Bluecoat Aspley

Name

Bluecoat Aspley

Legal name

Archway Learning Trust

Website

https://bluecoataspley.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1706

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bluecoat Aspley Academy is a state-funded Church of England secondary school and sixth form in Nottingham, UK, serving 1,400+ learners aged 11-19 as part of the Archway Learning Trust (10 schools). It delivers GCSEs, A-levels, BTECs, and T Levels under the Archway Curriculum, with a Christian ethos, sixth-form city-centre site, and careers, safeguarding, and personal development programmes aligned to Ofsted and Gatsby benchmarks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nottingham

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, Supply Chain

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bluecoat Aspley Academy is a state-funded Church of England secondary school and sixth form providing free education to students aged 11-19 across two sites in Nottingham. It delivers the Archway Curriculum covering Key Stage 3 and 4 (GCSEs) and post-16 Level 3 qualifications including A-levels, BTECs, and T Levels, alongside comprehensive personal development, careers education, RSHE, and extracurricular programmes. The school also generates supplementary revenue through facility lettings and hire of school facilities to external parties.

Product overview

Bluecoat Aspley Academy offers a comprehensive educational programme spanning secondary education (Years 7-11, ages 11-16) and sixth form provision (Years 12-13, ages 16-19). The school operates under Archway Learning Trust and delivers the Archway Curriculum, a knowledge-rich programme aligned with the National Curriculum. Secondary education includes core subjects (English, Maths, Science) plus Geography, History, MFL (Spanish), Arts, Technology, and Religious Studies. At GCSE level, students follow a core curriculum with EBACC options and additional choices. The Sixth Form offers Level 3 programmes including A-levels (25+ subjects), Applied General Qualifications (BTEC, Cambridge Technicals), and T Levels in Education & Early Years and Health. The school provides extensive personal development through its RSHE programme, careers education aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks, extracurricular activities, and remote learning via Microsoft Teams. Christian values of faith, hope, family, and respect underpin all educational provision.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bluecoat Aspley Academy Secondary Education (KS3 & KS4) Secondary school education for students aged 11-16, following the National Curriculum with a Christian ethos, covering core subjects (English, Maths, Science) and a broad range of GCSE options. Culminates in GCSE examinations.
• Bluecoat Sixth Form (Post-16) Sixth form provision offering Level 3 A-levels, Applied General Qualifications (BTECs, Cambridge Technicals), and T Level programs for students aged 16-19, with over 25 subject offerings. Located at Maid Marian Way, Nottingham city centre.
• Archway Curriculum A knowledge-rich, ambitious curriculum designed by Archway Learning Trust covering the National Curriculum with additional breadth and depth, delivered across all key stages with three framework concepts: Macro Curriculum, the Archway Curriculum, and Extended Curriculum.
• Personal Development Programme Comprehensive programme covering RSHE, careers education, extracurricular activities, student leadership, mental health and wellbeing, and spiritual development integrated with the school's Christian values.
• Careers and Employability Programme Careers education delivered through tutor time, 1:1 guidance meetings, employer encounters, and work experience placements aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks and CDI Framework.
• Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) Statutory RSHE programme delivered through form time and dedicated drop-down days, covering topics including relationships, health, online safety, mental health, and personal wellbeing.
• School Facility Lettings and Hire Commercial hire of school facilities (sports halls, classrooms, etc.) to external community groups and organisations, generating supplementary revenue for the academy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60.11% of Year 11 leavers progressed to FE education in sixth form
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Archway Learning TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBluecoat Aspley Academy is a member school of Archway Learning Trust, a multi-academy trust operating 10 schools across Nottingham and Derby. The Trust provides strategic governance, shared resources, and the Archway Curriculum framework.
• St Margaret's Church, AspleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Church of England parish (part of Woven Churches) with strong collaborative relationship. Hosts end of term services, annual Carol Service, Founders Day Service, and Celebration of Success. Revd. Rich Atkinson serves as Chair of Academy Advisory Board.
• St Nic's Church, NottinghamsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner for Sixth Form students. Every Monday, sixth form students gather at St Nic's for collective worship. Collaborative projects on faith, worship, and social justice including weekly RE:Fuel praise and worship group.
• Woven ChurchessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of churches collaborating with the school. Woven team provides Christian Youth Workers who support collective worship, Faith Ambassadors, and Student Leadership Team.
• Nottingham CollegesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal further education college providing information on Post-16 options, T Level qualifications, and apprenticeships through careers fairs, presentations, and taster events.
• Confetti Institute of Creative TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist creative industry institute (part of Nottingham Trent University) raising awareness of creative technology careers and FE/HE courses in digital media, games design, and music.
• Access TrainingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining provider delivering apprenticeships covering business, childcare, customer service, adult care, healthcare, housing, property maintenance, teaching assistant, and team leading.
• Nottingham Forest Community TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community trust providing FE & HE course information and career pathways in sports and community engagement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Ark Schools: Large national multi-academy trust running multiple secondary academies across England, including in urban catchments comparable to Nottingham. Comparable as a Trust operator with shared curriculum frameworks and shared governance model.
• E-ACT: National multi-academy trust operating multiple secondary academies across England. Compares as a Trust-level structural peer rather than a school-level peer, illustrating how a national MAT benchmarks against a regional trust like Archway.

Regional players

• Toot Hill School: Secondary school with sixth form in Bingham, Nottinghamshire, serving a similar semi-rural/small-town catchment with strong post-16 retention. Comparable in scale and curriculum breadth but in a different sub-region of Nottinghamshire.
• Joseph Whittaker School: Church of England secondary school in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, sharing faith-school positioning and curriculum structure with Bluecoat Aspley. Operates in a different sub-region but provides a useful diocesan peer benchmark.

Direct peers

• Bluecoat Wollaton Academy: Sister school within Archway Learning Trust, also a Church of England secondary academy in Nottingham with comparable 11-16 and post-16 provision. Shares the same Trust curriculum framework, governance structure, and faith ethos — the most direct operating peer.
• Rushcliffe Spencer Academy: Nottinghamshire secondary academy with post-16 provision, part of the Spencer Academies Trust multi-academy trust. Comparable scale, academy status, and Trust-level governance structure to Bluecoat Aspley, making it a relevant structural peer.
• West Bridgford School: Large Nottinghamshire secondary school with sixth form, consistently rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Represents the upper benchmark for in-county state secondary competition and is the school Bluecoat Aspley most frequently loses in-catchment applicants to.
• The Becket School: Catholic voluntary academy secondary school in Nottingham serving a similar 11-18 age range with sixth form provision. Competes directly with Bluecoat Aspley for in-city Catholic and Christian-heritage families and shares the faith-school admissions positioning.

Emerging players

• Nottingham Free School: State-funded secondary free school established in Nottingham to provide additional parental choice. Competes for the same city-wide admissions pool as Bluecoat Aspley with a more secular positioning.

Others

• Nottingham Trent University — School of Education: Higher education institution delivering teacher training and education research, connected to the same region. Provides Initial Teacher Training partnership route and is comparable as a feeder for trainee teachers into Bluecoat Aspley's ECT development programme.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Bluecoat-Aspley-Academy-116851205087119
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bluecoat-aspley

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 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 Bluecoat Aspley