What The Joseph Rowntree School does

The Joseph Rowntree School is a state-funded 11–18 comprehensive school located on Haxby Road, New Earswick, York (YO32 4BZ), serving over 1,300 students including more than 200 in the Sixth Form. Founded in 1942 by The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), the institution delivers Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 education leading to GCSE and BTEC qualifications, plus a Sixth Form offering A Levels, BTEC Level 3, and Applied General qualifications across more than 20 subjects. Core revenue derives from UK government per-pupil funding administered via City of York Council, supplemented by Pupil Premium allocations (£219,300 for 2025-26), transactional catering revenue (ABM meal deals at £2.50 via a biometric facial recognition cashless system integrated with ParentPay and PayPoint), and facility hire to the community.

The school's technology stack is built on a Greenhouse School Websites CMS, with operational integrations spanning ParentPay (payments), AccessIt (library catalogue), Wheeler's ePlatform (approximately 1,400 eBook titles), Google Workspace for Education (student accounts and Classroom), Accelerated Reader, Sam Learning, Spellzone, Rising Star Assessments, and Adobe Express (newsletter publishing). The Library/Learning Resource Centre holds over 10,000 physical resources plus a VLE digital collection. Infrastructure includes two ICT suites of 30 PCs each, wireless access, a 200-seat Main Theatre, a 595 sq.m Sports Hall, six outdoor courts, a Performing Arts Studio, a 120-seat Lecture Theatre, and food classrooms with 20 work areas. Governance is exercised through JRF-appointed governors, and the school maintains a 'Good' Ofsted rating (October 2022) and consecutive 'Top 10 State Schools in Yorkshire for A Level Results' recognition in 2022/23 and 2023/24. Enrichment programmes include Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Camps International expeditions (Peru 2019, Cambodia 2024, Costa Rica planned 2026), and the Career Ready mentoring programme.

Name

The Joseph Rowntree School

Legal name

The Joseph Rowntree School

Website

https://josephrowntree.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Joseph Rowntree School is a state-funded 11-18 comprehensive school in New Earswick, York, serving over 1,300 students with GCSE, BTEC, and A Level programmes, founded in 1942 by The Joseph Rowntree Foundation and rated 'Good' by Ofsted.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

York

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: Core funding from the UK Government for providing state-funded secondary education to students aged 11-18, including Sixth Form provision. Funding is supplemented by Pupil Premium allocation of £219,300 for 2025-26 to support eligible students.
2. Facility Hire: Revenue generated from hiring school facilities including the Main Theatre/Hall (200 seats), Sports Hall (595sq.m), 6 Outdoor Courts, Activity Studio (170sq.m), Performing Arts Studio, Conference Facility with Lecture Theatre (120 seats), ICT Suites, Art Rooms, Multi-use Classrooms, and Food Classrooms.
3. Pupil Premium Funding: Additional government funding of £219,300 allocated for 2025-26 to address inequalities for students eligible for free school meals, looked-after children, and service personnel children.
4. Catering Services Revenue: ABM provides catering services with meal deals priced at £2.50, generating revenue through student meal purchases and cashless catering transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Joseph Rowntree School is a state-funded 11-18 comprehensive secondary school in New Earswick, York, delivering the National Curriculum across Key Stages 3-4 and post-16 A Level/BTEC programmes. It serves over 1,300 students including more than 200 in the Sixth Form, and supplements its educational offering with a cashless catering system, a library/learning resource centre, facility hire, careers education, safeguarding and SEND support, and an enrichment programme including Duke of Edinburgh and international expeditions.

