Welcome to Ark Byron Primary Academy, a primary school for 4-11 year olds which opened in September 2015.
Our school is non-denominational and non-selective and we welcome pupils from all backgrounds. We have two forms of entry and have a maximum of 420 pupils in our school. At Ark Byron, we are committed to providing the best possible education and school community experience, whilst also expecting the highest standards from staff, pupils and parents.
Our aim is to set the foundations for a successful life, where pupils can achieve the career of their choice, and access enhanced opportunities. Whilst we believe in high academic standards, learning at Ark Byron is not simply about academic achievement. We want to develop the whole child to become caring and considerate, with a true love of learning. We are proud to be part of Ark – a leading education charity and one of the country’s top-performing academy operators, with a shared mission to transform lives through education.
We are situated at the edge of Acton Park and we enjoy maximizing this unique location to help our pupils develop an interest in, and respect for, the natural world and the environment.
We look forward to welcoming you to our school community.
Rebecca Ross-Wood
Rebecca has been a part of the Ark network since 2012 and a Principal since 2018. Since joining Ark Byron, she has introduced initiatives including five new pupil-led committees; half-termly outdoor learning experiences for every child and weekly coaching for all teaching members of staff. Rebecca is passionate about enhancing Byron’s whole school community by creating more opportunities for staff, pupils and parents to work collaboratively.
Rebecca completed her PGCE at the Institute of Education and has also received the National Professional Qualification for Headship. She is passionate about providing children with the chance to learn the skills and knowledge required to achieve excellence both academically and beyond the curriculum. Before teaching, Rebecca graduated from the University of Durham with a degree in Natural Sciences.
Outside of her work, Rebecca enjoys spending time in the great outdoors with her family.
Our vision
Our vision is for our pupils to have the courage to reach for the sky and to lead extraordinary and meaningful lives. We have high expectations of all pupils and build on their natural curiosity to develop a life-long passion for learning. This is underpinned by strong collaboration between our pupils, staff and parents to ensure the success of each pupil, as well as the whole school community.
Our values
We encourage children and adults to follow the Ark Byron values in everything we do in the academy, not only in terms of our learning but also in our conduct and behaviour. Our Ark Byron values are:
- Exploration – to have curiosity and seek out new knowledge and experiences
- Endeavour – to work hard and always try our best
- Excellence – to be the best we can be
- Courage - to face our fears
- Respect - to be mindful of the needs and feelings of others and to show care to our environments
The Ark pillars
As part of the Ark Schools Academy network, we follow six key principles in order to make Ark Byron a happy, friendly and nurturing school for your child.
High expectations – We hold the highest expectations for all members of our community. We are committed to giving every pupil at our school the opportunity, by the age of 18, to go on to university or pursue the career of their choice.
Excellent teaching – Ark Byron teachers pursue excellence for every child and instil a love of learning in our pupils. They have excellent subject knowledge and understanding of the curriculum. They skilfully plan opportunities for every child to be challenged and to reach their full potential.
Exemplary behaviour – We are a happy, inclusive community and all members of our school community contribute to creating a respectful, tolerant and calm environment that is ideal for learning.
Knowing every child – We strive to know every child and understand their needs, motivations and aspirations in order to support and challenge every pupil to be the best they can be.
Depth for breadth – All Ark Byron pupils secure firm foundations in English and mathematics and this drives excellence in other subject areas. Pupils are given opportunities to apply English and Maths skills in a variety of contexts, making connections across topics. Regular assessments and interventions ensure that pupils are supported to keep up, not catch up.
Always learning – Excellent teaching is underpinned by high quality professional development and training, which is part of daily life at the academy. We are committed to identifying our team's talent and nurturing individual strengths to create a community of exceptional teachers, highly skilled support staff, thoughtful managers and strategic leaders.
Ark Byron's logo
The Ark Byron logo of a tree and bird not only reflects our home in Acton Park, but also symbolises how children at our school put down firm roots of learning and knowledge to enable them to grow and flourish as people. Our vision is to maximise the benefit of our park location to enable children to develop their knowledge of and respect for the natural environment.
Ada Lovelace
English mathematician Ada Lovelace, the daughter of famed poet Lord Byron, showed her gift for mathematics at an early age. She translated an article on an invention by Charles Babbage and has been called "the first computer programmer" for writing an algorithm for a computing machine in the mid-1800s.
As a school, we encourage our pupils to take inspiration from Lovelace's achievements by celebrating 'Ada Lovelace Day' annually and referencing her accomplishments within our daily teaching and provision. At Ark Byron we admire all that Ada achieved and wish for our pupils to explore their passions and succeed in the same way she did.