The Kick Start Academy

What The Kick Start Academy does

The Kick Start Academy (TheKSAcademy Ltd, company number 15977685) is a West Midlands-based, multi-division sports and activity provider founded in 2010 by Tony Kilday, a former professional footballer, and rebranded as The KSA Group in 2018. The company operates seven core service divisions: KSA School Services (PE and school sport delivery, Sports Premium packages, Staff CPD, and PE Passport-integrated assessment tracking); KSA School Holiday Camps (Ofsted-registered, multi-award winning programmes for children aged 4-12 across 10+ venues); KSA Swim School (lessons at 11 Midlands venues teaching 950+ children weekly with a reported 99.7% progression rate); Kick N Mix Before & After School Club; KSA Stay N Play and EYFS/Small Steps early years programmes; KSA Footy Tots (football coaching for ages 2-7); and KSA Party Packages plus equipment hire. A distinctive technical and physical asset is a proprietary mobile 32ft x 16ft heated pop-up swimming pool that is transported to and installed at school sites, enabling on-premises intensive swimming lessons and eliminating school transport to public pools.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model: direct-to-consumer booking for holiday camps and swim school via website, phone, and venue-specific channels; relationship-based direct sales into primary and secondary schools; and formal local authority contracts — notably the HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programme with Birmingham City Council and Solihull Council serving over 700 children per holiday cycle. Pricing spans tiered holiday camp rates (£20-£35 per day), five-tier birthday packages (£99-£4,500), and B2B school packages funded primarily through Sports Premium allocations and council HAF budgets. Ancillary revenue comes from partnerships with NHS Birmingham Children's Hospital and Mencap, and capital-light hire services (bell tents, teepees, 11 inflatables).

The company is privately held with no disclosed external investment or institutional backing, operates as a limited company registered in England and Wales, and is led by founder Tony Kilday as Group CEO. Revenue, headcount detail within the 11-50 range, and financial performance are not publicly disclosed. Geographic operations are concentrated entirely within the West Midlands, and the technology stack is intentionally light — centred on the PE Passport third-party assessment portal and standard web booking — with no disclosed AI, automation, or proprietary software beyond the physical pop-up pool infrastructure.

Name

The Kick Start Academy

Legal name

TheKSAcademy Ltd

Website

https://theksagroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Kick Start Academy (The KSA Group) is a West Midlands-based, multi-division sports and activity provider founded in 2010, delivering holiday camps, school PE and Sports Premium services, swim school lessons, before/after school clubs, and early-years programmes to children aged 2-12 across approximately 18 venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices19 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Holiday Camps: School holiday sports and activity camps for children aged 4-12, offering various booking options (full day, half day, before/after school) at venues throughout the West Midlands. Ofsted registered provider accepting childcare vouchers.
2. School PE Services: Sustainable PE and school sport programmes delivered in primary/secondary schools, including Sports Premium packages, teacher CPD, and staff mentorship. Schools can incorporate services into their Sports Premium allowance.
3. Swim School: Swimming lessons across 11 venues in the Midlands, teaching over 950 children per week. Includes learn-to-swim programmes, aqua sensory, aqua tots, 1-2-1 lessons, adult lessons, and intensive holiday courses.
4. Birthday Party Packages: Event packages ranging from Bronze (£99-£200) to VIP (£1000-£4500), including full-time party planner and bespoke arrangements.
5. EYFS and Early Years Programmes: Early years provision including 'Small Steps' programme for nurseries, Stay N Play sessions, and Footy Tots football coaching for ages 2-7.
6. Equipment Hire: Bell tent and teepee hire, inflatable hire (11 inflatables available) for events and parties.
7. HAF Programme: Holiday Activities and Food programmes delivered in partnership with Birmingham & Solihull Councils for children receiving benefit-related free school meals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Kick Start Academy Group delivers sports, activity, and childcare services for children aged 2-12 and related audiences across the West Midlands, operating through service divisions including holiday camps, school PE delivery, swimming lessons, before/after-school clubs, EYFS programmes, birthday parties, and equipment hire. The company combines a proprietary mobile pop-up swimming pool infrastructure with Ofsted-registered childcare provision to serve both parents (B2C) and schools/local authorities (B2B).

