What Harris Federation does

Harris Federation is a UK-registered education charity and Multi Academy Trust (MAT) headquartered in Croydon, operating 55 primary and secondary academies across London and Essex. Founded in 1991 following the 1990 opening of its predecessor school, Harris City Technology College, the trust now educates more than 44,000 children and serves students across three tiers: primary (ages 5-11), secondary (ages 11-16), and sixth form (ages 16-18) under brands including Harris Sixth Form and Harris Westminster Sixth Form. Documented outcomes include 42 Oxbridge places achieved by Harris Westminster students and measurable closing of attainment gaps for socio-economically disadvantaged pupils (Attainment 8 score of 44, only 1.9 points below the national all-student average against a 9.4-point national gap; 58% achieving grade 4+ in English and maths vs. 43% nationally).

The federation's product portfolio extends beyond the academies themselves. The Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership trains thousands of teachers per year for both internal and external schools; Harris Careers Education provides careers guidance; Harris Experience delivers enrichment activities; Harris Harmony covers music education; and Harris Futures operates an alumni network offering mentoring (in partnership with One Million Mentors), tech-career events (with Spinks, Amazon and Go City), and an alumni-as-teacher pathway funded by the Portal Trust at up to £5,000 per applicant. Additional initiatives include a Mandarin language program supported by the Swire Chinese Language Foundation, a Maths Hub, Community Hubs offering food banks and family support services, and a Microsoft partnership (announced 2025-02-24) that established a Student AI Council following student attendance at the Microsoft AI Tour.

Harris Federation's business model is primarily government-funded: the academies are state-funded and free to attend, with revenue derived from UK Department for Education per-pupil grants supplemented by income from teacher training services and charitable donations from individuals, corporate supporters, and foundations. The trust is led by Sir Daniel Moynihan as Senior Executive Principal and CEO, is governed by its own board of trustees, and is not backed by private equity or venture capital. As a not-for-profit, Harris Federation does not publicly disclose financial statements; revenue is estimated indirectly via pupil count and per-pupil funding benchmarks. The organization holds no patents or proprietary technology assets, with its core "platform" being its centralized curriculum, teacher training infrastructure, and the integrated brand ecosystem spanning academies, alumni, and enrichment services.

Name

Harris Federation

Legal name

Harris Federation

Website

https://harrisfederation.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Harris Federation is a UK education charity operating 55 primary and secondary academies across London and Essex, serving over 44,000 children and training thousands of teachers annually through its Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership, funded primarily by government per-pupil grants and charitable donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Croydon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Academy Funding: Government funding for state-funded academies through the UK Department for Education. Schools receive per-pupil funding based on student enrollment.
2. Teacher Training Services: Revenue from training thousands of teachers per year from the Harris Federation and external schools through the Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate supporters, and foundations to support pupil welfare, initiatives, and educational programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Harris Federation is a UK education charity and Multi Academy Trust (MAT) that operates 55 primary and secondary academies across London and Essex, delivering state-funded education to over 44,000 children aged 5-18. Its portfolio also includes post-16 sixth form provision, teacher training and leadership development through the Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership, careers education, and an alumni network (Harris Futures).

Product overview

Harris Federation operates as a Multi Academy Trust offering a unified portfolio of educational services across 55 primary and secondary academies in London and Essex. The federation functions as an integrated educational ecosystem with the academies at its core, supported by complementary programs including Sixth Form provision, teacher training through the Harris Institute, career education services, and alumni networking via Harris Futures. Additional initiatives include Mandarin language teaching, the Harris Experience enrichment program, Community Hubs for family support, and a Maths Hub for numeracy development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Harris Sixth Form: Sixth form education provision across Harris academies
• Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership
• Harris Experience
• Harris Careers Education
• Harris Futures
• Harris Harmony
• Harris Careers

