City Learning Trust
City Learning Trust is a UK multi-academy trust operating five state-funded academies (primary, secondary, and post-16) in Stoke-on-Trent, founded in 2014, serving children and young people through direct academy enrolment and a charitable enrichment foundation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersBurslem, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What City Learning Trust does
City Learning Trust is a UK multi-academy trust registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales, headquartered in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. Founded in 2014, the trust operates a family of five academies — Haywood Academy (secondary), City College (post-16), Mill Hill Primary Academy, Smallthorne Primary Academy (joined November 2025), and Trentham Academy (secondary, shortlisted for TES Secondary School of the Year 2022) — delivering state-funded K-12 and further education to children and young people across the city. Core operations consist of direct academy enrolment, with no commercial pricing and no customer-facing technology platform; the trust delivers a Professional Growth program guaranteeing a minimum of 100 hours of bespoke CPD per staff member annually.
The trust's revenue model is a single-payer government education funding stream from the Department for Education, augmented by charitable donations routed through the Character & Arts Foundation, a charitable vehicle established in May 2023 with a multi-million-pound donation from local businessman Peter Coates (Bet365 co-founder). The Foundation runs five enrichment strands — Performing & Expressive Arts (partnering the Hallé Orchestra), History, Heritage, Sustainability, and Enterprise (the latter delivered with Staffordshire University, Inspirational Learning Group, and Performance Learning, including a named Peter Coates Masters in Entrepreneurship). Governance is by a Board of Trustees (chaired by Wendy Dean) with Members including Peter Coates, and CEO Dr Carl Ward has led the trust since founding. Go-to-market is community-led: students enrol directly at the academies, and reputation is built through educational outcomes, CPD commitment, and local partnerships.
There are no proprietary technology platforms, APIs, apps, or disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Distribution is exclusively direct academy enrolment within Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire; no resellers, regional offices outside the city, or international operations are evidenced. Stakeholder engagement runs through the trust's website, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and the Foundation's Instagram, supported by earned media coverage (Midlands Today, TES, The Times).
City Learning Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- City Learning Trust
- Legal name
- City Learning Trust
- Website
- https://citylearningtrust.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- City Learning Trust is a UK multi-academy trust operating five state-funded academies (primary, secondary, and post-16) in Stoke-on-Trent, founded in 2014, serving children and young people through direct academy enrolment and a charitable enrichment foundation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
City Learning Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Education Services
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)
Keywords
Where City Learning Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burslem
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
City Learning Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Government Education Funding: As a multi-academy trust, City Learning Trust receives state funding from the UK Department for Education to operate its academies and provide free education to students.
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Character & Arts Foundation, run by the trust as a charity, receives donations to fund enrichment programmes. Local businessman Peter Coates made a multi-million pound donation to support the foundation's activities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
City Learning Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
City Learning Trust is a multi-academy trust that operates and administers five schools in Stoke-on-Trent, providing free state-funded primary, secondary, and post-16 education to children and young people. Its core delivery is schooling through Haywood Academy, City College, Mill Hill Primary Academy, Smallthorne Primary Academy, and Trentham Academy, augmented by the Character & Arts Foundation enrichment programmes and a 100+ hours-per-year staff CPD programme.
Product overview
City Learning Trust is a multi-academy trust operating five academies (Haywood Academy, City College, Mill Hill Primary Academy, Smallthorne Primary Academy, and Trentham Academy) serving Stoke-on-Trent. The trust's core educational offering is delivered through its academies, complemented by the Character & Arts Foundation—an independently funded enrichment program offering History, Heritage, Performing & Expressive Arts, Sustainability, and Enterprise strands. The Professional Growth program provides comprehensive staff development with a minimum of 100 hours CPD per employee. The organization positions itself as a family of schools united by values, placing children at the heart of everything they do.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Character & Arts Foundation: A charitable foundation created by City Learning Trust to deliver world-class activities for children and young people across Stoke-on-Trent, including music, performing arts, enterprise, sustainability, heritage and history programs.
Products and services
- Haywood Academy A secondary academy within City Learning Trust that provides education for students, led by Principal Adele Mills, with values of ambition, community commitment, creativity, innovation, imagination, and respect.
- City College A post-16 college within City Learning Trust that provides further education, led by Principal Adele Mills, committed to the ARCH values of Aspiration, Respect, Community, and Hard work.
- Mill Hill Primary Academy A primary academy within City Learning Trust that provides primary education to children, led by Principal Sarah Hulme, with a broad, exciting, inclusive, and challenging curriculum.
- Smallthorne Primary Academy A primary academy that became part of City Learning Trust, led by Principal Tina Steele, with a mission of delivering a world-class education system where children are at the heart of leadership and decision-making.
- Trentham Academy A vibrant, inclusive, oversubscribed secondary school within City Learning Trust, led by Principal Emma Wagg, where students are inspired by the motto 'Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve'; shortlisted for TES Secondary School of the Year 2022.
