Excelsior Academy

What Excelsior Academy does

Excelsior Academy is the first all-through school in Newcastle, England, providing continuous, state-funded education from nursery (age 3) through sixth form (age 19). The school operates as a single integrated institution spanning multiple educational phases—Excelsior Nursery, Primary, Secondary, and Sixth Form—under the governance of Laidlaw Schools Trust, a multi-academy trust operating eleven academies across Newcastle, Wearside, and Sedgefield. Excelsior serves a notably diverse community with over 50 languages spoken, supports EAL and SEND provision, and has been recognised for inclusion through School of Sanctuary status (the second secondary school in Newcastle to achieve this) and its Artsmark Gold Award from Arts Council England. The school is led by Headteacher Mr M. Foster, succeeding James Andriot.

The school's product portfolio spans a full curriculum (Art, Business, Computing, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Music, PE, Science, Spanish) plus specialist programmes including the Excelsior Football Academy (launched September 2023), Forest School outdoor learning, and a multi-layered reading intervention framework (Fresh Start Phonics, That Reading Thing, Reading Lessons, Reading Mentors, and EA Reading Champions). Vocational post-16 pathways include AOPE, ASDAN, Criminology, Hair and Beauty, Psychology, Sociology, and Travel and Tourism. Student support is delivered through the "Keep Safe - Big Red Button" anonymous safeguarding reporting system, MCR Pathways mentoring, and the School of Sanctuary programme. The school uses standard non-proprietary educational technology tools including Reading Plus and MyON online reading platforms and the Peter Fair Library. There is no proprietary technology, no AI/ML capability, and no technology-product revenue stream.

Excelsior Academy operates as a state-funded academy within the English academy system, meaning tuition is provided free to students with core revenue derived from public per-pupil funding. The go-to-market is fundamentally domestic and direct-enrollment: parents and carers contact the main office or submit enquiries via the school website to arrange visits and submit admissions. Ancillary revenue may include school meals, breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, and facility lettings (managed through schoolhire.co.uk). There is no external private equity, venture capital, or public ownership—the institution operates as a not-for-profit within the trust structure registered in England and Wales (Company No: 05735093). The school is actively engaged in community outreach, including hosting Year 6 Careers Fairs for surrounding primary schools and participating in Trust-wide enrichment events at O2 City Hall Newcastle.

Name

Excelsior Academy

Legal name

Excelsior Academy

Website

https://excelsior.laidlawschoolstrust.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Excelsior Academy is the first all-through school in Newcastle, England, offering free state-funded education from nursery (age 3) through sixth form (age 19). Part of Laidlaw Schools Trust, it serves a diverse community with specialist programmes including a Football Academy and reading interventions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle

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

Revenue model

1. Publicly Funded Education: Excelsior Academy is a government-funded school operating under Laidlaw Schools Trust. The school receives public funding for education services provided to students. Additional revenue streams may include school lettings/hire of facilities and after-school clubs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Excelsior Academy is the first all-through school in Newcastle, providing continuous state-funded education from nursery (age 3) through primary, secondary and sixth form (up to age 19). It operates under the Laidlaw Schools Trust multi-academy trust and delivers curriculum, pastoral care, enrichment, safeguarding and careers education to pupils and families in the West End of Newcastle.

Product overview

Excelsior Academy is the first all-through school in Newcastle, offering education to pupils from 3 to 19 years of age. The school operates as a single unified institution with multiple educational phases (Nursery, Primary, Secondary, Sixth Form) under one framework. It offers specialist academy programmes including the Excelsior Football Academy and specialist interventions such as Fresh Start Phonics, That Reading Thing, and dedicated Reading Lessons. The school provides enrichment through Forest School, Music at Excelsior, After School Clubs, and the Excelsior Breakfast Club. Student support is delivered through the Keep Safe - Big Red Button safeguarding system, MCR Pathways mentoring, Reading Mentors, EA Reading Champions, and School of Sanctuary initiatives. Digital literacy resources include Reading Plus, MyON, and The Peter Fair Library. The curriculum spans 11-16 subjects including Art, Business, Computing, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Music, PE, Science, Spanish, and vocational options, with Post-16 pathways including AOPE, ASDAN, Criminology, Hair and Beauty, Psychology, Sociology, and Travel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Excelsior Football Academy: A 5 to 7 year curriculum-based football experience for 11-19 year old students, launched in September 2023, led by PE staff including head coach Mr Glenwright.

