Cranmer Education Trust

What Cranmer Education Trust does

Cranmer Education Trust is a UK multi-academy trust headquartered at The Blue Coat School site in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It operates a family of 13 schools spanning primary, secondary and sixth-form provision across the Greater Manchester area, serving students from Rising-3s through to Sixth Form. The trust also runs an integrated teacher development ecosystem comprising three subsidiaries: Manchester Nexus SCITT (Initial Teacher Training, 440 completers), East Manchester Teaching School Hub (242 individuals from 24 partner schools engaged in the most recent year), and the Cranmer Institute, supplemented by a 2-year Early Career Teacher package delivered in partnership with University College London that has trained 2,112 ECTs since 2021.

The trust's operating model is anchored on Trust Leadership Communities (TLCs) — deliberately focused cross-school expert teams covering School Improvement, Safeguarding, and Behaviour & Culture. TLCs implement a shared School Improvement Framework described as 'a live, evolving bank of high-quality teaching, leadership and curriculum practice' and a Unified Safeguarding Approach applied across all member schools. A unified safeguarding culture and codified cross-school improvement practice are presented as the principal differentiating mechanisms versus standalone schools.

Revenue is structurally tied to UK government per-pupil funding allocations, as Cranmer is a state-funded academy trust that does not charge tuition. Growth is driven by a community-led model — actively welcoming both faith-designated and community schools to join the trust — rather than commercial sales. The trust is governed by a board of trustees under a charitable structure (registered in England and Wales, company number 07687709), led by CEO Mrs Julie Hollis, and shows no parent company or external equity ownership. Greenfield capacity has been demonstrated via the construction of The Brian Clarke CofE Academy as a new town-centre secondary school in Oldham.

Name

Cranmer Education Trust

Legal name

Cranmer Education Trust

Website

https://cranmeredt.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Cranmer Education Trust is a UK multi-academy trust operating 13 primary, secondary and sixth-form schools across Greater Manchester, serving students from Rising-3s to Sixth Form. It also runs an integrated teacher development ecosystem through subsidiaries including Manchester Nexus SCITT, East Manchester Teaching School Hub and the Cranmer Institute.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Academy Trust Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional Education Service Agencies (ESAs/BOCES/Intermediate Units) (EDADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

Keywords

• Multi-academy trust
• Primary education
• Secondary education
• Teacher training
• School improvement

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As a UK multi-academy trust, Cranmer Education Trust receives government funding per pupil for each school in the trust. This is the primary revenue stream supporting educational operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cranmer Education Trust is a UK multi-academy trust that operates 13 primary, secondary, and sixth form schools across Greater Manchester, providing full-age-range education from Rising-3s to Sixth Form. It also delivers nationally accredited teacher training, professional development, and school improvement services through its subsidiaries (Manchester Nexus SCITT, East Manchester Teaching School Hub, and Cranmer Institute), using Trust Leadership Communities (TLCs) to share expertise across schools.

Product overview

Cranmer Education Trust is a growing school trust operating in Greater Manchester that offers a portfolio of educational institutions and professional development programmes. The trust manages a network of primary and secondary schools spanning from Rising-3s to Sixth Form, including named schools such as Blue Coat School, The Brian Clarke CofE Academy, St Anne's CE Academy, Saddleworth School, and The Radclyffe School. The trust provides educational ecosystem offerings through Manchester Nexus SCITT (Initial Teacher Training with 440+ participants), East Manchester Teaching School Hub (242 individuals from 24 partner schools), and Cranmer Institute for professional development. The trust also operates a 2-year Early Career Teacher package in partnership with University College London (2,112 teachers trained since 2021). Trust Leadership Communities (TLCs) provide collaborative frameworks for School Improvement, Safeguarding, and Behaviour & Culture across the school network. The trust welcomes schools from all phases and faith designations to join the collaborative improvement community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Manchester Nexus SCITT: Nationally accredited teacher training programme providing Initial Teacher Training (ITT)
• East Manchester Teaching School Hub
• Cranmer Institute

