Landmark moment for recently opened Barnet secondary school which is celebrating pupils’ success in gaining places at leading universities

Ark Pioneer Academy, which was established in 2019, has achieved the all-important milestone of seeing a high proportion of its first intake of sixth formers going on to further study at some of the country’s top universities.

Since its opening on the site of what was previously Barnet Football Club’s stadium at Underhill, the school, which has over 1,100 pupils, has been consistently oversubscribed.

Principal Su Reddy – above with assistant principal and head of sixth form Tim Goundry – said she and her staff were delighted that the school had demonstrated a level achievement well above the national average.

“We are all so proud of our school community, seeing our first sixth formers moving on to excellent universities, apprenticeships and future pathways,” said Ms Reddy.

“We are a consistently oversubscribed, high performing school which sits in well within a borough with one of the highest performances in secondary education.”

Four of the outgoing sixth formers have accepted places at King’s College, London, three at University College London and at other universities including Durham, Exeter, Warwick, Southampton and the Royal Northern College of Music at Manchester.

Mr Goundry said Ark Pioneer was offering what is now their third yearly intake of 100 sixth formers a total of 18 A level subjects alongside BTEC diplomas in science or business.

A third of Ark’s sixth form students join from other schools around Barnet and Enfield and further afield.

Four of the students who went on to university secured a bursary to help with their living expenses, an award open to students across the network of Ark academies.

A recent innovation for the school is a partnership with Imperial College, London, under which 35 students are being mentored by academics from the college who will work with the pupils on personal research projects.

Another initiative is that Ark has become a local hub for hosting events organised by Oxford and Cambridge colleges help to prepare students for university interviews.

Ark Pioneer’s success with their first A-level and BTEC results – with grades ranging from a total 98.9% at A*-E up to 14.7% at A*-A – was praised by Councillor Josh Tapper of Underhill ward who said he was sure this local school would continue to go from strength to strength.

Ark Pioneer is holding a sixth form open evening on Thursday 22 October from 16.30 to 19.30.

Ms Reddy emphasised Ark’s commitment to developing strong links with the community.

Pupils and parents make donations towards the Chipping Barnet Food Bank and work with the First Give fund-raising project which recently helped raise money for the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.