Mulberry Baird PrimaryArk Castledown Primary Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Hastings.
Summary of the comparison
Mulberry Baird Primary and Ark Castledown Primary Academy are primary schools in Hastings.
Mulberry Baird Primary scores 28 out of 100 (grade F, weak) and Ark Castledown Primary Academy scores 51 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Ark Castledown Primary Academy is ahead on our composite score.
Mulberry Baird Primary was judged Requires improvement and Ark Castledown Primary Academy was judged strong.
On the share of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2, the latest published figures are 56.0% for Mulberry Baird Primary and 78.0% for Ark Castledown Primary Academy.
The share of pupils meeting the expected standard at Key Stage 2 has risen at Mulberry Baird Primary (20.0% in 2022-23, 56.0% in 2024-25) and has risen at Ark Castledown Primary Academy (75.0% in 2022-23, 78.0% in 2024-25).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | HastingsMulberry Baird Primary | HastingsArk Castledown Primary Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | F28/100 | D51/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 126th of 136 in East Sussex | 68th of 136 in East Sussex Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Ofsted: StrongStronger figure | |
| School type | Academy sponsor led | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Primary | Primary | |
| Age range | 3-11 | 2-11 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 317 | 396 | |
| Capacity | 444 | 480 | |
| Location | Hastings, TN34 3TH | Hastings, TN34 3QT | |
| Key Stage 2 (SATs) | |||
| Reading, writing & maths at expected standard | 56.0% | 78.0% Stronger figure | 62.0% |
| At higher standard | 0.0% | 8.0% Stronger figure | 8.0% |
| Reading average scaled score | 105.0 Stronger figure | 104.0 | 106.0 |
| Maths average scaled score | 103.0 | 104.0 Stronger figure | 105.0 |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 317 | 396 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 50.5% | 58.4% | |
| English as an additional language | 12.0% | 24.7% | |
| SEN support | 27.8% | 20.7% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 3.1% | 3.0% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 7.8% | 6.4% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 24.0% | 19.3% Stronger figure | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
KS2: expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Mulberry Baird Primary
Ark Castledown Primary Academy
Full profiles: Mulberry Baird Primary · Ark Castledown Primary Academy