Products and services

• Harris Federation Primary and Secondary Academies A network of 55 state-funded primary and secondary academies across London and Essex delivering education to over 44,000 children aged 5-16, preparing students for GCSEs and onward progression.
• Harris Sixth Form Post-16 education provision across the federation offering A-level and equivalent qualifications preparing students aged 16-18 for university and careers, including Oxbridge preparation.
• Harris Institute of Teaching and Leadership Teacher training and professional development programmes including initial teacher training and National Professional Qualifications (NPQ) for federation staff and external educators.
• Harris Careers Education Careers guidance and education programmes that help Harris students explore career paths and professional opportunities through employer engagement and structured provision.
• Harris Futures Alumni network for former Harris students offering mentoring, events, news and career support, with free access to the One Million Mentors programme.
• Harris Experience An extended curriculum and enrichment programme providing experiences beyond the standard curriculum to support student personal development.
• Chinese Language Teaching Initiative Mandarin language education programme across primary academies featuring immersion trips to China and partnership with sister schools, sponsored by the Swire Chinese Language Foundation.
• Community Hubs Family support services at primary academies providing food banks, clothing, advice services and wellbeing support to families in need.
• Maths Hub

Quantifiable outcome

• Disadvantaged students' Attainment 8 score of 44, just 1.9 points below national average for all students (compared to 9.4 point gap nationally)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2025Microsoft partnered with Harris Federation to provide AI education opportunities for students. Harris students attended the Microsoft AI Tour at Excel London, hearing from CEO Satya Nadella and participating in AI workshops. The partnership includes a Student AI Council and career guidance in technology fields.
• Swire Chinese Language FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Swire Chinese Language Foundation provides sponsorship for Harris Federation's Mandarin language program, including funding trips to China for primary school pupils. The foundation's support enables Harris students to visit sister schools in China and immerse themselves in Chinese language and culture.
• One Million MentorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarris Futures alumni network partnered with One Million Mentors to offer all former Harris students free access to mentoring. The initiative connects alumni with mentors for career advice, confidence building, and personal development. Alumni can also sign up to become mentors themselves.
• SpinksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading tech recruitment firm Spinks partnered with Harris Futures to host the first-ever Tech Event. Former Harris students learned about the tech industry from panellists including representatives from Amazon and Go City.
• Nanjing Lixue Primary SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister school relationship between Harris Primary Academies and Nanjing Lixue Primary in China, enabling student exchanges and Mandarin language immersion programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Outwood Grange Academies Trust: Major UK Multi Academy Trust operating a large portfolio of secondary and primary academies with comparable per-pupil funding model and similar geographic concentration in northern England.
• United Learning: One of the largest UK Multi Academy Trusts operating both state-funded and independent schools nationally, sharing Harris's academy trust structure and teacher training initiatives.
• Ormiston Academies Trust: Large UK Multi Academy Trust operating primary and secondary academies nationally, with a comparable funding model and similar expansion trajectory to Harris.
• REAch2 Academy Trust: Large UK primary-focused Multi Academy Trust operating dozens of primary academies nationally with similar per-pupil funding model and primary-age educational focus as Harris's primary academies.
• Ark (Ark Academies): Large UK Multi Academy Trust running primary and secondary academies with a strong focus on educational disadvantage and social mobility, directly mirroring Harris Federation's mission and operating model.
• Oasis Community Learning: Large UK Multi Academy Trust operating academies across primary and secondary phases with a community-hub model closely aligned to Harris Federation's community engagement approach.
• Academies Enterprise Trust: One of the largest UK Multi Academy Trusts operating dozens of primary and secondary academies with similar government-funded per-pupil revenue model and a national footprint. Highly comparable to Harris on scale, funding structure, and operational scope.
• Dixons Academies Trust: Well-regarded UK Multi Academy Trust operating primary and secondary academies with a strong academic focus and outcomes-driven culture comparable to Harris's high-performing brand.
• E-ACT: National UK Multi Academy Trust running a comparable portfolio of primary and secondary academies with similar government funding dynamics and operational scale.
• Greenwood Academies Trust: UK Multi Academy Trust operating primary and secondary academies with similar government-funded revenue structure and a comparable focus on disadvantaged student outcomes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HarrisFed
• YouTubevimeo.com/harrisfederation
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.harrisfederation.org.uk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harris-federation-uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 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 Harris Federation