Product overview

The Kick Start Academy Group is a multi-award winning sports and activity provision company operating primarily in the West Midlands, founded in 2010. The company operates as a platform of interconnected service divisions rather than a single product, organized into distinct business units: KSA School Services (delivering PE and school sport to educational institutions), KSA School Holiday Camps (offering sports and activity camps during school holidays), KSA Swim School (swimming lessons across 11 venues), Kick N Mix Before & After School Club (wraparound childcare), KSA Footy Tots (football coaching for young children), KSA Stay N Play (EYFS-aligned early years sessions), and KSA Birthday Party Packages (event services). Additional offerings include Bell Tents & Teepee Hire, Inflatable Hire, Pop Up Swimming Pools for schools, Sports Premium Packages, Staff CPD training, the Small Steps EYFS Programme, Active Care Homes programmes, and the HAF Programme (Holiday Activities and Food) for children receiving free school meals. Holiday camps include specialized sub-brands for Football, Arts and Crafts, Multi-Sport, and Swim camps. The company serves nursery settings, primary/secondary schools, children's centres, local organisations, care homes, and families throughout the Midlands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KSA School Services PE and school sport provision services delivered to primary and secondary schools throughout the Midlands, including curriculum support, teacher CPD, and sports premium package management.
• KSA School Holiday Camps Multi-award winning sports and activity holiday camps for children aged 4-12, offering football, arts and crafts, multi-sport, and swim camps at venues throughout the West Midlands.
• Kick N Mix Before & After School Club Before and after-school club providing childcare with sports and activity provision for working parents.
• KSA Swim School Swimming lesson programmes teaching over 950 children weekly across 11 venues in the Midlands, featuring learn-to-swim programmes, aqua sensory, aqua tots, 1-2-1 lessons, adult lessons, and a 99.7% progression success rate.
• KSA Birthday Party Packages Event party packages in five tiers (VIP, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) ranging from £99-£4,500, offering ultimate party experiences with full-time party planner services.
• Pop Up Swimming Pool Mobile swimming pool service bringing a heated 32ft x 16ft pop-up pool to schools for intensive swimming lessons, with full installation, secure marquee covering, and water temperature maintained at 29-32 degrees.
• Sports Premium Packages Bespoke PE and sport packages for schools utilizing Sports Premium funding, including PE provision, school swimming, teacher CPD, PE lead support, SEND programmes, sports competitions, and free sports premium auditing.
• HAF Programme Holiday Activities and Food programme working with Birmingham and Solihull councils to provide free holiday camps for children receiving benefit-related free school meals, serving over 700 children.
• EYFS Programme (Small Steps) Award-winning early years programme developed with Early Years specialists, aligned with the EYFS framework, offering high-energy sessions with bite-sized learning for nursery settings.
• KSA Footy Tots Football coaching programme for children aged 2-7 years, delivering structured, educational lessons aligned with the EYFS framework to develop core football skills and social skills.
• Active Care Homes Bespoke activity programmes for care and nursing homes focused on mental health and wellbeing of older people, with inspirational training for caregivers.
• Bell Tents & Teepee Hire Event rental service offering garden bell tents, indoor teepees with themed options, and equipment for parties, festivals, corporate events, and glamping.
• Inflatable Hire Hire service with 11 inflatables including disco domes with Bluetooth speakers and a 14ft inflatable screen with projector, all safety-checked with PIPPA testing certificates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.7% swimming progression success rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Birmingham City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKSA works with Birmingham City Council to provide Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programmes to children eligible for benefit-related free school meals, serving over 700 children during holiday periods.
• Solihull CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKSA works with Solihull Council to provide HAF programmes to children receiving benefit-related free school meals in the area.
• NHS Birmingham Children's HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKSA delivers programmes in partnership with NHS organisations including Birmingham Children's Hospital.
• MencapminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKSA works with Mencap, a local authority organisation, to deliver programmes.
• OfstedcoreOthersKSA is an Ofsted registered provider meaning parents can pay for camps using childcare vouchers. Ofsted has commented positively on KSA's robust recruitment procedures.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Premier Education Group: One of the largest UK school sport and physical activity providers, delivering PE, sport premium support, holiday camps, and after-school clubs to primary schools — a direct competitor to KSA School Services and Holiday Camps.
• Swim!: Specialist UK children's learn-to-swim provider with multiple venues; comparable to KSA Swim School in target customer (children learning to swim) and progression-based curriculum approach.
• Sportacus UK: Provider of school sports coaching, PE lessons, and holiday activity clubs targeting primary schools and parents — comparable enterprise and consumer GTM motion to KSA's school services and holiday camp divisions.
• Aspire Active Education: Midlands-based provider of school PE, holiday activity programmes, and teacher CPD with similar Sports Premium-funded delivery model and HAF programme participation — directly overlaps KSA's core offerings.
• Total Sports Ltd: UK-wide provider of school sports coaching, holiday clubs, and teacher training; comparable in target customer (primary schools, parents) and service mix (PE delivery + holiday camps) to KSA.
• Fun Fest: UK children's holiday activity camp franchise offering multi-activity day camps for primary-aged children — directly comparable to KSA School Holiday Camps in customer, age range, and activity breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Childbase Partnership: Large UK nursery and day nursery operator; broader incumbent in the Ofsted-registered childcare space that KSA's before/after school and holiday camp services intersect with, though Childbase focuses on full nursery care rather than sport-led provision.
• Everyone Active: Major UK leisure centre operator offering swimming lessons, children's activities, and holiday programmes through public leisure facilities — a broad incumbent peer to KSA's swim school and holiday camp services.
• Better (GLL): Large UK leisure operator running swimming pools, fitness centres, and holiday activity programmes at scale — competes with KSA Swim School and Holiday Camps as a broad incumbent in the same consumer markets.

Emerging players

• Schools Sports Partnership Network: Network of local school sport partnerships delivering PE, teacher training, and inter-school competitions in the Midlands and beyond — overlaps KSA's school services and Sports Premium support offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theksacademy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ksagroup9275
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/thekickstartacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-kick-start-academy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Kick Start Academy