Marches Academy Trust

What Marches Academy Trust does

Marches Academy Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee operating a family of 18 primary and secondary schools across Shropshire and surrounding counties in England, serving children aged 2-18. Headquartered at Trust Central in Shrewsbury (company number 07680422), the Trust was formally established in 2011 and has grown through academy conversions, most recently adding Idsall School in September 2023. Its core educational framework is the 'Learning for Life' model, structured around Wave 1-4 progressive intervention and pillars covering learning, health and wellbeing, safeguarding, and community, underpinned by a 'People First' staff strategy.

The Trust's portfolio extends beyond schools into external service brands: Alliance of Leading Learning (Initial Teacher Training and National Professional Qualifications in partnership with the University of Chester and STEP Teaching School Hub, with a track record of training 500+ new teachers and 5,000+ educational leaders), MATi Inclusion School (a virtual inclusion hub launched October 2023 with RESTORE, RESET, REDIRECT, RESTART, RETURN alternative provision models and MATislands vocational programmes), MAT Outreach Services (SEND and SEMH consultancy), IT Outreach Services (subscription ICT support at £1,100-£4,750 per school per year), and School Improvement Consultancy. The Trust also operates the 4 All Foundation, an independent registered charity (CIO number 1203479) founded in June 2023 to deliver community activities.

Revenue is primarily driven by DfE academy funding under the Master Funding Agreement, supplemented by fee-based professional services and IT subscriptions sold to external schools, Local Authorities, and agencies across the West Midlands. The Trust uses a sales-led GTM motion with a structured 7-step school recruitment process and distributes through regional partnerships, conferences, and digital channels including the 'Together We Grow' podcast. Technology infrastructure is built on Microsoft 365, Teams, and Office systems, with TeamViewer for remote IT support.

Name

Marches Academy Trust

Legal name

Marches Academy Trust

Website

https://marchesacademytrust.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Marches Academy Trust is a charitable Multi Academy Trust operating 18 primary and secondary schools across Shropshire, England, serving children aged 2-18 and selling teacher training, SEND outreach, and IT support services to external schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Academy Trust Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led) (EDAJAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nursery School Programs (2–4 Years) (EDACACAB), K–12 Core Curriculum Small-Group Tutoring Centers (Math/ELA/Science/Social Studies) (EDANAHAA)

Keywords

• Multi-academy trust services
• Primary and secondary education
• Teacher training programmes
• School improvement consultancy
• Inclusive education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oswestry

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Academy Funding (DFE): Government funding from the Department for Education through the Master Funding Agreement for academy schools within the MAT.
2. Teacher Training Services: Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and continuing professional development through Alliance of Leading Learning, partnering with University of Chester.
3. MAT Outreach Services: Assessment, training and consultancy services for schools, Local Authorities and agencies across Shropshire and West Midlands for SEND support.
4. IT Outreach Services: ICT support, solutions and consultancy to schools and education services, with subscription packages from £1,100 to £4,750 annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Marches Academy Trust operates a family of 18 primary and secondary schools in Shropshire, delivering education for children aged 2-18 underpinned by its Learning for Life Framework. Beyond its own schools, it sells external services to other schools and Local Authorities, including teacher training and NPQs (Alliance of Leading Learning), SEND/SEMH outreach, IT support subscriptions, school improvement consultancy, training courses, alternative provision through MATi Inclusion School, and vocational MATislands programmes.