Product overview

The Joseph Rowntree School is a secondary school and sixth form (Years 7-13, ages 11-18) of over 1,300 students, founded in 1942 by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The school operates two primary academic programmes: a secondary school curriculum (Key Stages 3 and 4) delivering GCSE and BTEC qualifications, and a Sixth Form offering A Level, BTEC Level 3, and vocational qualifications. These are supplemented by enrichment services including a Library/Learning Resource Centre (managed via AccessIt and Wheeler's ePlatform), a cashless catering system (integrated with ParentPay and biometric facial recognition), facility hire, safeguarding and pastoral care, a house system, Pupil Premium support, careers education (aligned to Gatsby Benchmarks), Duke of Edinburgh's Award, international expeditions (Camps International), the Career Ready programme, and the termly Rowntree Reporter newsletter (published via Adobe Express).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary School Education (Years 7-11) Core educational offering for students in Years 7-11 delivering the National Curriculum across Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) and Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11) through core subjects (English, Maths, Science), foundation subjects, and option pathways leading to GCSE and BTEC qualifications. Students aged 11-16 study core and foundation subjects including Modern Foreign Languages (French, Spanish), Humanities, Arts, Design and Technology, PE, and Citizenship.
• Sixth Form (Years 12-13) Post-16 provision offering A Level, BTEC Level 3, Applied General, and vocational qualifications across a wide range of subjects. Students aged 16-18 choose three or four subjects, with supervised study time, enrichment lessons, and personal development opportunities. Approximately 75% of Year 13 students progress to university, with 40-50% attending Russell Group institutions including Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, King's College London, Leeds, Manchester, Durham, and Sheffield.
• Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) The Duke of Edinburgh's Award enrichment programme offered at Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. Students complete four sections: Volunteering, Physical, Skills, and an Adventurous Expedition. Available as an enrichment activity for Sixth Form students.
• Camps International Expeditions International expedition programme run in partnership with Camps International, offering students the opportunity to participate in sustainable development projects abroad. Past expeditions include Peru (2019) and Cambodia (2024), with Costa Rica planned for 2026. Students work on wildlife conservation, education, clean water, and reforestation projects.
• Career Ready Programme A Sixth Form enrichment programme providing regular masterclasses and contact with an industry mentor throughout the year, supporting students' career planning and university/apprenticeship applications.
• Careers Education and Guidance A structured careers programme from Year 7 to Year 13 aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks, delivered by a full-time Careers Advisor (Ms A North). Includes employer encounters, work experience in Year 10, university visits, apprenticeships support, and one-to-one guidance interviews. Programme evaluated via the Compass benchmarking tool.
• Cashless Catering System A cashless catering system using biometric facial recognition technology integrated with ParentPay. Parents top up student accounts online, and students make purchases using their identity card or facial recognition. A Meal Deal is offered at £2.50. The service is operated by catering provider ABM.
• Library / Learning Resource Centre (LRC) A purpose-built library with over 10,000 physical resources (books and magazines), a classroom area, a designated Chromebook trolley, and a comfortable reading area. Students access the collection via the AccessIt online catalogue and can use eBook resources on the Wheeler's ePlatform (approximately 1,400 titles) and VLE digital collection.
• Facility Hire Hireable facilities for the wider community including a Main Theatre/Hall (200 seats), Sports Hall (595 sq.m with sprung floor), 6 outdoor courts (netball/tennis), Activity Studio (170 sq.m), Performing Arts Studio (with Harlequin dance floor), Conference Facility with Lecture Theatre (120 seats), ICT Suites (30 PCs each), Art Rooms (with darkroom), Multi-use Classrooms (up to 30 seats), and Food Classrooms.
• Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Support SEND provision coordinated by the SENCo (Mrs A Jones) and Deputy SENCo (Mrs Fisher). The Enhanced Resource Provision for autism (Wiltshire Centre), led by Miss Umpleby, is also available. Services include CATs cognitive testing, academic tracking, JCQ access arrangements for exams, and links to local SEND services.
• Safeguarding and Pastoral Care Comprehensive safeguarding services led by the Designated Safeguarding Lead (Mr Walker) and Deputy DSL (Miss Knox), with dedicated pastoral managers for each year group. Includes online safety, child protection, e-safety reporting, and links to external agencies including York MASH.
• House System A student engagement system with four houses — Aspen, Hazel, Oak, and Willow — each with symbolic meanings. Students earn house points through competitions and activities, influencing end-of-year rewards and trips. The system aligns with the school's whole-school behaviour curriculum.
