What Invictus Education Trust does

Invictus Education Trust is a charitable Multi-Academy Trust (company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales as company 09284368) operating a family of seven schools across the West Midlands and South Staffordshire — six secondary schools (The Crestwood School, Ellowes Hall Sports College, Kinver High School & Sixth Form, Leasowes High School, The Pedmore High School, and Wombourne High School) and one primary school (Rufford Primary School with nursery provision). Founded in March 2015 by four founding schools and headquartered at Kinver High School, the trust educates 5,655 children from nursery through sixth form and employs 760 staff across central and school-based teams.

The trust's core revenue is Department for Education formula funding allocated per pupil, producing a disclosed annual turnover of £37.8 million (FY2025). Its product surface extends beyond classroom delivery into the Invictus Institute, which coordinates Initial Teacher Training (School Direct ITT), the Early Career Framework (ECF), National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), and continuing professional development — delivered through partnerships with Haybridge SCITT, Barr Beacon SCITT, Birmingham Newman University, Haybridge Teaching School Hub, and Ambition Institute. Technology adoption includes a centralised digital infrastructure across schools and an emerging AI programme: AI in Action Week 2026 featured AI Prompt Lab staff workshops, AI Hackathon 3.0 for students (co-delivered with Three Spires Trust), and a community AI Newsnight, with AI expert Paul Estes as a featured collaborator.

The go-to-market model is non-commercial: pupils are admitted through the standard UK state school admissions process, and teacher-trainee recruitment flows through the DfE's Get Into Teaching portal and SCITT partner channels. Governance sits under a Chair of Trust Board (Jess Shulman) and CEO (Edward Vitalis), with a three-tier structure of Members, Trustees, and Academy Committees. Strategic direction includes a 2030 zero-carbon commitment via the Let's Go Zero campaign, 2026 SEND Award shortlisting at the MAT Excellence Awards, and a recent expansion of the executive team with appointments of a CFO (September 2025) and Director of Strategy and Governance (December 2024).

Name

Invictus Education Trust

Legal name

Invictus Education Trust

Website

https://invictus.education

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Invictus Education Trust is a UK charitable Multi-Academy Trust operating seven schools (six secondary, one primary) across the West Midlands and South Staffordshire, educating 5,655 pupils from nursery to sixth form and generating £37.8 million in annual DfE-funded turnover, with a central Invictus Institute delivering teacher training and professional development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Academy Trust Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Development (ECD) & Pre-Primary Education (BPADAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

In-Service Professional Development (Workshops/Institutes/Short Courses) (EDACAIAB), Pre-Service ECE Credential Programs (Certificates/Diplomas/Degrees) (EDACAIAA)

Keywords

• Multi-academy trust
• Secondary education
• Primary education
• Teacher training
• Professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Halesowen

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, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: Core revenue derived from Department for Education (DfE) funding allocated to academy trusts for delivering state-maintained education. Funding is formulaic, based on pupil numbers (5,655 children across 7 academies), and covers operational costs of all schools.
2. Annual Turnover: Trust reports annual turnover of £37.8 million, covering all school operations, staff salaries, capital expenditure and central trust services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Invictus Education Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust that delivers state-funded primary and secondary education across seven schools (six secondary and one primary with nursery provision) spanning nursery through sixth form in the West Midlands and South Staffordshire. Through the Invictus Institute, the trust also delivers Initial Teacher Training, National Professional Qualifications, the Early Career Framework, and continuing professional development for education professionals across the region.

Product overview

Invictus Education Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust operating as a unified platform of educational services across seven schools (six secondary and one primary) in the West Midlands and South Staffordshire. The Trust's core offering consists of its school network providing nursery-to-sixth-form education, supported by the Invictus Institute which serves as the central hub for professional development. The Invictus Institute coordinates the Train to Teach programme (Initial Teacher Training via SCITT partnerships), National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) for leadership development, the Early Career Framework (ECF) for new teachers, and CPD training programmes. This structure positions the Trust as both an education provider and a teacher development organisation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Invictus Institute: The trust's dedicated arm for teacher training, professional development, and people development. Offers Initial Teacher Training (ITT), National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), Early Career Framework (ECF) support, and continuing professional development (CPD) programmes.

Products and services

• Invictus Education Trust Schools Family of seven schools (six secondary and one primary with nursery provision) delivering state-funded education from nursery through sixth form across the West Midlands and South Staffordshire.
• Invictus Institute Central people-development hub for staff across the trust's schools, coordinating teacher training, NPQs, ECT support, CPD programmes, and workforce enabling for Invictus and partner schools.
• Train to Teach Programme (Initial Teacher Training)
• National Professional Qualifications (NPQs)
• Early Career Framework (ECF)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nikki Clifton led Kinver High School from 'Requires Improvement' to 'Good' in all Ofsted categories during her six-year tenure as Headteacher
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, secondary, core and minor.

