What Edu-Lettings does

Edu-Lettings is a UK-based, privately held company founded in July 2020 by Nick Bowen and Mike Blundell that provides fully managed venue and facility lettings services to schools, academies, and multi-academy trusts. The company operates a network of more than 140 partner schools across England (including the North West, Yorkshire, London, and Manchester regions), up from 32 schools in its first year and 66 in 2022. Its core offering combines end-to-end operational management — staffing, cleaning, safeguarding, administration, marketing, and on-site Recreation Teams — with a cloud-based online booking platform (bookings.edu-lettings.org) developed in partnership with SchoolHire, which serves approximately 600 schools and enables real-time availability checking, automated payments, invoicing, and financial reporting. Edu-Lettings takes a commission or transaction fee on bookings made through its platform, and supplements this with a £100 + VAT per year Partner Package subscription offering promotional benefits to hirers and national partners.

The company serves a two-sided market: on the supply side, schools and academies seeking to monetize underutilized facilities such as sports halls, 3G pitches, dance and drama studios, classrooms, swimming pools, and dining halls without distracting from their educational mission; on the demand side, more than 1,500 community clubs, grassroots sports organizations, performing arts schools, and national activity providers (Stagecoach, Rugbytots, Water Babies, PowerLeague, and others) that book these facilities. Edu-Lettings also maintains partnerships with National Governing Bodies (England Netball, British Canoeing, England Badminton, Rounders England) for venue access and program delivery, and with Notts Sport to offer Fast Track Funding for pitch refurbishment tied to the upcoming European microplastics ban. Following an April 2022 ownership restructuring, SchoolHire directors Charlie Gothold and David Nevies ACA invested in the business, co-founder Mike Blundell became Operations Director, and Nick Bowen was appointed Managing Director. The firm is headquartered in Bury (Greater Manchester) with operational presence in Bolton, employs 251-500 staff, and operates a hybrid GTM combining field sales to schools, a self-serve booking platform for hirers, a national partner network, and a £500-referral program for school introductions.

Name

Edu-Lettings

Legal name

Edu-Lettings UK Ltd

Website

https://edu-lettings.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Edu-Lettings is a UK-based, fully managed venue and facility lettings provider for schools and academies, operating 140+ partner schools and a cloud-based booking platform that serves over 1,500 community clubs, grassroots sports groups, and national activity providers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

School Facility Lettings Management

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Setup, Staging & Facilities Support Services (EDALALAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Venue-Owned/Operated Event Organizers (In-House Promoters) (MPAKADAI)

Keywords

• School facility lettings
• Venue management services
• Community sports bookings
• Leisure facility hiring
• Education sector management

Headquarters

HQ city

Bolton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Venue Lettings Commission/Transaction Fees: Edu-Lettings generates revenue by managing venue lettings for schools and academies. The company takes a commission or transaction fee on bookings made through their platform. Schools receive regular income from lettings while Edu-Lettings handles all operational aspects including staffing, cleaning, administration, and marketing. Payment structures are flexible with weekly, fortnightly, and monthly automated payment options available to hirers.
2. Partner Package Subscriptions: Annual subscription program at £100 + VAT per year offering promotional benefits to partners including dedicated promotion on booking website, quarterly social media promotion, and early access to new school openings. Partner Package cohorts begin quarterly in September, December, February, and May.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Edu-Lettings provides a fully managed venue and facility lettings service to schools, handling every step from booking administration, marketing and customer service through to on-site Recreation Team staffing (venue opening/closing), cleaning, payments, invoicing and safeguarding/DBS checks. Through its online booking platform, community groups can self-serve hire sports halls, 3G pitches, dance studios, theatres and classrooms from 140+ partner schools across England, while national sporting bodies subscribe to the Partner Package for promotional access.

