Welcome to Ark Byron

Ark Byron Primary Academy opened its doors in September 2015. The school is neither selective nor fee paying and welcomes pupils from all backgrounds. As of September 2021, we now have a full seven year groups ranging from Reception to Year 6, and a total of 420 pupils. At Ark Byron, we are committed to providing the best possible education and school experience, whilst also expecting the highest standards from staff, pupils and parents.  

Our mission is to set the foundations for a successful future life, where pupils can achieve the university or 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. Take a look at our news pages to glimpse some of the varied learning experiences enjoyed by Byron children. Ofsted graded Ark Byron as a "good school" (November 2018) and there is a copy of the report on this website.

Ark Byron’s values and our logo encapsulate our vision and ethos. Our motto, “Courage to reach for the sky”, reflects the ambitious aspirations we have for each pupil, encouraging them to aim high in everything that they do. Pupils are encouraged to try new things, to challenge themselves and never give up. By doing so, they will excel in everything they do.

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.

In 2018, we moved into our purpose-built building on the edge of Acton Park. We enjoy using this unique location to help our pupils develop an interest in, and respect for, the natural world and the environment.

We hope you enjoy looking at the website and look forward to welcoming you to Ark Byron.

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 your best
• Excellence – to be the best you can be

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.

The Ark mission is: “To begin the journey to enable every pupil to go to university or pursue the appropriate career of their choice.” This goes beyond academic results; we put great emphasis developing our pupils into outstanding citizens who show kindness, respect and consideration to others and their environment, so making the world a better place.

Our motto, “Courage to reach for the sky!” reflects our high expectations for every child. We believe that, by aiming high and setting ambitious goals, pupils will be able to achieve their full potential, though this will require real effort and persistence.

We support our pupils to be brave and take risks in order to improve, to learn new things and to embrace new experiences, so that they become resilient and equipped to deal with life's challenges and opportunities.

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.

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.