Greenwood Academies Trust

What Greenwood Academies Trust does

Greenwood Academies Trust (GAT) is a not-for-profit educational charity and the eleventh largest multi-academy trust in England, operating 38 open primary, secondary and special academies across seven local authority areas spanning the East Midlands and East of England and educating approximately 19,000 pupils aged 3-19. The Trust serves communities characterised by high social deprivation, with many of its academies reporting more than 50% of pupils eligible for Free School Meals, and it has historically tackled educational underachievement by lifting academies out of Ofsted Special Measures or Requiring Improvement ratings.

GAT operates a single-employer, platform-plus-modules model: 38 academy sites deliver education directly, supported by central directorates covering Academy Improvement, Digital Technology, Finance, Operations, People (HR), Corporate Affairs and Safeguarding. The technology stack is unified across all academies on Microsoft 365, with infrastructure, professional training and managed services delivered by the Trust's wholly-owned subsidiary, Our Learning Cloud, which holds Microsoft Global Education Training Partner status. Several academies are accredited Microsoft Showcase Schools. Other proprietary or branded assets include a sector-leading Applicant Tracking Service for recruitment, the GAT SEND Magazine supporting an internal community of practice, and trust-wide specialist programmes for SEND using agreed core systems such as BSquared assessment, Makaton, Read Write Inc, TEACCH and PRICE training. The Trust has been a lead organisation for Initial Teacher Training since 2012 and delivers apprenticeships leveraging the apprenticeship levy.

GAT's revenue model is non-commercial: funding flows primarily from Department for Education per-pupil grants, supplemented by ITT grants, apprenticeship levy income and ancillary streams, while Our Learning Cloud generates managed-services revenue with any surplus redirected back to Trust activities. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; teaching staff pay follows the national Teachers Pay and Conditions Document and support staff pay scales are set by the National Joint Council. Governance sits with volunteer Trustees and Members, including Corporate Member Experian PLC since inception, and the executive team is led by CEO Wayne Norrie OBE, appointed in 2016. Under his leadership, over 93% of academies are now judged Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, with no academy currently in Special Measures, and the Trust has approved a satellite post-16 (sixth form) provision at Nethergate Academy effective 1 September 2026.

Name

Greenwood Academies Trust

Legal name

Greenwood Academies Trust

Website

https://greenwoodacademies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Greenwood Academies Trust (GAT) is a not-for-profit multi-academy trust operating 38 primary, secondary and special academies across seven local authority areas in England, educating approximately 19,000 pupils via DfE per-pupil funding and centralised support services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary and Secondary Education (Multi-Academy Trust)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM/STEAM-Focused Private K–12 Schools (EDAJABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

K–12 Core Curriculum Small-Group Tutoring Centers (Math/ELA/Science/Social Studies) (EDANAHAA)

Keywords

• Multi-academy trust
• Primary education
• Secondary education
• Special education
• Teacher training

Headquarters

HQ city

Nottingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government / DfE funding for academies: Primary funding source is per-pupil and other Department for Education grants for running primary, secondary and special academies; supplemented by capital funding where applicable.
2. Initial Teacher Training and Apprenticeship Levy income: Trust is a lead organisation for Initial Teacher Training (since 2012), working in partnership with multiple regional and national providers, utilising DfE grant funding and the apprenticeship levy wherever possible.
3. Wholly-owned subsidiary ICT delivery (Our Learning Cloud): Trustees oversee the work of Our Learning Cloud, the Trust's wholly owned subsidiary ICT delivery company. Any surplus generated supports Trust activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Greenwood Academies Trust is a not-for-profit educational charity that runs a network of 38 open primary, secondary and special academies educating approximately 19,000 pupils across seven local authority areas in England. It delivers education directly through its academies, supported by centralised directorates for Academy Improvement, Finance, People/HR, Operations, Digital Technology, Corporate Affairs and Safeguarding, and offers Initial Teacher Training as a lead organisation since 2012.

