Charlton Park Academy

What Charlton Park Academy does

Charlton Park Academy is a state-funded Special Academy in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, London, providing education for students aged 11–19 with complex, low-incidence special educational needs (SEND) including Profound Multiple Learning Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties, autism, complex needs, sensory impairments, and rare syndromes such as Angelman and Heller's syndrome. Founded in 1907 as England's first Open Air School of Recovery in Shooters Hill, the institution has over a century of continuous operation in special education, was renamed Charlton School in 2001 during a borough-wide reorganisation, gained Academy status in 2012, and consolidated operations into a purpose-built facility at Charlton Park Road in 2008. Admissions are managed exclusively through the local authority EHCP placement process, with priority given to looked-after pupils and those with Pre-national attainment levels (P1–P8), capped at 25 new Year-7 entrants annually and currently serving approximately 220 pupils with around 60 staff.

The academy's core offering is its Five Pathways Curriculum (Pathways 1–5), a personalised model linked via "The Golden Thread" that connects each student's Education, Health and Care Plan targets with daily learning and Preparation for Adulthood outcomes. The underlying technical infrastructure combines specialised assistive and communication technology (Eye Gaze systems, AAC devices, RIX Wikis for person-centred planning, AV1 telepresence robot) with a comprehensive in-house multidisciplinary Therapeutic Services team covering Occupational Therapy (5 OTs plus a technician), Speech and Language Therapy (4 SLTs plus an assistant), Music Therapy (3 therapists), Drama Therapy, Physiotherapy, Art Therapy, and Counselling. This is complemented by a four-tiered Work Experience programme, a 12-month Supported Internship Programme, and Career Education aligned with the Gatsby Benchmarks.

The business model is government-funded education: revenue derives from per-pupil funding routed through local authorities based on EHCP placements, with clinical services co-commissioned via Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. There are no tuition fees, no commercial customers, and no geographic expansion strategy beyond out-of-borough EHCP placements. The school operates a single headquarters site, maintains ~20 third-party partnerships spanning AT vendors (Tobii Dynavox, Smartbox, Widgit, CENMAC), academic collaborators (RIX at University of East London), and transition providers (London South East College, Co-op Plumstead), and is governed by a body including Co-Chairs Graham Harknett and Lynda Hage, with Mark Dale-Emberton as Principal.

Name

Charlton Park Academy

Legal name

Charlton Park Academy

Website

https://charltonparkacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Charlton Park Academy is a state-funded Special Academy in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, London, educating approximately 220 students aged 11–19 with complex, low-incidence special educational needs via a five-pathway curriculum, on-site multidisciplinary therapies, and assistive technology partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism-Specific Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Autism Assistive Technology & Learning Tools (Educational) (EDAKAKAM)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Assistive communication technology
• Complex needs education
• Education health care plans
• Preparation for adulthood

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As a state-funded Academy, Charlton Park Academy receives funding through the local authority for students with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Funding is based on the number of enrolled students with EHCPs and covers the specialized educational provision and therapies provided.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Charlton Park Academy is a state-funded Special Academy delivering specialist education for students aged 11–19 with complex, low-incidence SEND (PMLD, SLD, autism, complex needs). Its core offer is the Five Pathways Curriculum (Pathways 1–5), a personalised model linked by the "Golden Thread" framework that connects EHCP targets to daily learning and Preparation for Adulthood outcomes. Provision is delivered on-site with embedded Therapeutic Services and a Communication/Assistive Technology stack including RIX Wikis, Eye Gaze, Total Communication AAC tools, and AV1 telepresence, supported by the CENMAC partnership.

Product overview

Charlton Park Academy is a Special Academy in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, London, providing education for students aged 11-19 with complex, low incidence special educational needs including Profound Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), autism, and complex needs. The school's core offering is its Five Pathways Curriculum (Pathways 1-5), a highly personalised model connected through 'The Golden Thread' that links each student's EHCP targets with daily learning and Preparation for Adulthood outcomes. This is complemented by a Post-16 Sixth Form programme focusing on transition to adulthood, comprehensive Therapeutic Services (including Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Music Therapy, Drama Therapy, Physiotherapy, Art Therapy, and Counselling), and specialist Communication/AAC support including RIX Wikis person-centred planning, Total Communication/AAC tools, Eye Gaze technology, and assistive technology support through CENMAC. The school also offers Work Experience with a four-tiered approach, Supported Internship Programmes, Career Education and Guidance aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks, plus enrichment activities including Library Services, Gardening/Food Education, and Art and Design. All provision is tailored to individual student needs through EHCP planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Five Pathways Curriculum
• Post-16 Sixth Form

