How can we close the education gap? A look at international charity, Ark

Source: Ark

Naomi Allman profiles Ark, a charity aiming to provide an education for all children, regardless of their socioeconomic background. 

As someone who grew up with two teachers as parents, education has always been a part of my life. Even when I wasn’t in school, I was still enshrouded by this thing that so many of us take for granted. But why do teachers matter? For such a simple question, there are so many answers. They lay the foundations upon which we build throughout the rest of our lives, both educationally and personally. A truly great teacher can change a student’s life.

It is still the case that in the UK, the strongest predictor of how a child will do at school is the occupation of their parents. Young people without good GCSE results are 27 times more likely to be unemployed. A student from a low-income background is more likely to start school academically behind their peers. In a country where out of 900 teachers, 60% said child poverty in schools had been worsening since 2015, it is paramount that we do whatever we can to ensure that every single child - regardless of race, religion, or class - gets the basic human right of an education.

London is the perfect example of a diverse city, with stark differences between boroughs only a few miles away from each other. It may be surprising then to find out that the gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students is being narrowed. In Inner London, a higher percentage of disadvantaged students go onto Higher Education in comparison with non-disadvantaged students (59% vs 55%). Though this trend is reversed in Outer London, the difference is merely 2% between non-disadvantaged and disadvantaged students (56% vs 58%). The improvement is being widely celebrated, and rightly so, for improving opportunities for young people.

This does not, however, negate the issue across the rest of the country. Being from a lower socioeconomic background is an enduring issue when it comes to educational achievement. This is a key part in determining social mobility, risk of poverty, and lifetime earnings. For too long, there has been a discrepancy between disadvantaged students and non-disadvantaged students regarding educational achievement and real life opportunities. 

This is where Ark comes in. Ark (Absolute Return for Kids) is an educational charity which started with one school, over ten years ago, and has since grown into a network of 37 schools across four regions in the UK: London, Birmingham, Hastings, Portsmouth. Ark has always believed that, with the right approach, every school has the potential to succeed - even in the most challenging circumstances. Ark Teacher Training launched with its first cohort in September 2013. Since then, the programme has been rated as outstanding in all areas by Ofsted in January 2017 and is growing every year, as it continues to partner with new schools. 

Ark’s mission is simple: to provide every student with an excellent education and real life choices irrespective of what socio-economic background they come from. Ark is so passionate about its mission because they believe that nothing should be a barrier to children achieving. This mission is what draws people into Ark. One trainee said the reason they signed up was “the impressive social mission - Ark’s ethos - stood out and felt like more than just lip service.” 

Ark is a multi-academy trust with two key elements. First is the two year Teacher Training Programme: one year of desk-based learning, followed by an NQT (Newly Qualified Teacher) programme. Ark primarily works  in disadvantaged areas with a history of academic underachievement - and they only work in areas where the need is greatest. Ark’s main aim to to make a real difference. From day one, the trainees are placed into a classroom of students they stay with for the entire year and learn how to fulfil Ark’s mission. From day one, they are making a difference.

However, when facing an issue like this, it cannot be solved by one group alone. Alongside Ark Teacher Training and the network of Ark schools comes ‘Ark Ventures’. Ark has supported a myriad of ventures that tackle issues across education and society, both in the UK and across the world. All have the potential to deliver widespread system change. These ventures include the Global Schools Forum, Peepul, and Frontline. In Ark’s own words: “We incubate, launch and scale ventures that share our mission and values.” It is only through this collaboration that Ark can work towards transforming the lives of all children.

And one of the things that makes Ark stand out? They’re succeeding at both levels. Not only are 85% of their recent trainees graded ‘Outstanding’, Ark are providing their students with an amazing education: 59% pass English and Maths GCSEs, compared with the national average of 43%. And last year, 76% of the sixth formers earned a place at university, where the national average is 59%. A recent graduate from the Training programme said in an interview that teaching “is the most rewarding job...the difference you will make is absolutely huge!” The graduate’s passion, alongside the statistics, emphasise Ark’s success as well as the importance of their mission.

These may just sound like numbers on a page, but real students’ lives are being improved as a result of Ark’s tireless work to provide every child with the best education. This systemic issue will not be solved overnight. The solution is a process, in which Ark will be present at every single step. 

If you want to get to know more about Ark then visit their website for more information. If you want to get involved and express your interest for next year’s intake of trainees, follow this link.