Products and services

• The Brian Clarke CofE Academy A purpose-built secondary school in Oldham town centre, constructed from the ground up by the trust, with the motto 'Luceat lux vestra - let your light shine'. It serves students across the secondary age range as part of the Cranmer Education Trust family.
• Manchester Nexus SCITT A nationally accredited Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programme provider within the trust ecosystem, with 440 participants having completed the programme, providing Initial Teacher Training for aspiring educators.
• East Manchester Teaching School Hub A nationally accredited teaching school hub providing professional development for educators. 242 individuals from 24 partner schools and MATs engaged with the hub last year.
• Cranmer Institute Part of the trust's educator professional development ecosystem, providing training and development programmes for educators within the trust family.
• Blue Coat School Primary and secondary education provision within the Cranmer Education Trust family, located in Oldham.
• Blue Coat Sixth Form Post-16 Sixth Form education provision within the trust, located in Oldham.
• East Crompton St Georges CE Primary School Church of England primary school within the trust family.
• Little Heaton CE Primary School Church of England primary school within the trust family.
• Mayfield Primary School Primary school within the trust family.
• St John Thornham Primary School Church of England primary school within the trust family.
• St Matthew's CE Primary School Church of England primary school within the trust family.
• Saddleworth School Secondary school within the trust family.
• St Anne's CE Academy Church of England secondary academy within the trust, noted for nationally recognised attendance work.
• The Radclyffe School Secondary school within the trust family.

Quantifiable outcome

• 440 participants completed ITT programme with Manchester Nexus SCITT
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Manchester Nexus SCITTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationally accredited teacher training provider within the trust ecosystem. Has trained 440 ITT participants. Provides Initial Teacher Training programmes for aspiring educators.
• East Manchester Teaching School HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeaching school hub providing professional development. Worked with 242 individuals from 24 partner schools and MATs last year. Part of the trust's comprehensive teacher development ecosystem.
• Cranmer InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the trust's professional development infrastructure. Provides training and development programmes for educators within the trust family.
• University College London (UCL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Early Career Teacher (ECT) training. Provided 2-year ECT package to 2,112 teachers since 2021. Nationally recognised accreditation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oasis Community Learning: Large UK multi-academy trust running primary and secondary academies across multiple regions, with a community-led model similar to Cranmer's. Operates schools in the North West and competes for the same converting schools in Greater Manchester.
• Greenwood Academies Trust: Mid-sized UK multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary academies, including in the East Midlands and surrounding regions. Highly comparable as a MAT of similar scale focused on school improvement through collaboration.
• Laurus Trust: Greater Manchester-based multi-academy trust operating a family of primary and secondary schools in the same geography as Cranmer. The most direct local competitor for converting schools, pupils and teaching talent in Oldham and surrounding boroughs.
• E-ACT: National multi-academy trust running dozens of primary and secondary academies, including in the North West. A direct MAT competitor with comparable school-improvement services and a similar conversion-driven growth model.
• L.E.A.D. Academy Trust: Mid-sized multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary schools across the East Midlands and surrounding regions with a leadership-development focus. Comparable in scale, growth model and emphasis on school-to-school collaboration.

Broad incumbents

• REAch2 Academy Trust: One of the largest primary-focused multi-academy trusts in England, operating hundreds of primary schools. Relevant comparable for Cranmer's primary-school portfolio and primary-conversion pipeline.
• Outwood Grange Academies Trust: Large northern-focused multi-academy trust operating dozens of secondary and primary schools with a strong school-improvement brand. Comparable to Cranmer in operating model, but at considerably larger scale and with deeper central services.
• United Learning: One of the UK's largest multi-academy trusts operating primary and secondary schools nationwide, including across Greater Manchester. Highly comparable to Cranmer as a MAT but at significantly greater scale with broader geographic reach and broader central services.
• Ark (Ark Schools): National education charity running a network of academies and non-graded schools across England. Comparable as a values-driven, reputation-led multi-academy operator with strong teacher-training and professional-development infrastructure.

Emerging players

• Manchester Nexus SCITT (programme comparison only): Listed for context — this is Cranmer's own teacher-training subsidiary rather than an independent peer. Surfaced to acknowledge its competitive positioning against regional SCITTs and Teaching School Hubs that compete for the same ITT and ECT trainees.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CranmerTrust
• YouTubevimeo.com/cranmertrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/CranmerEDT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cranmer-education-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries13 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 Cranmer Education Trust