Royal Alexandra & Albert School

What Royal Alexandra & Albert School does

Royal Alexandra & Albert School is a non-selective, co-educational state boarding school and registered charitable foundation (Charity Number 311945), founded in 1758 and located on a 260-acre estate at Gatton Park in Reigate, Surrey. It serves approximately 1,000 students aged 7-18 across three tiers: Junior School (~160 students, ages 7-10), Senior School (~750 students, ages 11-16) and Sixth Form (~200 students, ages 16-18), with full boarding available from Year 3 through Year 13.

The school delivers education through a broad curriculum supplemented by over 100 co-curricular activities, anchored by distinctive facilities including seven boarding houses, a dedicated Gatton 6 Sixth Form Centre (opened 2023), an All-Steinway music programme (first in a state school in England), and a BHS-approved Equestrian Centre. Technology supporting operations consists of off-the-shelf platforms: Go4Schools for student tracking, Unifrog for careers, WisePay for fee collection, and EC Pro for equestrian bookings. There is no proprietary technology product or AI/ML capability.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining government per-pupil funding (state education provision) and annual boarding fees for Full Boarding, Flexi Boarding, and Sixth Form Non-Boarding packages, supplemented by charitable donations, bursary endowment income, and facility lettings during holidays. The school does not sponsor international student visas, limiting international cohort reach. Governance is provided by a Board of Management under Surrey County Council oversight, with HRH The Duchess of Gloucester serving as Patron. Recent Ofsted inspections (Good overall 2024, Outstanding in Boarding 2025) reflect improving regulatory standing under the current Executive Head appointed in 2022.

Name

Royal Alexandra & Albert School

Legal name

Royal Alexandra & Albert School

Website

https://raa-school.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1758

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Royal Alexandra & Albert School is a non-selective, co-educational state boarding school and registered charity, founded 1758, serving approximately 1,000 students aged 7-18 at its 260-acre Gatton Park campus in Surrey, combining government-funded education with annual boarding fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boarding School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)

Keywords

• State boarding school
• Boarding education
• Secondary education
• Junior school
• Co-curricular programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Reigate

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, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Boarding Fees: Full Boarding and Flexi Boarding fees charged to families for residential education services including accommodation, meals, pastoral care, and access to co-curricular activities.
2. Non-Boarding Package Fees: Sixth Form Non-Boarding Package fees for local students accessing school facilities, meals (breakfast, lunch, evening meal), and co-curricular programme without boarding.
3. Bursary Support: Means-tested bursaries provided through charitable Foundation for children requiring boarding education due to challenging home circumstances. Bursaries range from fully funded to part-funded places.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Royal Alexandra & Albert School is a non-selective, co-educational state boarding school that delivers residential and day education for approximately 1,000 students aged 7-18 across Junior School, Senior School, and Sixth Form. Its core offerings include Full Boarding (Years 3-13 across seven houses), Flexi Boarding (Years 3-11), and a Sixth Form Non-Boarding Package, supported by a 100+ activity co-curricular programme featuring the first All-Steinway state school music programme in England and a BHS-approved on-site Equestrian Centre. The school is operated as a charitable foundation and provides means-tested bursaries for Foundationers with challenging home circumstances.

Product overview

Royal Alexandra & Albert School is a non-selective, co-educational state boarding school for children aged 7-18. The school operates a three-tier educational structure: Junior School (ages 7-10, approximately 160 students), Senior School (ages 11-16, approximately 750 students), and Sixth Form (ages 16-18, approximately 200 students). Boarding options include Full Boarding (Years 3-13) across seven houses and Flexi Boarding (Years 3-11). The school provides means-tested Foundation bursaries for students with challenging home circumstances. A comprehensive co-curricular programme offers over 100 activities including sports, equestrian (Equestrian Centre with 5-star welfare rating), music (All-Steinway School status), and Duke of Edinburgh Award. The Gatton 6 Sixth Form Centre provides dedicated facilities for post-16 students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gatton 6: Sixth Form Centre opened in 2023, providing dedicated space for Sixth Form students to collaborate, socialise and study with computer room, group study areas and relaxation zones.

