Their own payment-practices filing · gov.uk
Ark Schools pays suppliers in 35 days on average — 5 days past its stated terms
Their H1 2026 filing puts the average 5 days past the 30-day term they state.
- Their stated terms
- 30 days
- Paid outside agreed terms
- 31% of invoices
- Paid after 61+ days
- 10%
- Reporting period
- 1 Mar 2026 – 31 Aug 2026
- Source
- their gov.uk filing, filed 29 Sept 2026
Self-reported figures from their statutory filing. How this is compiled.
Terms vs reality · their H1 2026 filing
Paid 5 days past their stated terms
Where their invoices landed · share of all invoices
The pattern · last 6 of 18 reports
Holding steady around 35 days
The read · computed from their figures
Ark Schools's H1 2026 filing puts their average at 35 days against stated terms of 30 days; 31% of invoices were paid outside agreed terms and 10% took 61 days or longer. Filed 29 Sept 2026.
The pattern is steady — their reported average moves within about ±1 days period to period.
On the latest reported averages: Slower than 88% of the 309 large companies reporting in education.
That is 18 statutory periods on record (earliest H1 2018) — a historical record, not a promise for a new invoice.
In their own words · from the filing
Standard payment terms
1.1 The Supplier shall invoice the Customer for: (a) (if this contract is for the supply of goods only) the Goods no sooner than completion of delivery of the Goods or, if later, the Customer’s acceptance of the Goods or otherwise (b) (if this contract is for the supply of goods and services) no sooner than Completion of the Deliverables. 1.2 The Price for the Goods/ Services shall become due upon receipt of the invoice by the Customer (the “Due Date”). 1.3 The final date for payment of the Price shall be 30 days from the due date (the “Final Date for Payment”). 1.4 To the extent that the Customer wishes to make any deduction from the Price to be paid to the Customer they shall notify the Customer in writing no later than 7 days before the Final Date for Payment by the issue of a Pa
Dispute resolution
The organisation has a dedicated Accounts Payable Team which is contactable by phone and email. Each school have their own Finance team. For disputes related to schools, vendors should contact the school finance team in the first instance and escalate to the Accounts Payable Team if necessary. Vendors with invoice queries related to central invoices need to contact the Accounts Payable Team. The accounts payable team will reach out to the budget holder if they are unable to resolve or if it is not clear from the system why the invoice has not been approved for payment.
Every statutory report on record
Most recent first.
| Period | Avg days | Outside terms | 61+ days | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H1 2026 | 35 | 31% | 10% | 29 Sept 2026 |
| H1 2026 | 33 | 31% | 9% | 30 Mar 2026 |
| H1 2025 | 33 | 33% | 9% | 26 Sept 2025 |
| H1 2025 | 33 | 29% | 8% | 21 Mar 2025 |
| H1 2024 | 34 | 35% | 9% | 26 Sept 2024 |
| H1 2024 | 34 | 30% | 10% | 28 Mar 2024 |
| H1 2023 | 35 | 33% | 10% | 27 Sept 2023 |
| H1 2023 | 38 | 31% | 12% | 28 Mar 2023 |
| H1 2022 | 39 | 36% | 13% | 28 Sept 2022 |
| H1 2022 | 41 | 38% | 15% | 30 Mar 2022 |
| H1 2021 | 38 | 35% | 13% | 27 Sept 2021 |
| H1 2021 | 37 | 38% | 13% | 25 Mar 2021 |
| H1 2020 | 37 | 35% | 13% | 1 Oct 2020 |
| H1 2020 | 30 | 31% | 10% | 12 Mar 2020 |
| H1 2019 | 32 | 35% | 10% | 30 Sept 2019 |
| H1 2019 | 35 | 37% | 13% | 29 Mar 2019 |
| H1 2018 | 34 | 52% | 29% | 27 Sept 2018 |
| H1 2018 | 33 | 59% | 10% | 29 Mar 2018 |
On the public register · Companies House
Company record
- Status
- Active
- Type
- PRI/LBG/NSC (Private, Limited by guarantee, no share capital, use of 'Limited' exemption)
- Incorporated
- 26 Apr 2004
- Registered office
- 1 EDCITY, LONDON, W12 7TF
Illustrative · working-capital arithmetic
What a 35-day cycle ties up
A worked example, not a finding. On a hypothetical £12k/month account, at a 35-day vs a 30-day payment cycle.
Late Payment Act. The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 lets a supplier charge statutory interest and fixed compensation on invoices paid past agreed terms. Work out what a late invoice is worth → Whether it applies depends on your contract — check with an adviser.
Quick answers · Ark Schools
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More large companies in education
Ardingly College Limited · Aspire Academy Trust · Arden Multi Academy Trust · Asset Education · Archway Learning Trust · Athena Schools Trust
How UK payment reporting works
What is a Payment Practices Report?
What does "paid outside agreed terms" mean?
How often is this data updated?
Is this official government data?
How this is compiled. Built from official records only: Companies House and the gov.uk payment-practices service. The payment figures are self-reported — companies over the size threshold must file them by law and the board signs them off. No credit-agency data. The numbers are theirs; the plain-English read is ours. This is information compiled from public records under the Open Government Licence v3.0 — not a credit rating and not advice.
The 31-day comparison figure is the median across 6,104 companies with a current statutory report — every sector pooled, not an average of sector medians (how the figure is built).
Report PL-05112090 · latest period to 31 Aug 2026
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