Product overview

Marches Academy Trust is a Multi Academy Trust operating as a family of 18 primary and secondary schools in Shropshire, UK. The trust's portfolio comprises educational programmes delivered through its schools combined with external-facing service brands. Core offerings include the Learning for Life Framework (inclusive 2-19 curriculum approach) and People First Strategy (staff development), supported by Shared Services (HR, IT, finance, governance). Key sub-brands include: Alliance of Leading Learning (teacher training/NPQs), MATi Inclusion School (virtual inclusion hub with RESTORE/RESET/REDIRECT/RESTART/RESTART programmes), MAT Outreach Services (SEN assessment), IT Outreach Services (school ICT support), School Improvement Consultancy, Training and Courses, Teacher Training (School Direct with University of Chester), Together We Grow Podcast, and 4 All Foundation (community charity). MATi also offers MATislands vocational programmes (Build, Forge, Nourish, Navigate, Ignite, Thrive, Venture) providing hands-on skills in construction, trades, culinary, outdoor adventure, fitness, and forest school.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alliance of Leading Learning Professional learning arm of the Trust providing gold standard professional development for new teachers, schools requiring support and future educational leaders. Offers National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), ITT, ECF and CPD, and has trained over 500 new teachers and 5,000 educational leaders and governors. Sold to schools nationally and internationally through school-led partnership.
• MAT Outreach Services Assessment, training and consultancy service for schools and Local Authorities supporting children with SEMH, neurodiversity, and cognition and learning needs. Sold to external schools across Shropshire and West Midlands.
• IT Outreach Services Expert ICT support, solutions and guidance sold to schools across Shropshire since 2013. Provides onsite and remote technical support, server and network administration, Microsoft 365 deployment, and AI guidance via tiered subscription packages (Support 10, 25, 50 and 90) from £1,100 to £4,750 per year.
• School Improvement Consultancy School improvement service supporting schools with reviews, quality assurance, peer support, coaching, mentoring, professional learning and training. Sold as a consultancy to schools and academies, drawing on the Trust's track record (e.g., Tilstock CE Primary achieving Good in all Ofsted areas after joining).
• Training and Courses Full range of training courses suitable for schools and local businesses, including counselling and stress management programmes. Delivered by the Trust and sold to external schools and businesses.
• Teacher Training (School Direct) Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programmes delivered in partnership with the University of Chester, offering School Direct programmes in all subjects and primary education. Open to graduates seeking a teaching career.
• MATi Inclusion School Virtual inclusion hub providing innovative, personalised learning and alternative provision for young people who thrive outside traditional education. Includes the RESTORE, RESET, REDIRECT, RESTART and RETURN intervention models, as well as the MATislands vocational programmes (Build, Forge, Nourish, Navigate, Ignite, Thrive, Venture). Launched October 2023.
• MATislands Vocational Programmes Vocational programmes delivered under MATi Inclusion School, offering hands-on skills in construction, trades, culinary, outdoor adventure, fitness, and forest school. Includes Build, Forge, Nourish, Navigate, Ignite, Thrive and Venture strands.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 new teachers trained through Alliance of Leading Learning
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 4 All FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Independent registered charity (CIO, Registered Charity number 1203479) founded by Marches Academy Trust in June 2023 to deliver community activities, projects and initiatives supporting communities across Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin.
• Shropshire and Telford Education Partnership (STEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of Leading Learning is a lead partner for the STEP Teaching School Hub, providing a one-stop service for schools in the Shropshire and Telford area. STEP combines local knowledge and joint expertise for ITT/ECT, school leadership, CPD, ECF and school improvement programmes.
• University of ChestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for School Direct teacher training programmes. The University of Chester, established 1839, is one of the oldest higher education systems in the country. Alliance of Leading Learning at The Marches School is a lead school for School Direct.
• Diocese of Lichfield Education TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch of England Diocese partner with special interest in church schools within the Trust. Provides termly support from Christian Distinctiveness Adviser and collaborates on Church School vision aligned with Church of England Vision for Education.
• Shropshire CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partnership for community support and engagement, working with the 4 All Foundation on community activities and initiatives.
• Telford and Wrekin CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partnership for community support and engagement, particularly focused on Oakengates, Woodside and Sutton Hill areas.
• Schools Advisory ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvider of Staff Absence Insurance for Schools with Whole School Wellbeing Services including menopause support, staff wellbeing clinics, bereavement counselling and other services offered to Trust employees.
• Shrewsbury SchoolminorOthersPartnership hosting Trust-wide events such as the Primary Rounders and Ultimate Frisbee Varsity competition.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: One of the largest UK multi-academy trusts operating primary and secondary schools nationally. Comparable as a MAT delivering Shared Services, teacher training, and school improvement, but at significantly greater scale and broader geography.
• Outwood Grange Academies Trust: Large national multi-academy trust known for school improvement and a centralised services model. Comparable MAT structure and central-support approach to running multiple schools, though at a substantially larger scale.
• Harris Federation: Large London-anchored multi-academy trust with primary and secondary schools plus teacher training via Harris Initial Teacher Education. Comparable MAT structure and central-services model, though operating at much larger scale.
• Oasis Community Learning: National multi-academy trust running primary, secondary and special schools across England with an explicit community and inclusion ethos akin to Marches' Learning for Life Framework. Comparable vision and MAT operating model.

Others

• Telford and Wrekin Council: Local authority partner of the Trust and 4 All Foundation for community engagement in Telford and Wrekin. Comparable as a regional stakeholder shaping the operating environment of Trust schools in that geography.
• National Governance Association (NGA): Membership organisation for school governors and trustees; Marches Trustee Rob Peters is NGA's Director of Marketing and Communications. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant supporting governance quality in academy trusts.
• University of Chester: Higher education partner of the Alliance of Leading Learning for School Direct teacher training. Comparable as a partner in initial teacher training delivery, though operating from higher education rather than a school-led model.

Direct peers

• STEP Teaching School Hub (Shropshire and Telford Education Partnership): Regional teaching school hub in Shropshire and Telford providing ITT, CPD, ECF and school improvement programmes. Alliance of Leading Learning is a lead partner of STEP, making them directly comparable in teacher training and professional development scope.
• Diocese of Lichfield Education Trust: Church of England multi-academy trust that is a Member of Marches Academy Trust and partners on church school vision. Operates an overlapping portfolio of church schools in the same Shropshire region with shared values and pupil cohorts.

Emerging players

• Ambition Institute: Specialist teacher training and development provider delivering ITT, NPQs, and CPD programmes. Comparable to the Alliance of Leading Learning in the professional learning segment that Marches offers to external schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Trust_CEO
• Facebookfacebook.com/MarchesAcademyTrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marches-academy-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Marches Academy Trust