Product overview

Greenwood Academies Trust (GAT) operates as a multi-academy trust with a platform-plus-modules architecture. The Academy Network of 38 open academies forms the core educational delivery, complemented by central support modules including Academy Improvement (Primary, Secondary, Special), Digital Technology, Finance, Operations (Catering, Estates, Health and Safety, Procurement, Project Management), People, Corporate Affairs, and Safeguarding. Additional named offerings include Initial Teacher Training, Apprenticeships and Upskilling, the Our Learning Cloud wholly owned subsidiary ICT delivery company, the GAT SEND Magazine, and the new Nethergate Academy satellite post-16 sixth form provision. Together, these modules and services provide a unified education and central-services platform for approximately 19,000 pupils across seven local authority areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Greenwood Academies Trust Academy Network A network of 38 open primary, secondary and special academies educating approximately 19,000 pupils aged 3-19 across seven local authority areas in England (Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Leicester, Lincolnshire, Peterborough, West Northamptonshire, North Northamptonshire). The Nottingham Academy site delivers both primary and secondary phases.
• Initial Teacher Training A lead-organisation Initial Teacher Training programme (since 2012) attracting future teachers from diverse backgrounds, delivered in partnership with regional and national providers and funded via DfE grants and the apprenticeship levy. Targeted at aspiring teachers who want to train in a multi-academy trust setting.
• Apprenticeships and Upskilling Apprenticeship programmes and upskilling pathways across the trust, including teaching and business services apprenticeships, forming part of the broader Learning and Development portfolio. Targeted at existing and prospective staff across the Trust.
• Our Learning Cloud Wholly-owned subsidiary ICT delivery company and Managed Service Provider of Greenwood Academies Trust; a Microsoft Global Education Training Partner providing an extensive range of professional digital training and development opportunities for GAT staff. Surpluses generated support Trust activities.
• Nethergate Academy satellite post-16 (sixth form) provision A new satellite post-16 sixth form provision at Nethergate Academy approved by the Department for Education, effective 1 September 2026. Part of the Trust's special school portfolio, extending provision for SEND and other post-16 learners.

Quantifiable outcome

• over 93% of academies now judged Good or Outstanding with no academy in Special Measures (up from a starting point where many were in Special Measures or Requiring Improvement).
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Our Learning CloudflagshipTechnology or IntegrationOur Learning Cloud is the Trust's wholly owned subsidiary ICT delivery company and Managed Service Provider. They are a Microsoft Global Education Training Partner and provide an extensive range of professional digital training and development opportunities for GAT staff. Trustees oversee the work of Our Learning Cloud as part of the Trust's governance arrangements.
• MicrosoftflagshipTechnology or IntegrationAll GAT pupils and staff use the same Microsoft technology stack, which provides a secure digital environment. A number of GAT academies are Microsoft Showcase Schools (e.g., Newark Hill Academy) recognised for exemplar use of Microsoft tools. The Trust engages Microsoft for digital training through Our Learning Cloud.
• Initial Teacher Training regional and national provider partnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrust is a lead organisation for Initial Teacher Training since 2012, working in partnership with multiple regional and national providers, utilising DfE grant funding and the apprenticeship levy wherever possible.
• Global and local businesses (pupil digital programmes)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGAT supports numerous pupil programmes with global as well as local businesses to help develop pupil interest, experience and knowledge of how digital technologies impact the world of work.
• Juniper Education (website design and cookie consent)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJuniper Education is the provider of the Trust's website platform (e4education) and the cookie consent infrastructure used on greenwoodacademies.org.
• Experian PLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperian PLC has fulfilled the role of Corporate Member for Greenwood Academies Trust since its inception and continues to provide ongoing support for the Trust's work. Trustees Andy Walker (formerly at Experian) and Kelly Steed (Internal Audit Director at Experian) provide additional Experian linkage.
• Paul Ford (Microsoft / Multi Academy Trust sector strategy)minorOthersNot a commercial partnership; Paul Ford is a Trustee of Greenwood Academies Trust who works as a Senior Technology Strategist at Microsoft with Multi Academy Trusts to drive digital transformation in education.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Juniper Education: Provider of education-sector software, MIS, and website services to UK schools and MATs, and current GAT website and cookie-consent vendor. Adjacent technology/infrastructure provider to the MAT sector.

Direct peers

• United Learning: Large multi-academy trust running primary, secondary and special schools across England with a similar central support and school improvement structure. Comparable in scale and breadth of phases served.
• L.E.A.D. Academy Trust: Multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary academies across the East Midlands, with geographic overlap to GAT in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. Direct regional competitor for academy growth.
• Harris Federation: Large multi-academy trust running primary and secondary academies in London and southern England with a strong school improvement function. Direct competitor for academy transfers and the same DfE-facing operating model.
• Ormiston Academies Trust: National multi-academy trust operating primary, secondary and special academies with a comparable central improvement and operations platform. Similar pupil scale and East Midlands footprint.
• Academies Enterprise Trust (AET): One of the largest MATs in England, operating a portfolio of primary, secondary and special academies with centralised business services. Closely comparable in scale, mix of phases, and East Midlands/East of England presence.
• Outwood Grange Academies Trust: One of the largest multi-academy trusts in England operating a similar single-employer model across primary and secondary academies. Direct comparator on scale, central support model, and Ofsted turnaround credentials.
• REAch2 Academy Trust: Primary-focused multi-academy trust with a national footprint, comparable to GAT's large primary estate. Similar single-employer operating model and central business services structure.
• Star Academies: Multi-academy trust with a strong track record of running schools in areas of high deprivation, comparable to GAT's deprivation-focused portfolio. Similar central support structure and Ofsted improvement narrative.

Regional players

• Diverse Academies Trust: East Midlands-based multi-academy trust operating a similar mix of primary, secondary and special academies in areas of deprivation. Regional peer with overlapping geography and pupil demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GreenwoodAcad
• Facebookfacebook.com/policy.php

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Greenwood Academies Trust