• Three Spires TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Three Spires Trust partnered with Invictus Education Trust to deliver a landmark joint AI Conference during AI in Action Week 2026. The collaboration created a platform for shared learning on the practical application of AI in education, ethical considerations, and implementation strategies. Students from both trusts participated in AI Hackathon 3.0 together.
• Paul EstesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Paul Estes is an internationally recognised AI expert who travelled from the United States to work exclusively with Invictus Education Trust during AI in Action Week 2026. He delivered bespoke AI Prompt Lab sessions to staff and served as the central expert at the AI Newsnight community event. He has held senior leadership roles at Microsoft, Amazon, and Dell, and developed AI productivity systems.
• University of WolverhamptonsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Professor Zeeshan Pervez from the University of Wolverhampton participated as a panel member at the Invictus AI Newsnight, contributing expertise in AI, cybersecurity, and digital innovation. The partnership provides a broader industry and research perspective on the future of technology in education.
• Alison FawdreysecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Alison Fawdrey, a leading voice in digital learning from the further education sector, participated as a panel member at the Invictus AI Newsnight. Her work in AI, AR, and VR is shaping inclusive and practical approaches to technology in the classroom.
• Barr Beacon SCITTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarr Beacon SCITT is a School Centred Initial Teacher Training provider collaborating with Invictus to offer full-time one-year ITT programmes for secondary and primary routes. Trainees gain 120 days of practical classroom experience across two contrasting schools, supported by expert-led academic study.
• Birmingham Newman UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirmingham Newman University partners with Invictus to support Initial Teacher Training programmes. Weekly professional studies workshops are delivered by specialists, providing trainees with theory, research, and pedagogy alongside school-based placements.
• Haybridge SCITTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaybridge SCITT collaborates with Invictus on teacher training, delivering weekly professional studies workshops and providing expert-led academic support for ITT trainees. The partnership also supports NPQ delivery through the Haybridge Teaching School Hub.
• Ambition InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmbition Institute delivers the Early Career Framework (ECF) for Invictus in partnership with Haybridge Teaching School Hub. Both ECTs and their mentors have full access to Ambition Institute's online platforms including My Ambition and Steplab. Invictus staff also serve as Visiting Fellows and NPQ facilitators for Ambition Institute.
• Haybridge Teaching School HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaybridge Teaching School Hub partners with Invictus to deliver a full suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) for teaching and leadership staff. The hub also collaborates on the Early Career Framework (ECF) and Invictus serves on the hub's executive board.
• My Body is My BodyminorOthersAntonia Noble (Trust member) sits on the boards of My Body is My Body, a safeguarding-focused organisation. This represents a personal board appointment of a trust board member rather than a trust-level partnership.
• Art ShapeminorOthersAntonia Noble (Trust member) chairs Art Shape. This represents a personal chair appointment of a trust board member rather than a trust-level partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ormiston Academies Trust: One of the largest UK MATs operating dozens of schools nationally. Closely comparable in serving secondary-age pupils with shared central services and teacher development functions, and competing for the same regional schools-to-academy pipeline.
• Academies Enterprise Trust (AET): One of the largest UK MATs operating primary and secondary academies with shared back-office and teacher development infrastructure. Comparable in scale of central services and reliance on DfE formula funding.
• United Learning: A large national MAT running both primary and secondary academies plus teacher training programmes through United Teaching. Directly comparable on the combination of multi-phase school operation, central professional development, and national footprint.
• REAch2 Academy Trust: A national primary-focused MAT with strong teacher training and CPD programmes. Comparable on the education-plus-professional-development operating model, though concentrated at primary rather than secondary phase.
• Aspirations Academies Trust: A growing UK MAT running secondary and primary schools with structured career pathways for staff. Comparable in combining school operation with employer-of-choice positioning and a regional cluster model.

Regional players

• Bright Futures Educational Trust: Multi-academy trust in the North West England, the prior employer of Invictus's CEO Edward Vitalis. Operates a comparable cluster of schools with shared central governance and corporate services on the same DfE funding model.
• Nova Education Trust: East Midlands MAT running secondary and primary schools with a central professional development focus. Comparable on operating scaled central services and standardising pedagogy across member schools.
• St Chad's Academies Trust: A West Midlands regional MAT operating multiple primary and secondary schools with shared trust-wide services. Directly comparable geographically and at a similar scale of 5-10 schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/invictuseducationtrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/p/DaDamXpjAhF
• Xx.com/InvictusAccount

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries8 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 Invictus Education Trust