Products and services

• Junior School A dedicated school section for children aged 7-10 (Years 3-6) with approximately 160 students, separate from the Senior School with its own boarding house (Gloucester House), classrooms, library, and playground. Students have access to specialist teachers and facilities including science laboratories.
• Senior School Secondary education for students aged 11-16 (Years 7-11) with approximately 750 students, offering a broad, balanced curriculum grounded in the philosophy that education extends beyond the classroom.
• Sixth Form Post-16 education for approximately 200 students in Years 12-13, offering A Level courses, with an average class size of 10. Options include Full Boarding, Non-Boarding Package, and dedicated Gatton 6 Sixth Form Centre.
• Full Boarding Residential boarding provision for students from Years 3-13, with seven boarding houses: Albert, Alexandra, Cornwall, Gatton Hall, Gloucester, Kent, and Rank Weston. Boarders can stay at school during weekends with optional return home. Available to UK and international students.
• Flexi Boarding Flexible boarding option for students in Years 3-11, designed to meet the needs of modern families. Students board on a flexible basis rather than full-time, with means-tested bursaries available for demonstrated need.
• Foundation Bursaries Means-tested bursaries for children with challenging home circumstances, including orphans, those with chronically ill parents, or victims of abandonment or abuse. Bursaries range from fully funded to part-funded boarding places, supporting approximately 50 Foundationers currently.
• Co-Curricular Programme Over 100 activities including sports, equestrian, music (All-Steinway School status), drama productions, Duke of Edinburgh Award, Model United Nations, and various clubs. Embedded into the daily school routine.
• Equestrian Centre On-site equestrian facility with 20 horses, double American barn, floodlit outdoor (40x50m) and indoor (20x30m) sand schools. Offers riding lessons, Pony Club tests, BHS qualifications, and Changing Lives Through Horses programmes. BHS Approved with 5-star animal welfare rating. Believed to be the only one of its kind in a state boarding school.
• All-Steinway School Music Programme First All-Steinway state school in England, with eight pianos and two grand pianos exclusively used for music tuition. Piano lessons provided from Year 3 through to A Level.
• Non-Boarding Package Package for local Sixth Form students offering access to Gatton 6 and boarding house facilities from 7.30am until 8.30pm, including breakfast, lunch, and evening meals. Optional Saturday enrichment programme. Free School Meals recipients receive automatic reduction.
• Careers Education Programme Comprehensive careers programme from Years 7-13 aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks, using the Unifrog platform. Includes work experience, university preparation, apprenticeships guidance, and employer encounters. Working towards National Quality Certificate.
• Facilities Hire / Lettings School facilities (including Gatton Park and buildings) are available for hire during evenings and school holiday periods as a supplementary income stream.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of Year 13 students selected to pursue university education in 2023-24 academic year
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• St Marylebone Educational FoundationcoreOthersCollaborates with trust providing financial aid support for Foundationers. Part of network of benevolent funds supporting children with challenging home circumstances.
• RNCSF (Royal Naval Charitable Trust)coreOthersCollaborates with RNCSF providing financial assistance for children of naval service personnel.
• Buttle UKcoreOthersPartnership with Buttle UK, a charity providing support to vulnerable children and young people, for bursary and financial aid provision.
• The Emmott FoundationminorOthersCollaborates with The Emmott Foundation for additional financial support to Foundationers.
• The Lloyd FoundationminorOthersPartnership with The Lloyd Foundation for bursary support to eligible students.
• Thornton-Smith and Plevins TrustminorOthersCollaborates with Thornton-Smith and Plevins Trust providing financial aid for education.
• NCCBSminorOthersPartnership with NCCBS (National Consortium for Behavioural Sciences) for educational support.
• The NFL TrustminorOthersCollaborates with The NFL Trust providing support for students, likely related to sports or foundation activities.
• The Sue Thomson FoundationminorOthersPartnership with The Sue Thomson Foundation for bursary and educational support.
• Ewelme Exhibition EndowmentminorOthersCollaborates with Ewelme Exhibition Endowment for educational exhibitions and scholarships.
