River Learning Trust

What River Learning Trust does

River Learning Trust (RLT) is a UK-based Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) and exempt charity structured as a company limited by guarantee, headquartered in Oxford. Founded in 2015, RLT operates a network of 30 state-funded primary and secondary schools across Oxfordshire and Swindon, serving students aged 4–18. Beyond schools, the trust runs Meadowbrook College (an Alternative Provision provider with three campuses in Oxford, Banbury, and Abingdon), a School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) provider, and a Teaching School Hub delivering continuing professional development.

RLT's core products are its educational services portfolio: 30 academies (20 primary, 10 secondary), the three-site alternative provision unit, the SCITT programme, and the Teaching School Hub. There is no proprietary technology disclosed in the available data; the trust operates standard school websites and management systems for its academy network. The Cherwell School, an Outstanding-rated secondary, was an original founding member, and the network has expanded through sponsored conversions and academy transfers, with the most recent additions being Gillotts School (March 2025) and a pending consultation with Nettlebed Community School (announced January 2026).

RLT's business model is not a commercial revenue model in the traditional sense. As a state-funded MAT, it receives income from the UK Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) via per-pupil allocations and education grants; no fees are charged to families. The trust is governed by a board of trustees and local governing bodies, with no external parent or private ownership. The organisation's value proposition rests on centralised back-office support (HR, finance, premises, governance), peer collaboration across the trust, and school improvement intervention for underperforming academies. Leadership comprises Chief Executive Paul James and Chief Operating Officer Lisa Hughes, with Louise Askew as Head of Governance and Compliance.

Name

River Learning Trust

Legal name

River Learning Trust

Website

https://riverlearningtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

River Learning Trust is a UK Multi-Academy Trust operating 30 state-funded primary and secondary schools across Oxfordshire and Swindon, plus an alternative provision unit, a teacher training provider, and a teaching school hub.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary and Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter STEM/STEAM-Focused Schools (EDAJACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC), Transition-to-College/Independence Skills Tutoring for Learning Differences (EDANAFAJ)

Keywords

• Multi-academy trust
• Primary education
• Secondary education
• Teacher training
• Alternative provision

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As a multi-academy trust operating state-funded schools, River Learning Trust receives government funding through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for educating students. Schools are free at point of use for families.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

River Learning Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust running 30 primary and secondary schools across Oxfordshire and Swindon, delivering state-funded education to pupils. Alongside mainstream schooling, the trust runs Meadowbrook College for alternative provision, a School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programme for new teachers, and a Teaching School Hub supporting school improvement across the region.

Product overview

River Learning Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust operating as a unified educational services platform. The Trust offers a portfolio of four interconnected core services: (1) 30 primary and secondary schools across Oxfordshire and Swindon, (2) Meadowbrook College, an Alternative Provision provider with three campuses serving students aged 5-16, (3) a School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) provider, and (4) a Teaching School Hub. Together, these services provide comprehensive educational coverage from early years through secondary education, teacher professional development, and alternative educational pathways.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary and Secondary Schools (30 schools across Oxfordshire and Swindon)
• Meadowbrook College (Alternative Provision)
• SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training)
• Teaching School Hub

Quantifiable outcome

• Gosford Hill School achieved 'Expected Standard' across all six Ofsted key areas under new framework
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered potential and core.

• Nettlebed Community SchoolpotentialStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 January 2026Nettlebed Community School in Henley on Thames is consulting on joining River Learning Trust. The school is considering joining to benefit from the trust's support and collaboration.
• Oxford Diocesan Board of Education (ODBE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerODBE supports Windrush C of E School and other Church of England schools within the trust. The diocese provides oversight and support for the Christian ethos and religious character of Church schools within RLT.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust: Multi-academy trust operating across Oxfordshire and surrounding counties with a similar mix of primary and secondary schools, including Church of England academies. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping geography, faith-school overlap, and comparable scale.
• Activate Learning Education Trust: Education trust operating schools and further education across Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley. Comparable in regional footprint and integrated model spanning schools plus post-16/training services.
• Greenshaw Learning Trust: Multi-academy trust of similar size (~30 schools) operating across southern England with comparable primary/secondary mix and a school-improvement-led growth model.
• White Horse Federation: Multi-academy trust with comparable scale operating schools across the South West and surrounding counties. Similar mixed primary/secondary portfolio and shared-service operating model.
• Bohunt Education Trust: Multi-academy trust operating a smaller but comparable portfolio of secondary and primary schools with a school-improvement and CPD-led model similar to RLT's Teaching School Hub.
• Aspirations Academies Trust: Multi-academy trust operating a comparable-sized portfolio across southern England with a similar focus on school improvement and shared central services.

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: One of the largest UK multi-academy trusts with national reach across primary, secondary, and independent schools. Broader geographic footprint and deeper professional development infrastructure make it a scaled benchmark for RLT's longer-term trajectory.
• Ormiston Academies Trust: Large national multi-academy trust sponsoring a mix of secondary and primary schools. Provides a relevant comparison for what RLT could scale into as it continues to grow its network.
• Ark (multi-academy trust): National education charity running a network of non-denominational academies. Comparable values-driven, school-improvement-focused operating model but at significantly larger national scale.

Regional players

• Dimensions Trust: Multi-academy trust historically rooted in Swindon with a comparable primary/secondary mix. Most direct regional peer for RLT's Swindon cluster of schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RiverLearningTrust
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/river-learning-trust
• Xx.com/river_learningt

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries33 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 River Learning Trust