Product overview

Edu-Lettings is a fully managed venue and facility lettings provider for schools and academies across the UK. The core offering combines an online booking system (bookings.edu-lettings.org) with comprehensive management services including staffing, administration, marketing, payment processing, and on-site recreation teams. The platform supports over 140 partner schools and enables community clubs and groups to hire various facilities including sports halls, 3G pitches, dance studios, theatres, and classrooms. Additional services include a paid Partner Package for enhanced promotional visibility and partnerships with Notts Sport for facility funding and KO Safeguarding for compliance services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fully Managed School Venue Lettings End-to-end managed lettings service for schools covering booking administration, marketing, customer service, Recreation Team on-site staffing (venue opening/closing), cleaning, payments, invoicing and safeguarding/DBS checks. Schools retain a share of the income generated from each booking.
• Partner Package (National Sporting Body Subscription) Subscription programme for national sporting organisations (e.g. England Handball, England Netball, Basketball England, British Dodgeball, Lacrosse UK) that gives their member clubs access to Edu-Lettings' 140-school venue network with promotional booking access and rebates on member bookings.
• Online Community Venue Booking Platform Self-serve online booking platform at bookings.edu-lettings.org where community groups, sports clubs and individuals search real-time availability, book hourly time slots and pay online for sports halls, 3G pitches, dance studios, classrooms and theatres across 140+ partner schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• Venues tracking at 112% towards forecasts Nationally pre Covid-19 closures
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SchoolHirecoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with SchoolHire (booking platform used by nearly 600 schools) following April 2022 ownership change. SchoolHire directors Charlie Gothold and David Nevies ACA invested in Edu-Lettings, bringing industry knowledge and expertise. The two companies work together on tenders to provide schools with booking platform, fully managed service, or hybrid options.
• Notts SportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Notts Sport, a leading specialist in synthetic surfacing systems since 1984, to help schools navigate the upcoming European-wide ban on 3G rubber crumb microplastics. Notts Sport provides Fast Track Funding for pitch refurbishment with zero upfront capital costs. Edu-Lettings manages lettings to help offset pitch costs and create sustainable business cases.
• KO Child Protection ServicescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with KO Safeguarding providing guidance, support and consultancy to ensure all policies align with Keeping Children Safe In Education guidance. Provides DBS checking for all team members prior to working on site and ongoing safeguarding training and workflows.
• Woodcocks, Howarth and NuttallminorOthersLegal services partner listed under Operational Partners section. WHN Solicitors provide legal support as needed.
• Co-Sign SignmakersminorOthersSignmaking services partner for venue signage and branding needs. Listed under Operational Partners section.
• Pro InsightminorOthersResearch and insight partner for customer feedback and operational improvement. Listed under Operational Partners section.
• Commodious TrainingminorOthersTraining provider for staff development in areas including Risk Assessment, COSHH, Manual Handling and Pool Plant Operations. Listed under Operational Partners section.
• Stockwell SafetyminorOthersHealth and safety services partner. Listed under Operational Partners section.
• Net World SportsminorOthersSports equipment supplier for venue facilities. Listed under Operational Partners section.
• England NetballcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Governing Body partner. England Netball works with Edu-Lettings for facility access and national program delivery. Listed under National Governing Body Partners section.
• British CanoeingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Governing Body partner. British Canoeing collaborates for venue access and national program delivery. Listed under National Governing Body Partners section.
• England BadmintoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Governing Body partner. England Badminton partners for facility access and national program delivery. Listed under National Governing Body Partners section.
• Rounders EnglandcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Governing Body partner. Rounders England works with Edu-Lettings for venue access and national program delivery. Listed under National Governing Body Partners section.
• First KicksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHirer partner providing football classes, preschool sessions and holiday clubs for ages 18 months to 11 years. Active at Waterhead Academy with classes advertised through Edu-Lettings platform.
• StagecoachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational performing arts provider offering singing, acting and dance classes for children. Listed as Hirer Partner with activities at multiple Edu-Lettings venues.
• PowerLeagueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational 5 and 6-a-side football league operator. Listed as Hirer Partner utilizing Edu-Lettings venues for matches.
• RugbytotsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational rugby development programme for children through fun, structured play sessions. Active at Sale High and Queens Park High venues.
• Pauline Quirke AcademyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational performing arts academy providing weekend classes in acting, singing and dance for ages 4-18. Listed as Hirer Partner.
• KixxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChildren's football coaching organization. Listed as Hirer Partner utilizing Edu-Lettings venue network.
• Water BabiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational baby and toddler swimming lesson provider. Listed as Hirer Partner offering water activities through Edu-Lettings venues.
• DiddikicksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFootball coaching organization for toddlers and young children. Listed as Hirer Partner in partner directory.
• Football Fun FactoryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFootball coaching and activity provider. Listed as Hirer Partner in partner directory.
• Bloom NetballminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNetball organization and league operator. Listed as Hirer Partner through Leagues4You.
• Soccer SixesminorGTM or Marketing Partner5 and 6-a-side football league operator. Listed as Hirer Partner in partner directory.
• Try Tag RugbyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTag rugby leagues and events operator in Yorkshire. Listed as Hirer Partner in partner directory.
• Man V FatminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWeight loss and fitness programme for men through football. Listed as Hirer Partner in partner directory.
• Rock ChoirminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational contemporary choir organization. Listed as Hirer Partner in partner directory.
• Healthy Minds UKminorOthersMental health organization working alongside Edu-Lettings to provide information and understanding about mental health for children. Supports kids looking out for each other and parents attending workshops.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Powerleague: Powerleague operates the UK's largest network of small-sided football venues and is listed as a hirer partner using Edu-Lettings venues. Both businesses monetise access to sports infrastructure for community/grassroots play, making it a directly comparable facility operator.
• SchoolHire: SchoolHire is a UK booking platform used by nearly 600 schools and is both Edu-Lettings' technology partner and a minority investor. The two offer overlapping booking-platform and managed-lettings services to schools, making it the closest direct comparable.