• Pupil Premium Support The school receives Pupil Premium funding (£219,300 allocated for 2025-26) to support eligible students. Funds are used for staffing, resources, curriculum enhancements, pastoral support, and extra-curricular opportunities to close achievement gaps.
• Supporting Achievement Fund A financial assistance fund for students in Years 7-11 to subsidise trips, visits, and essential costs. Applications are considered by the Headteacher based on free school meals eligibility, temporary hardship circumstances, attendance, and previous assistance received.
• Service Pupils Support (Camo Club) Support programme for children of armed forces personnel, including a virtual meeting point called Camo Club, a nominated Armed Forces Champion, and links with the local Service Families Liaison Officer and support networks.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of Sixth Form students progress to university
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1942The school was founded by The Joseph Rowntree Foundation in 1942. JRF is a charity with a vision for a prosperous and poverty-free UK. The school values this heritage recognizing the importance of education in reducing poverty and transforming lives. JRF maintains active governance involvement through appointment of three governors who play active roles in school governance.
• City of York CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdmissions procedures are aligned with City of York Council policies. Applications for school places are submitted through the council's parent portal (synergy.york.gov.uk). The council handles the coordination of secondary school admissions for the York area.
• ABMcoreOthersABM provides catering services to the school with innovative menus and freshly prepared dishes that are locally sourced and seasonally influenced. They offer a Meal Deal for £2.50 and provide nutritious meals to students.
• Camps InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamps International partners with the school to offer students life-changing expeditions across the globe. Expeditions focus on sustainable development projects including wildlife conservation, education, clean water, and reforestation. Past expeditions include Peru 2019 and Cambodia 2024, with upcoming Costa Rica 2026 expedition.
• ParentPaycoreTechnology or IntegrationParentPay provides the cashless catering payment system allowing parents to top up accounts online 24/7 using credit/debit cards. Parents receive email confirmations and can view payment history. Also supports Paypoint payments at local stores.
• The Cats Protection League HaxbyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSecond-hand uniform available for purchase from the Cats Protection League Haxby shop, located at 10 Haxby Shopping Centre, 1 The Village, York YO32 2LU. Supports affordability of school uniform for families.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Eton College: A leading UK independent secondary school (13-18). Comparable on curriculum stage, Oxbridge progression rates, and sixth-form A Level outcomes, but operates on a fee-paying model rather than state funding — a useful benchmark for aspirational outcomes rather than a direct competitor for state-funded pupils.
• Ark Schools: A multi-academy trust operating multiple secondary schools across England. Comparable at the secondary-education model level — same funding streams, Ofsted framework, and curriculum — but operates at portfolio scale rather than a single-site comprehensive.
• United Learning: A large UK schools group running both state and independent secondary schools. Comparable on curriculum, age range, and sixth-form delivery, but at significantly greater scale and geographic spread than a single-site state school.

Direct peers

• Archbishop Holgate's School: A Church of England 11-18 secondary school and sixth form in York, competing for the same catchment families and offering comparable GCSE, A Level, and BTEC pathways. Closest geographic and curricular peer in the York market.
• Huntington School: A nearby state-funded 11-18 comprehensive secondary school in York, serving a similar intake and competing directly for Year 7 admissions through the same City of York Council parent portal. Directly comparable on curriculum, Ofsted framework, and funding model.
• All Saints Roman Catholic School: Another York 11-18 secondary school with a sixth form, drawing from overlapping feeder primary schools and competing through the same council admissions process. Comparable faith-rooted comprehensive operating under similar UK state funding mechanics.
• Manor Church of England Academy: A York-area 11-18 secondary school with sixth form provision, drawing from overlapping feeder primaries and operating under the same state funding and Ofsted framework as The Joseph Rowntree School.
• Vale of York Academy: A secondary school serving the broader York area, competing for the same Year 7 cohort via the City of York Council portal. Directly comparable on age range, qualifications offered, and state-funded comprehensive model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JRowntreeSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/joseph-rowntree-school

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Joseph Rowntree School