• Gatton TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGatton Trust is responsible for ongoing restoration of Gatton Park's historic landscape, originally designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown. The Trust, supported by 100+ volunteers, works to conserve the parkland for future generations. The Trust also runs Open Days and fundraising campaigns including £300,000 sports centre refurbishment campaign.
• Colman FamilyminorOthersSir Jeremiah Colman's family are connected to the school through Gatton Park history. Sir Jeremiah's father grew up at Gatton. The Colman family continues involvement with school events and celebrations.
• Surrey County CouncilcoreOthersSurrey County Council became responsible for provision and cost of education at the School in 1948. School remains under local authority oversight with voluntary aided status achieved in 1995.
• Dorking RFCminorOthersExternal sporting club partnership providing coaching expertise and networking opportunities for students through rugby fixtures and coaching.
• Redhill FCminorOthersFootball club partnership offering coaching and competitive fixtures for student athletes.
• Reigate Roses Netball ClubminorOthersNetball club partnership providing coaching and competition opportunities for students.
• British Horse Society (BHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBHS Approved status for Equestrian Centre providing structured qualifications including BHS Bronze and Silver Ride and Road Safety Challenge Awards, BHS stages exams. Pony Club Centre affiliation offering tests and badges.
• UnifrogcoreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware platform used for careers programme from Year 7 through to Year 13. Supports students in exploring career interests, recording skills, comparing apprenticeship and university courses, and submitting applications.
• NESCOT (North East Surrey College of Technology)minorOthersFurther education college partnership delivering apprenticeship assembly information to students.
• East Surrey CollegeminorOthersVocational pathway assembly and taster sessions provided for interested students considering post-16 options.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lancing College: Independent co-educational boarding school in West Sussex. Comparable K-12 boarding school structure with strong pastoral care and chapel traditions; competes for state-vs-independent switchers and full-fee boarders.
• Tonbridge School: Kent-based independent boarding school with strong academic tradition and historical Royal heritage. Benchmarked competitor for high-achieving families and Russell Group progression data, including co-ed Sixth Form.
• Worth School: Independent co-educational Catholic boarding school in West Sussex. Comparable boarding estate and pastoral structure, an alternative for families weighing state vs religious independent boarding.
• Seaford College: West Sussex-based co-educational boarding school with a similar Flexi/Full Boarding structure serving ages 7-18. Most direct comparability: similar boarding offering across Junior/Senior/Sixth Form tiers and overlapping South East catchment.
• Box Hill School: Independent co-educational boarding school in Surrey serving ages 11-18, with international and Flexi Boarding offerings comparable to RAAS, including a sizeable international population.
• Cranleigh School: Independent co-educational boarding school in Surrey. Direct competitor in the local South East boarding market with similar integrated K-12 boarding structure and pastoral foundations.
• Epsom College: Independent co-educational boarding school in Surrey offering boarding for ages 11-18. Direct local competitor for fee-paying boarders in the same M25-corridor catchment, with similar academic and co-curricular offerings.
• Ardingly College: Independent co-educational boarding school in West Sussex. Comparable boarding-first operating model with extensive co-curricular programme and Sixth Form, competing directly for South East family placements.
• Wellington College: Large Berkshire independent co-educational boarding school serving ages 13-18. Competes for UK and international boarders at the top of the market; relevant for benchmarking the all-Steinway and equestrian-adjacent enrichment programs.
• Reeds School: Independent co-educational day and boarding school in Cobham, Surrey. Direct local competitor in the South East boarding market, with overlapping age range, strong SEND and pastoral provision, and similar family demographic profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RAASchoolGatton
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RoyalAlexandraAlbertSch
• Facebookfacebook.com/RAASchoolGatton
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-royal-alexandra-and-albert-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/raaschoolgatton

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Royal Alexandra & Albert School