Products and services

• Excelsior Primary
• Excelsior Secondary
• Excelsior Sixth Form
• Excelsior Nursery
• Excelsior Football Academy
• Forest School
• Excelsior Breakfast Club
• After School Clubs
• Keep Safe - Big Red Button
• Fresh Start Phonics
• That Reading Thing
• Reading Lessons
• School of Sanctuary
• MCR Pathways Mentoring
• Careers Education and Guidance

Quantifiable outcome

• Suspensions reduced to nil through rap-based intervention program addressing gang violence and county lines
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Laidlaw Schools TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExcelsior Academy is part of Laidlaw Schools Trust, a rapidly growing multi-academy trust based in the North East of England. The Trust currently operates eleven academies teaching and inspiring children from nursery to sixth form across Newcastle, Wearside and Sedgefield. The Trust provides governance, support services, and shared enrichment opportunities including the annual Extraordinary Us music event.
• MCR Pathways North East EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCR Pathways is a mentoring program that helps young people build confidence, resilience and aspirations for the future. Excelsior Academy works with MCR Pathways North East England, providing mentors who help students realize their potential and create opportunities for an extraordinary future. The program features one-to-one mentoring relationships.
• Palladio EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative educational organization founded by Miles and Gary Wallis-Clarke that works with schools to support development of music, creativity and confidence in young people. Palladio Education partnered with Laidlaw Schools Trust for the Extraordinary Us music event, providing rehearsals and workshops that helped pupils develop vocal skills, musical understanding and confidence.
• New Writing NorthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative writing organization that Excelsior Academy collaborates with for arts and cultural education. Students have explored mental health and wellbeing through poetry, photography, art and writing, with work displayed at the John Marley Centre.
• Voices of Virtue Gospel ChoirminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts organization engaged as artists in residence at Excelsior Academy, strengthening links to the community and inspiring students through gospel music.
• Scotswood GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA recognized Place of Sanctuary that the Excelsior Academy School of Sanctuary group visited as part of activities to promote inclusion and welcome for all students.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Gosforth Academy: Large Newcastle secondary academy serving students aged 11-18, comparable as a similarly-sized state school competitor with parallel operational scale, structure, and demographic profile.
• Dame Allan's Schools: Independent schools in Newcastle offering all-through education from age 3 to 18. Highly comparable to Excelsior's all-through 3-19 model with similar inclusive ethos and broad curriculum spanning junior and senior phases.
• St Mary's Catholic Comprehensive School: Catholic secondary school in Newcastle for students aged 11-18, comparable as a state secondary competitor in the same geographic market with overlapping demographic catchment.
• Sacred Heart Catholic High School: Catholic secondary school in Newcastle serving students aged 11-18, comparable as a state secondary competitor in the same metropolitan area serving similar year groups.
• Atkinson Road Primary Academy: Primary feeder school in the Laidlaw Schools Trust network that transitions Year 6 students into Excelsior's secondary phase, demonstrating the trust's primary infrastructure and feeder ecosystem that supports Excelsior's all-through pipeline.
• Heaton Manor School: Newcastle secondary school serving students aged 11-18, comparable as a state secondary competitor in the same Newcastle market with overlapping demographic profile and student catchment.
• Kenton School: State secondary school in Newcastle serving students aged 11-18, comparable as a local competitor for secondary-age students and sixth form in the same northwest Newcastle catchment area.
• Royal Grammar School Newcastle: Long-established independent school in Newcastle serving students from age 7 to 18, comparable as a primary and secondary provider competing for the same Newcastle families and academically able students.

Broad incumbents

• Laidlaw Schools Trust: Parent organization operating 11 academies across Newcastle, Wearside and Sedgefield. Provides broader educational group context, shared governance, and shared resources for Excelsior Academy and sister schools.
• Northern Education Trust: Multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary schools across the North East of England, comparable as a regional multi-academy structure with similar operating model, central governance, and geographically distributed schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://excelsior.laidlawschoolstrust.co.uk
• Xx.com/excelsioracad

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Excelsior Academy