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful transitions to further education, employment, and adult social care services documented through alumni outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration28 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RIX Research and Media Centre (University of East London)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with RIX Research and Media Centre at University of East London for implementation of RIX Wikis - multimedia person-centred planning websites for students. Project began in 2012 providing every student and family with individual PCP Wiki. School integrates PCP Wiki production into ICT/computing lessons.
• CENMACcoreTechnology or IntegrationUnique London-based support service offering assessments, reviews and loan of equipment to help pupils with a disability access the curriculum using assistive technology. CENMAC provides ongoing support to Charlton Park Academy students.
• School Food MatterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with School Food Matters provides food education programme promoting healthy eating habits. Students participate in growing fruits and vegetables in the garden and sell produce at market along with honey from school beekeeping.
• Oxleas NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS healthcare services provider for South East London. Provides school nursing team, community health services including speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, and care for people with learning disabilities. Team attends Annual Health Reviews and Dietetic Reviews at the school.
• Transformation Partners in Health and CareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Transformation Partners providing support resources for parents and carers of children and young people with eating disorders, working with Beat (UK's Eating Disorder charity).
• SSAT (Schools, Students and Teachers network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter signatory for SSAT Children's Charter: A Pledge for Children, supporting principles for 21st century childhood.
• London South East CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation provider offering SEND courses across boroughs of Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich. Provides Introduction to Work and Personal Progression Pathways for CPA students transitioning beyond Sixth Form.
• Co-op (Plumstead)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWork experience host business for Post 16 learners. Provides real-world work environment for students to develop employability skills.
• Open CityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture education organization delivering workshops for Post 16 students including talks by architects and design/modeling activities.
• KoothminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree, safe, anonymous online mental health and wellbeing service for young people in Greenwich aged 10-25. Provides counselling from BACP accredited therapists up to 10pm daily, 365 days a year.
• QwellminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree online counselling and emotional wellbeing service for adults aged over 26 years, available to support staff and residents across South East London.
• Partnership for ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent charity promoting mental health of children through Zippy's Friends and Apple's Friends programmes, with adapted SEND versions available.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Perseid School: Specialist academy in Morden serving pupils aged 11-19 with PMLD, SLD and complex needs including autism. Closest like-for-like peer given similar age range, cohort severity, and South London footprint.
• Treloar's School and College: Long-established specialist residential and day provision in Hampshire for students aged 11-19 with physical disabilities, PMLD and complex SEND. Directly comparable in the depth of integrated therapy and AT provision.
• Moor House School & College: Independent specialist school and college in Surrey for children with severe and complex speech, language and communication needs including autism. Comparable in cohort profile and emphasis on AAC.
• Heritage House School: Specialist all-age academy in Chesham, Buckinghamshire for pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties, many with autism. Comparable in five-day residential and day special school model and EHCP-led admissions.
• Linden Lodge School: Wandsworth-based special school for pupils with sensory impairment and complex needs. Similar London LA-commissioned model and age range, though sensory rather than PMLD/autism focus.
• Ambitious about Autism (TreeHouse School): London-based specialist autism free school operating across multiple sites with an outcomes-driven curriculum. Direct autism-specific peer serving a similar age band and complex-SEND cohort.
• The Children's Trust: National charity in Tadworth, Surrey providing rehabilitation and education for children with brain injury and complex neurodisability. Comparable in integrating therapy, education and assistive technology for highly complex cohorts.

Broad incumbents

• National Autistic Society (NAS Schools): UK-wide charity running day and residential schools for autistic pupils including the Robert Ogden School. Provides a wider autism-education portfolio of which Charlton Park's autism pathway is a regional comparable.
• Witherslack Group: Operates a portfolio of independent specialist schools and residential homes across the UK for children with SEND including autism, SLCN and SEMH. A larger incumbent whose multi-site model represents a potential scale competitor.
• Priory Education and Children's Services: Operates a national network of specialist schools, colleges and residential services for SEND and mental health needs. Larger incumbent operating across geographies with comparable autism and complex-needs pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/charltonparkacademy_official
• Xx.com/CharltonSch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Charlton Park Academy