Castles Education LLP

What Castles Education LLP does

Castles Education LLP is a UK-based Limited Liability Partnership trading as 'Castles Futures', operating a small network of specialist independent schools for pupils aged 7 to 17 with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) whose primary need is Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties or broader Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). All pupils are placed through local-authority EHCP commissioning rather than parental fee payment, with the school currently serving pupils referred by six different local authorities across Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, and the wider East Midlands.

The operating model centres on three campuses: a headquarters at Acland Street in Gainsborough, a Scunthorpe site co-located within John Leggott College (capacity up to 70 pupils), and a Lincoln site at Lincoln College's Ravendale Sports Campus (up to 40 Alternative Provision placements or 20 SEMH/SEND placements). Total stated capacity is 145 places. The product surface comprises the core Castles Futures Programme (personalised curriculum aligned to individual EHCP targets, small-group teaching, and Mental Health First Aid-trained staff), plus ancillary in-house services: a minibus transport fleet with CCTV and GPS (drivers are also Teaching Assistants), 5-Star Food Hygiene-rated on-site kitchens, and vocational pathways via partnerships with construction industry federations and FE colleges. Underlying technology is standard ed-tech (CPOMS for safeguarding recording, SENECA for remote learning, Google Analytics), with no proprietary platform or AI components.

The business model is government-funded recurring revenue via local-authority EHCP placement contracts; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is set through commissioning arrangements rather than competitive fees. Distribution is relationship-driven through LA referrals, with marketing limited to the school website and parent newsletters. Castles holds Ofsted Independent School registration (achieved September 2020), a Lincolnshire County Council 'Outstanding' contract rating (November 2025), and ISI-confirmed effective safeguarding (2025). The organisation employs approximately 20 staff and is partner-owned under an LLP structure with Mr J Marsden as Lead Proprietor; no external funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

Castles Education LLP

Legal name

Castles Education LLP

Website

https://castleseducation.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Castles Education LLP (trading as Castles Futures) operates a small network of specialist UK independent schools providing SEMH and SEND education to pupils aged 7–17 with EHCPs, funded through local-authority commissioning across three campuses in Gainsborough, Lincoln, and Scunthorpe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction (611699)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs & Learning Differences Private Schools (EDAJABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alternative Schools (Behavioral/Disciplinary & Nontraditional Settings) (EDAJAEAC), Special Education Alternative / Nonpublic Schools (NPS) & Placements (EDAKAAAF)

Keywords

• Special education services
• SEMH provision
• SEND schooling
• EHCP placements
• Independent special school

Headquarters

HQ city

Scunthorpe, England

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Education Services: State-funded education through Local Authority placements. Pupils attend with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) that identify social, emotional and mental health difficulties as their primary need. Revenue is derived from government-funded educational provision contracted through multiple local authorities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Castles Education LLP operates Castles Futures, an independent special school providing full-time education to pupils aged 7 to 17 across three Lincolnshire-area campuses (Gainsborough, Lincoln Ravendale, Scunthorpe) whose primary needs are social, emotional and mental health difficulties or special educational needs and disabilities, and who all hold Education, Health and Care Plans. The school delivers a personalised, EHCP-aligned curriculum in small groups, with wraparound in-house transport and a 5-star-rated kitchen, and is commissioned by Local Authorities to provide statutory specialist placements.

Product overview

Castles Education LLP operates the Castles Futures Programme, a network of independent special education schools serving pupils aged 7 to 17 with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The organisation provides specialist SEMH and SEND provisions across multiple locations (Gainsborough, Lincoln Ravendale, and Scunthorpe), with each site offering tailored educational programmes, in-house transport services, and on-site catering facilities. The schools focus on personalised learning, real-world preparation, and supporting pupils to achieve qualifications for post-16 education, employment or training. Additional services include food parcel delivery programmes and transport provision with CCTV-monitored minibuses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Castles Futures Programme A specialist independent school programme for pupils aged 7 to 17 with Education, Health and Care Plans, providing personalised EHCP-aligned learning and support for a range of SEND and mental health needs across three campuses in Gainsborough, Lincoln and Scunthorpe.
• Specialist SEMH and SEND Provisions Specialist Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) educational provisions commissioned by Local Authorities for pupils with EHCPs across multiple campuses.
• In-House Minibus Transport Service Minibus transport service for Castles pupils across a wide radius, using a monitored fleet equipped with CCTV and GPS where drivers are also Teaching Assistants, supporting daily attendance and safeguarding.
• School Kitchen and Cafeteria On-site catering facility providing breakfast, lunch and snacks to Castles pupils across all campuses, awarded 5 Star Food Hygiene Ratings by the National Food Standards Agency.
• Meals & Wheels Programme A food delivery service providing school meals and food parcels to home learners and their families, established by Castles Education staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pupils leave with qualifications, skills and social capital to access Post-16 further education, employment or training

