Ark Kings Academy

Ark Kings Academy is a co-educational all-through school located in Kings Norton, Birmingham, West Midlands, England. Serving students aged 3 to 16, it operates across two sites: the Primary Academy at Tees Grove and the Secondary Academy at Shannon Road. The school is part of the Ark Schools network, a registered charity under English law and sponsored by the parent charity Ark.

The Secondary Academy began as Primrose Hill Senior School in 1967, later renamed Kings Norton High School in 1993 to avoid confusion with a nearby primary school. In September 2012, the school converted to academy status and was renamed Ark Kings Academy. The Primary Academy originated as Primrose Hill Primary School, which converted to academy status in September 2012 under the name Ark Rose Primary Academy. In September 2017, Ark Rose Primary Academy formally merged with Ark Kings Academy, sharing an amalgamated senior leadership and administration team.

As of the current academic year, Ark Kings Academy does not offer a Sixth Form. Students completing Year 11 who meet the entry requirements are often encouraged to continue their education at Ark St Alban's Sixth Form, an Ark School in Highgate, Birmingham, located approximately 16 minutes away, which has consistently achieved strong academic results.

Ark Kings Academy emphasizes the development of character alongside academic achievement. The school's core values are:

Wisdom, Resilience & Kindness

These values permeate all aspects of school life, guiding interactions among students, staff, and the wider community.

In 2022, the school was given a funding warning after being found inadequate during an Ofsted inspection. The Ofsted report, published in May 2022, following an inspection in February 2022, said: "Some pupils, particularly those who identify as LGBT, experience repeated name-calling and prejudiced behaviour. This means that pupils do not feel safe in the school."^[1]

In March 2024, Ark Kings Academy was rated Good in all areas—education, behaviour, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision—by Ofsted. The inspection highlighted the school's strong leadership, effective teaching, and positive learning environment.

Executive Principal: Caz Brasenell

Head of Secondary: Thom O’Brien

Head of Primary: Jamie Taylor

Regional Director: Gail Peyton

Chair of Governors: Alastair Wilcox

Website: arkkingsacademy.org

Primary Academy Address: Tees Grove, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B38 9DH

Secondary Academy Address: Shannon Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B38 9DE

Phone (Primary): 0121 458 5380

Phone (Secondary): 0121 459 4451