Emerging players

• Pitchero: Pitchero is a club-management platform used by thousands of grassroots UK sports clubs for bookings, payments and team admin. It overlaps with Edu-Lettings at the hirer side of the network — both serve community sports organisations seeking venue access and admin tools.
• LoveAdmin: LoveAdmin provides membership, booking and payment software to UK sports clubs and activity providers. It competes with Edu-Lettings' own booking platform for the same grassroots club and activity-provider audience that books school facilities.
• ClassForKids: ClassForKids is a UK SaaS booking and management platform used by children's activity and sports class providers — many of whom (Stagecoach, Rugbytots) also book through Edu-Lettings. Both compete for control of the same booking/marketing relationship with community sports providers.

Broad incumbents

• Serco Leisure: Serco runs outsourced leisure and recreation services for councils and government clients worldwide. Its large-scale facilities-management, staffing and compliance model is a bigger, broader analogue to Edu-Lettings' fully managed school venue proposition.
• Places Leisure (Places for People): Places Leisure operates leisure and sports facilities on behalf of local authorities under the Places for People group. The outsourced operating model, primary reliance on community programming and central booking/admin stack closely parallel Edu-Lettings' managed-lettings approach.
• Sodexo Education: Sodexo's education division provides catering, facilities management and outsourced support services to schools and universities in the UK. While more food-service focused, it overlaps with Edu-Lettings on managed, outsourced school support services and compliance-led staffing.
• GLL (Better): GLL is a charitable social enterprise operating 270+ leisure facilities under the 'Better' brand. It shares Edu-Lettings' model of outsourcing venue operation, bookings and community programming, but across public leisure centres rather than school estate.
• Everyone Active (Arko): Arko (trading as Everyone Active) operates more than 200 leisure centres across the UK on behalf of local councils. Like Edu-Lettings, it runs facilities management, bookings and community programming, but at a much larger scale and across council-owned venues rather than schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/edulettings
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@edulettings751
• Facebookfacebook.com/EduLettings
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/edu-lettings

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Edu-Lettings