The Gateway Academy

What The Gateway Academy does

The Gateway Academy is a state-funded secondary school located on Marshfoot Road in Tilbury/Chadwell-St-Mary, Thurrock, Essex, serving over 1,100 students aged 11-16 across Years 7-11. It is the secondary academy within The Gateway Learning Community (GLC) multi-academy trust, established in 2012, which also encompasses four primary academies (Gateway Primary Free School, Herringham Primary Academy, Lansdowne Primary Academy, and Tilbury Pioneer Academy). The school is led by Head of School Grainne McLaughlin in her eleventh year of tenure, with GLC CEO Viki Reid providing trust-level oversight, and is governed by a Board of Directors and local Governing Body. Students are admitted through the local authority coordinated admissions process, with active Year 7 recruitment underway for September 2026.

Name

The Gateway Academy

Legal name

The Gateway Academy

Website

https://theglc-gatewayacademy.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Gateway Academy is a state-funded UK secondary school in Thurrock, Essex, serving over 1,100 students in Years 7-11. Part of the Gateway Learning Community trust, it provides GCSE education with Grammar Band, More Able, and Elite Athlete programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Grays

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Gateway Academy is a UK state-funded secondary school academy (Years 7-11) operating under The Gateway Learning Community (GLC) multi-academy trust. It delivers GCSE examination preparation across core and elective subjects, with specialised provisions including the Grammar Band for higher-attaining students, the More Able Programme (university outreach with Cambridge, Mensa testing), the Elite Athlete Programme, and wraparound pastoral and extracurricular services including free breakfast, careers guidance and SEND support.

Product overview

The Gateway Academy is a secondary school within The Gateway Learning Community (GLC) Trust, offering a comprehensive educational programme for students in Years 7-11. The institution provides GCSE examination preparation across core and elective subjects, with specialized provisions including the Grammar Band Programme for higher-attaining students and the More Able Programme for students with KS2 scores of 110+. The school operates a digital learning platform through Google Classroom, offers extended school activities (approximately 50 hours per week), and provides the Elite Athlete Programme for sporting excellence. As part of the GLC Trust (established 2012), the academy benefits from centralised governance while maintaining individual academic focus. The Thames Freeport Exceptional Scholarship Programme supports students from underprivileged backgrounds with financial assistance and mentorship through Years 11-12 and into higher education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Gateway Academy (Secondary School) State-funded secondary school (Years 7-11, ages 11-16) offering a full GCSE curriculum including Maths, English, Sciences, Languages, Humanities, Technology, Performing Arts and Physical Education, with academic and pastoral support.
• Grammar Band Programme Specialised academic provision for higher-attaining students targeting Grades 7-9 across GCSE subjects, with dedicated academic mentoring.
• More Able Programme Provision for students with KS2 standardised scores of 110+ featuring masterclasses, university outreach (Oxford and Cambridge), Mensa testing, Philosophy and Ethics sessions, and academic mentoring.
• Elite Athlete Programme Programme introduced in 2023 supporting elite sporting students with specialist coaching, primarily in basketball, to break down barriers and open doors in sport.
• Thames Freeport Exceptional Scholarship Programme Scholarship programme launched in 2025 with Thames Freeport providing funded careers days, meals, clothing allowance, London attraction visits, UCAS application support, professional mentorship, and laptops for underprivileged students.
• Google Classroom Digital Learning Service Digital learning platform using Google Classroom and Academy Google Drive accounts to set, track and submit assignments, with apps for communication and collaboration between students and staff.
• Extended School Activities Programme Wraparound activities delivered approximately 50 hours per week including instrumental tuition, Additional Learning Periods, Homework Hub, Reading Recovery, sports coaching, and free breakfast provision.
• SEND Support Service Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision led by an Assistant Principal SENDCo with a dedicated SEND team supporting inclusive education.
• Careers Education and Guidance Service Careers education and work experience programme including mock interviews, university outreach and industry exposure through partners such as Thames Freeport and Forth Ports.

Quantifiable outcome

• Progress score of 0.11 (significantly above national average)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Thames FreeportmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Launched the Thames Freeport Exceptional Scholarship Programme in 2025 to support educational ambitions of aspiring individuals. Provides annual scholarships including laptop, clothing allowance up to £800, mentorship, UCAS application support, and career guidance for Gateway Academy students.
• Ormiston TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting educational initiatives and community development. Listed as a key partner in the All Different: All Equal programme alongside We Will Ormiston.
• We Will OrmistonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development and education partnership supporting the Gateway Learning Community's mission to develop active and thriving citizens.
• Forth PortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPort operator partner supporting the Thames Freeport initiative and providing career opportunities and industry exposure for students.
• Together ProductionsminorOthersTheatre and performing arts partnership providing creative learning opportunities for students.
• Arts Council EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts education funding body supporting the academy's Artsmark Gold Award and cultural programmes.
• National ArchivesminorOthersEducational partnership providing access to historical resources and archives for curriculum enrichment.
• KITT TheatreminorOthersLocal theatre partnership supporting performing arts education and productions.
• One CommunityminorOthersCommunity organisation partnership supporting local community engagement initiatives.
• Thurrock Music Services InteractiveminorOthersLocal music education service partnership supporting music curriculum and instrumental tuition.
• Emmanuel College, University of CambridgemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity outreach partnership providing More Able students with visits to Oxford and Cambridge Universities as well as talks and presentations by regional outreach teams at the Academy.
• Positive ChoicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational research programme partnership looking at best delivery of RSE (Relationships and Sex Education) for students in Thurrock.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Ark Schools: Multi-academy trust operating secondary academies across England with focus on academic outcomes for disadvantaged pupils; comparable in operating model and similar areas of pupil premium strategy emphasis as The Gateway Academy.
• Harris Federation: One of the largest UK multi-academy trusts, running secondary academies including Harris Academy Chafford Hundred directly in The Gateway Academy's catchment; comparable in operating state secondary schools at scale across England.
• United Learning: Large multi-academy trust operating numerous secondary schools across England; comparable in business model (charitable trust operating state-funded schools) and scale of secondary provision to GLC.
• Oasis Community Learning: Multi-academy trust operating secondary academies across England with a community-ethos operating model closely mirroring the Gateway Academy's character education and wraparound care approach.
• Outwood Grange Academies Trust: Large national multi-academy trust running secondary schools with a strong performance-driven culture; comparable in scale of secondary portfolio and academic-outcome orientation to The Gateway Academy.
• E-ACT: National multi-academy trust running a portfolio of UK secondary and primary academies; comparable in being a multi-academy trust operating state-funded schools with similar geographic spread and funding model.

Direct peers

• William Edwards School and Sixth Form: Secondary school in Thurrock, Essex, directly comparable in size, curriculum breadth and local pupil intake; competes for the same Thurrock student cohort as The Gateway Academy.
• Ormiston Academies Trust: National multi-academy trust and named strategic partner of the Gateway Learning Community; comparable in operating a portfolio of UK state secondary and primary academies with similar governance and funding model.
• Beacon Hill Academy: Secondary school in Thurrock serving a similar 11-16 cohort in the same local authority, with comparable demographic profile and admissions geography to The Gateway Academy.
• Harris Academy Chafford Hundred: Secondary academy in Thurrock, Essex, also serving the same local catchment and demographic as The Gateway Academy; both are state-funded academies competing directly for Year 7 admissions in Thurrock.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GlcTeaching
• Facebookfacebook.com/people/The-Gateway-Learning-Community/100083335809585
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-glc
• Instagraminstagram.com/thegatewaylearningcommunity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 The Gateway Academy