsted: Good	Not published
Mulberry Baird Primary	0.4 miles	Ofsted: Requires improvement	56% met the expected standard
Dudley Infant Academy	0.4 miles	Ofsted: Good	Not published
All Saints CofE Junior Academy	0.6 miles	Ofsted: Good	63% met the expected standard
Ark Blacklands Primary Academy	0.8 miles	Ofsted: Outstanding	92% met the expected standard

School details

School type: Academy sponsor led
Sector: Academy
Trust: ARK SCHOOLS
Age range: 2 to 11
Gender: Mixed
Nursery classes: Yes
Headteacher: Miss Rebecca Stewart
Phone: 01424444046
Website: arkcastledown.org (opens in a new tab)
Address: Priory Road, Hastings, TN34 3QT
Local authority: East Sussex
URN: 144083

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.