- Character & Arts Foundation A charitable foundation created by City Learning Trust that delivers enrichment programmes to children and young people across Stoke-on-Trent, including History, Heritage, Performing & Expressive Arts, Sustainability, and Enterprise strands.
- Professional Growth Programme A 3-year professional development strategy providing a minimum of 100 hours of bespoke CPD per staff member annually across Staff Development, Developing People, Building Talent, and CLT Culture components.
Quantifiable outcome
- Trentham Academy shortlisted for TES Secondary School of the Year 2022
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use City Learning Trust
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
City Learning Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
City Learning Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hallé OrchestracoreWorld-famous Hallé Orchestra partners with the Character & Arts Foundation to develop music education across schools and colleges, including 4 live concert performances annually for children, young people and families across Stoke-on-Trent. The partnership aims to engage and transform the lives of over 10,000 young people annually through music.
- Staffordshire UniversitycorePartnership with the Character & Arts Foundation to develop an Enterprise Academy and the Peter Coates Masters degree programme in Entrepreneurship. The university provides academic programmes and credentials as part of the foundation's educational offerings.
- Inspirational Learning GroupminorPartner in the Enterprise Academy programme, providing entrepreneurial skills development and real-world business scenarios for children.
- Performance LearningminorPartner in the Enterprise Academy programme contributing to the enrichment curriculum for entrepreneurial development.
- Oasis (Multi-Academy Trust)minorSecondary students from City Learning Trust and Oasis Trust collaborated at St George's House in Windsor Castle to discuss school experience and shape the future of education.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
City Learning Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Star Academies: UK multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary schools focused on character education, leadership, and community engagement. Direct peer — closely aligned mission around character development, enrichment, and serving disadvantaged communities.
- Oasis Community Learning: UK multi-academy trust operating a national network of primary and secondary academies with a strong community and character-education focus. Direct peer — both trusts operate state-funded academies, partner with similar community organisations, and were specifically noted as collaborating in the data.
Broad incumbents
- Ark Schools: UK multi-academy trust running a network of non-denominational primary and secondary schools with a focus on educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Comparable in operating K-12 state academies for disadvantaged communities, with a national footprint.
- United Learning: One of the largest UK multi-academy trusts, operating both state and independent schools nationally. Broad incumbent — overlaps in K-12 state education delivery and academy management but at significantly greater scale and with a wider portfolio.
- Harris Federation: Large UK multi-academy trust running primary, secondary and all-through academies predominantly in London and the South East. Broad incumbent with comparable K-12 state education operating model, though at much larger scale and in different regions.
- Lift Schools (formerly Academies Enterprise Trust): Large UK multi-academy trust running primary, secondary and special schools across multiple regions. Broad incumbent with overlapping K-12 state academy model but significantly larger and more geographically dispersed.
- E-ACT: UK multi-academy trust operating academies across multiple regions with a focus on school improvement. Broad incumbent with a comparable K-12 state education model and an emphasis on turning around underperforming schools.
- Outwood Grange Academies Trust: UK multi-academy trust with a strong focus on staff development and CPD programmes across its academy network. Comparable in emphasising teacher development as a differentiator, though operating at much greater scale and in northern England.
Emerging players
- Reach Academy Trust: Smaller UK multi-academy trust operating a primary and secondary school with a strong character-education and enrichment focus. Emerging player — closely comparable in mission and scale philosophy but with a much smaller portfolio concentrated in a single London borough.
Regional players
- Northern Education Trust: Multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary schools predominantly in the North of England and Midlands. Regional peer with comparable state-funded K-12 academy model in geographically adjacent areas to Stoke-on-Trent.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
City Learning Trust social profiles
Digital presenceCity Learning Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
City Learning Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
City Learning Trust subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
City Learning Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
City Learning Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about City Learning Trust
What does City Learning Trust do?
City Learning Trust is a multi-academy trust that operates and administers five schools in Stoke-on-Trent, providing free state-funded primary, secondary, and post-16 education to children and young people. Its core delivery is schooling through Haywood Academy, City College, Mill Hill Primary Academy, Smallthorne Primary Academy, and Trentham Academy, augmented by the Character & Arts Foundation enrichment programmes and a 100+ hours-per-year staff CPD programme.
Is City Learning Trust a public or private company?
City Learning Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was City Learning Trust founded?
City Learning Trust was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is City Learning Trust based?
City Learning Trust is headquartered in Burslem, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does City Learning Trust make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Education Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are City Learning Trust's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Star Academies and Oasis Community Learning. Broad incumbents are Ark Schools, United Learning, Harris Federation, Lift Schools (formerly Academies Enterprise Trust), E-ACT and Outwood Grange Academies Trust. Reach Academy Trust is listed as an emerging player. Northern Education Trust is listed as a regional player.
Does City Learning Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for City Learning Trust.
What industry is City Learning Trust in?
City Learning Trust's product category is K-12 Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAAAB, Public Elementary Schools, with a secondary code of EDAJAAAC, Public Middle Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.