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Oxfam Bookstore BriggminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2021Partnership to increase reading abilities across Castles schools. Acquired over 220 books from Oxfam Brigg bookstore for school library, with books suitable for students with wide-ranging SEND needs - some non-readers or reading below age-appropriate levels. Partnership aims to provide physical books rather than online reading packages, helping students who may not possess books at home.
• John Leggott College (Scunthorpe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 August 2020Long-term lease partnership for Scunthorpe school location within John Leggott College Campus at West Common Lane. The new facility is more than double the size of the previous premises, purpose-built for education on a single floor overlooking JLC's sports facilities. Students gain access to college environment and peer groups.
• Yorkshire Builders FederationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019Partnership connecting Castles with construction businesses and developing new training and skills opportunities across the Yorkshire region. YBF's board of industry professionals aligns with Castles Futures vision to create reliable routes for young people to access construction training, apprenticeships and employment. YBF sponsors regional young people's awards recognising commitment to the construction industry.
• Operating Theatre LiveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2019Educational contributor for open day activities at Ravendale, providing packed day of activities for students alongside Yorkshire Building Federation and National Federation of Builders.
• Lincoln College (Ravendale Sports Campus)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2019Lease partnership for Castles' first sports-biased Alternative Provision site at Lincoln College's Ravendale Sports Campus. Following a £50k refurbishment, the facility offers five individual classrooms, recreational spaces, offices, catering kitchen, and over three acres of external sports pitches. Both institutions benefit from shared facilities and familiarisation opportunities for students.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Witherslack Group: One of the UK's largest specialist education and care groups, operating a network of independent schools and residential homes for children with SEMH, SEND, and autism. Direct functional overlap with Castles' SEMH/SEND independent school model, though at materially greater scale and national footprint.
• Cambian Group: UK provider of specialist residential and education services for children with autism, SEMH, and complex needs. Overlaps with Castles' SEMH/SEND focus and LA-commissioned placement model, though Cambian operates a larger multi-site national estate.
• Acorn Care and Education: Specialist education provider running independent schools and residential care for children with SEMH, autism and learning difficulties. Closely comparable LA-commissioned operating model to Castles, but at broader scale and geographic coverage.
• Catch22 Education: Not-for-profit social business running Alternative Provision, SEMH, and SEND services commissioned by LAs across England. Shares Castles' AP/SEMH focus and LA-referral go-to-market, but at significantly larger national scale.
• Priory Education and Children's Services: Large UK provider of specialist education, mental health, and residential services for children and young people, including SEMH and SEND provisions commissioned by local authorities. Comparable in service model but operates nationally with significantly more capacity.

Direct peers

• Ambitious about Autism: Charity running specialist education services and schools for autistic children and young people, with LA-commissioned placements. Comparable EHCP-driven operating model, though concentrated on autism rather than the wider SEND/SEMH cohort Castles serves.
• Hesley Group: Specialist provider of education, care and support for children and young people with autism, SEMH, and complex needs across the UK. Operates full-term residential and day schools with EHCP-driven LA commissioning, making it one of the most directly comparable peers to Castles' model.
• NAS (National Autistic Society) Schools: Operates a small network of specialist independent schools for autistic children and young people across the UK. Comparable independent school structure with EHCP-driven LA funding, though focused more narrowly on autism rather than the broader SEMH remit Castles covers.

Regional players

• Engage Multi Academy Trust: Lincolnshire-focused multi-academy trust operating alternative provision and specialist SEMH provisions for vulnerable pupils across the East Midlands. Shares Castles' AP/SEMH remit and Lincolnshire geography, directly competing for the same LA commissioning pipelines.
• Lincolnshire Alternative Provision (LAPS): Local authority-run alternative provision service operating within Lincolnshire for pupils at risk of exclusion or with SEMH needs. Directly comparable in pupil cohort and LA commissioning relationship, but as an in-house council service rather than an independent provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/castles-education

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Castles Education LLP