Birmingham Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust

What Birmingham Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust does

Birmingham Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust (BDMAT) is a UK charitable company limited by guarantee (company number 10729883) that operates a network of 19 state-funded Church of England schools — 18 primaries and 1 secondary — across Birmingham, Solihull, and Warwickshire, serving over 4,000 pupils. The trust was formed in September 2017 by the Church of England Diocese of Birmingham as a vehicle to consolidate CofE schools under a shared Christian ethos (mission: 'life in its fullness' based on John 10:10) and central governance. BDMAT is governed by its own board of directors while remaining under diocesan spiritual oversight, and each school retains a Local Academy Board for site-level governance. Its strategic focus spans teaching quality, pastoral provision for SEND/SEMH/EAL pupils, community engagement in economically deprived catchments, and teacher development.

BDMAT's core product is the school network itself, underpinned by a central support team delivering finance, HR, IT, Christian distinctiveness, and school improvement functions. Specialist sub-products include The Nest Nurture Room (SEND/SEMH provision using Attention Autism, Lego Therapy, Dough Disco), St Michael's Farm (animal-assisted wellbeing with loaned livestock from Southfields Farm), The Orchard Community Hub (food pantry, English lessons, family advocacy in partnership with Taraki, Humanify, and Grimmitt Trust), Barns Close spiritual retreat, and a Key Stage 2 residential programme at Brig House. The trust's technology infrastructure is conventional and undifferentiated: a WordPress CMS for bdmat.org.uk, the Arbor Management Information System for admissions, attendance, payments, and parent communication, with video content hosted via Wistia and YouTube.

BDMAT's revenue model is subscription-recurring in form but government-funded in substance: the trust receives per-pupil funding, Pupil Premium, SEND top-ups, and other grants from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), with no tuition fees charged to families. Ancillary revenue streams include catering (delivered by Chartwells), lettings of facilities, and charitable donations supporting community-facing programmes. Its go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via local authority admissions processes for mainstream intake and in-year transfers, supplemented by a recruitment channel for staff and teacher trainees through its careers pages and the Ark Teacher Training partnership. Customer concentration risk is structurally low on the family/pupil side given 4,000+ distributed families, but BDMAT is materially dependent on a single government payer (ESFA) and the Church of England Diocese as both founder and governance counterparty. There is no external venture, growth, or private equity capital invested in the trust.

Name

Birmingham Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust

Legal name

Birmingham Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust

Website

https://bdmat.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Birmingham Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust (BDMAT) is a UK state-funded multi-academy trust operating 19 Church of England schools (18 primaries, 1 secondary) across Birmingham, Solihull, and Warwickshire, serving over 4,000 pupils through shared governance and central support functions under a Christian ethos.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary and Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Primary education services
• Secondary academy education
• Multi-academy trust
• Special educational needs support
• Teacher training programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Education Services: As a multi-academy trust, BDMAT receives government funding through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to provide state-funded education services across its network of schools. Revenue is derived from per-pupil funding, additional grants, and government initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

BDMAT is a multi-academy trust that runs 19 Church of England schools (18 primary and 1 secondary) across Birmingham, Solihull and Warwickshire, delivering free state-funded education to over 4,000 pupils. A central trust team provides shared finance, HR, IT, Christian distinctiveness and school improvement services, and the trust operates enrichment programmes including a community hub, nurture room for SEND/SEMH, a school farm, breakfast club, residential outdoor learning, retreats, and a teacher training pathway.

Product overview

BDMAT is a West Midlands multi-academy trust operating a network of 19 Church of England schools (18 primary and 1 secondary) across Birmingham, Solihull, and Warwickshire, serving over 4,000 pupils. The trust functions as a unified platform providing shared best practice, central team support, and a Christian ethos across its member schools. The core product is the school network itself, complemented by enrichment sub-products including the Community Hub (The Orchard), the Nest Nurture Room for SEND/SEMH support, St Michael's Farm for animal-assisted therapy, Barnes Close spiritual retreat, Brig House residential outdoor education, Breakfast Club (in partnership with Magic Breakfast), and the BDMAT Initial Teacher Training Pathway (in partnership with Ark Teacher Training).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BDMAT School Network A multi-academy trust network of 19 Church of England schools (18 primary and 1 secondary) across Birmingham, Solihull and Warwickshire, serving over 4,000 pupils within a Christian ethos.
• The Orchard Community Hub Community support facility at St Michael's CE Primary Academy, Handsworth, providing advocacy sessions, food pantry, free English lessons, cooking classes, arts and crafts, Zumba, toddler groups and youth pathways for families and the wider community.
• BDMAT Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Pathway School-based teacher training programme delivered in partnership with Ark Teacher Training, offering both salaried and non-salaried routes leading to qualified teacher status and a guaranteed permanent teaching position within the BDMAT network.
• Breakfast Club Free daily breakfast club provided to all pupils at St Michael's CE Primary Academy in partnership with Magic Breakfast, ensuring no child begins the school day hungry.
• SEND Support Services Special educational needs and disabilities services including Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology, Communication and Autism Team support, Pupil and School Support, and a dedicated SENDCo, supported by an SEND register and Individual Education Plans.
• The Nest Nurture Room Sanctuary and nurture space for children requiring social, emotional and mental health support, delivering a tailored curriculum alongside specialist interventions such as Attention Autism, Lego Therapy, Dough Disco and Social Stories to remove barriers related to SEND or SEMH needs.
• St Michael's Farm Inner-city nurture farm housing alpacas, pygmy goats, chickens, a rabbit and lambs supporting pupil wellbeing, therapeutic engagement and life-skills development through animal care and community allotment gardening.
• Brig House Residential Centre visits Residential outdoor learning at the Brig House centre in Warwickshire for Key Stage 2 pupils, providing up to nine nights of woodland adventures, team-building, campfire cooking and shelter building, subsidised to ensure equitable participation.
• Barnes Close Retreat Programme Fortnightly visits for pupils, parents and staff to a Worcestershire countryside retreat offering woodland walks, reflection, arts and crafts, nature connection and team-building activities.

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and minor.

• Ark Teacher TrainingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDMAT's Initial Teacher Training programme is delivered in partnership with Ark Teacher Training. The partnership provides school-based teacher training with guaranteed employment at BDMAT upon successful completion. Trainees benefit from personalised support from tutors and in-school mentors across the network of 19 BDMAT schools.
• ChartwellscoreOthersSchool catering provider partnership delivering nutritious, tasty, and balanced meals for pupils. Chartwells creates menus that fuel learning, with award-winning allergy management processes. Special themed menus celebrate seasons, traditions, and cultural events throughout the year.
• Magic BreakfastcoreOthersCharitable partner providing support for the school's free Breakfast Club programme. Magic Breakfast is a national organisation that helps ensure no child starts the school day too hungry to learn.
• TarakimajorOthersLocal charity supporting The Orchard Community Hub at St Michael's. Taraki contributed to the funding and establishment of the community hub, which provides support services to families in Handsworth.
• HumanifymajorOthersLocal charity providing funding and support for The Orchard Community Hub project. Humanify is part of the ongoing funding and staffing structure for community hub projects.
• Grimmitt TrustsupportingOthersCharitable trust providing funding support for the Community Hub and its operations, including employment of the hub manager.
• Newbigin Community TrustsupportingOthersCommunity partner involved with the school farm and allotment projects, providing volunteer support and contributing to the educational and therapeutic impact of farm activities for students.
• Southfields FarmsupportingOthersWarwickshire farm partner that loans animals to the school for extended periods, enabling the school farm programme that teaches pupils empathy and animal care skills.
• North Edgbaston Sports ClubsupportingOthersCommunity sports organisation providing volunteer support and funding for school programmes, including farm and allotment activities.
• Soho Road BidminorOthersLocal business improvement district organisation that contributes volunteers and support to school community projects.
• Birmingham Royal BalletsupportingOthersDance Track programme partnership providing talent identification and free weekly ballet lessons for young children (ages 6-8) who may not otherwise have opportunity to participate in dance.
• Brig HousesupportingOthersResidential education centre in Warwickshire countryside (established 1969) providing outdoor learning experiences for Key Stage Two pupils from underserved communities, with up to nine-night residential stays.
• Barnes ClosesupportingOthersFormer Cadbury family home turned spiritual retreat centre in Worcestershire countryside. Provides fortnightly visits for pupils, parents and staff for reflection, nature connection, and peace-making activities.
• Church of England Birmingham (Birmingham Diocese)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDMAT was formed in September 2017 by the Church of England, Birmingham to be a home for Church of England schools and those schools who support the trust's vision and values. The diocese provides ongoing governance and spiritual oversight.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ark Schools: Ark Schools runs a network of academies across multiple English regions and operates its own teacher-training programme. Directly comparable to BDMAT's partnership with Ark Teacher Training and its multi-region academy model.
• Star Academies: Star Academies operates a faith-rooted multi-academy trust running primary and secondary schools, particularly in the Midlands and North of England. Comparable as a faith-anchored MAT with strong community and pastoral programmes.
• Harris Federation: Harris Federation operates dozens of primary and secondary academies across London and the South East with strong central teams and a culture of shared practice. Comparable scale and operating model to BDMAT, despite serving a different region.
• Reach2 Academy Trust: REAch2 is one of England's largest primary-focused multi-academy trusts, sponsoring more than 60 primary schools with a similar model of central support and shared best practice. Directly comparable to BDMAT's 18-primary-heavy portfolio.
• Oasis Community Learning: Oasis Community Learning operates a large multi-academy trust of primary and secondary schools with a values-driven ethos (originally Christian but now broadly inclusive). Most directly comparable to BDMAT as a faith-roots MAT running dozens of schools across multiple regions of England with central shared-service teams.

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: United Learning runs a significantly larger portfolio of state and independent schools across England, including faith-affiliated schools. Comparable in being a faith-rooted MAT providing central shared services and teacher-training programmes.
• Academies Enterprise Trust (AET): AET is one of the largest MATs in England, operating a mix of primary, secondary and special academies with central shared services. Comparable in scale and centralised operating model to BDMAT.
• E-ACT: E-ACT is a large multi-academy trust running primary and secondary academies across England with centralised operational support and a growing SEND focus. Comparable as a peer MAT operating at similar or greater scale.

Regional players

• Lichfield Diocese Multi-Academy Trust: Lichfield Diocese MAT runs a network of C of E schools across Staffordshire and surrounding areas, serving as a peer diocesan trust in the West Midlands region with a comparable faith-based MAT operating model.
• Coventry Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust: Coventry Diocesan MAT is the structural sibling of BDMAT, formed by the neighbouring diocese to sponsor Church of England schools in Coventry and Warwickshire. Most directly comparable on governance, ethos and regional geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birmingham-diocesan-academies-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries19 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 Birmingham Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust