Charnwood College

What Charnwood College does

Charnwood College is a state-funded secondary academy located in Loughborough, Leicestershire, serving students aged 11–18 across Key Stages 3, 4 and the Sixth Form (Years 7–13). It delivers a standard English secondary curriculum comprising GCSEs, A-Levels, and vocational qualifications (OCR Cambridge Technical and BTEC routes in PE and Performing Arts), with specialised offerings including a Football Academy linked to the Advanced Apprenticeship for Sporting Excellence. The college joined the David Ross Education Trust (DRET) in 2015, operating as part of a multi-academy trust serving over 13,000 pupils, and has received more than £2 million of trust-funded capital investment in facilities since joining.

The college's technology infrastructure is built around DRET.Cloud (a unified portal for parents, students and staff), the MyChildAtSchool parent app, a cashless catering system delivered by Caterlink, and third-party learning platforms including Sparx Maths, Active Learn for modern foreign languages, and Bromcom as the student information system supporting SEND/IEP workflows. Remote learning is supported through online curriculum access. There is no proprietary technology product developed by the academy itself; all platforms are either DRET-centralised or commercially licensed.

Revenue is entirely non-commercial and derived from government per-pupil funding routed via the Education and Skills Funding Agency through DRET, supplemented by Pupil Premium (£935 per FSM-eligible pupil, £2,300 per looked-after child) and Year 7 Catch-Up Premium. The academy charges no tuition fees, admits students through Leicestershire County Council's coordinated admissions process with catchment-area priority, and is subject to Ofsted inspection. The headcount figure of 34 refers to senior leadership and administrative staff; teaching staff are not enumerated in the source data.

Name

Charnwood College

Legal name

The David Ross Education Trust

Website

https://charnwoodcollege.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Charnwood College is a state-funded secondary academy in Loughborough, UK, delivering GCSE, A-Level and vocational programmes to students aged 11–18 as part of the David Ross Education Trust network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Loughborough

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: State-funded academy receiving government per-pupil funding through the Education and Skills Funding Agency, allocated via the David Ross Education Trust

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Charnwood College is a state-funded secondary academy delivering full-time education for students aged 11-18 from Year 7 through Sixth Form (Year 13). It offers a structured curriculum including Key Stage 3, GCSE qualifications (Years 10-11), A-Levels, and vocational pathways such as OCR Cambridge Technical and BTEC Diplomas in PE and Performing Arts. The academy also runs a Football Academy programme and Football Bursary, alongside extensive enrichment in sport, music, drama, and arts, supported by the DRET.Cloud digital learning platform and MyChildAtSchool parent portal.

Product overview

Charnwood College is a secondary school and sixth form academy providing a comprehensive educational service from Years 7 through 13. The institution operates as part of the David Ross Education Trust network. Its core educational products include a structured GCSE Options Programme with academic and vocational pathways, A-Level courses, and vocational qualifications (OCR Cambridge Technical/BTEC). The Sixth Form offers specialized programmes including the Football Academy. The institution's technology infrastructure includes DRET.Cloud for parent/student/staff communication, Remote Learning services, and various digital platforms (Sparx Maths, Active Learn, Bromcom). Enrichment activities across sports, arts, and music complement the academic curriculum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sixth Form Programme Post-16 education programme for Years 12 and 13 offering A-Level, vocational, and mixed study routes. Includes the Football Academy and Football Bursary opportunities. Students study a minimum of 600 Guided Learning Hours with a minimum entry requirement of five GCSEs at Grade 4.
• GCSE Options Programme Key Stage 4 curriculum for Years 10-11 with four option blocks. Students select from EBACC subjects, GCSE qualifications, and vocational subjects in PE and the Arts. Includes Combined Science (trilogy) and separate Sciences options.
• A-Level Courses Sixth Form academic route offering A-Level qualifications across multiple subjects including Art, Drama, Theatre Studies, English, Geography, History, Maths, Sciences, and Languages. Includes practical components such as Fine Art coursework (60%) and exams (40%).
• OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma / BTEC Diploma Vocational route within Sixth Form in Performing Arts or PE. Alternative to traditional A-Levels for students preferring practical, work-focused qualifications.
• Football Academy Specialised football programme within the Sixth Form, including Football Bursary. Part of the Advanced Apprenticeship for Sporting Excellence (AASE) in basketball and football.
• OCR GCSE PE and OCR National Sports Science Physical Education GCSE and vocational sports qualifications for students wishing to pursue sports-related further education or careers.
• Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Programme Languages curriculum including French and Spanish from Year 7 through to GCSE. Part of English Baccalaureate. Dual linguists can also gain qualifications in their mother tongue.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• David Ross Education Trust (DRET)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharnwood College is part of the David Ross Education Trust network. The trust provides governance, funding management, shared policies, curriculum frameworks, and the Inspiration Fund supporting over 13,000 students across the network.
• Just Schoolwear (Academy School Uniforms)minorOthersApproved uniform supplier for Charnwood College. Provides school skirts, outdoor coats, PE kit, and academy bags. Parents can order online or by telephone.
• Rose BuddiesminorOthersApproved uniform supplier operating online and at Loughborough Market Stall (Thursday and Saturday). Provides school uniform items for Charnwood College students.
• The Well ChurchminorOthersCommunity partner running a second-hand uniform shop at Charnwood College on selected Sundays, providing affordable uniform options for families.
• CaterlinkminorOthersExternal catering company providing food services at Charnwood College. Operates a cashless catering system for students.
• North Charnwood SSPANminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth Charnwood School Sport Partnership Activity Network - partnership for sports competition and physical education programmes.
• Leicester Riders BasketballminorOthersElite sports club providing coaching and development opportunities for students through the PE curriculum and enrichment programmes.
• Loughborough Lightning NetballminorOthersElite netball club providing coaching and skills development for students participating in netball programmes.
• Leicester Tigers RugbyminorOthersProfessional rugby club providing coaching support and pathways for students interested in rugby.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Harris Federation: One of the largest UK multi-academy trusts operating primary and secondary academies. Highly comparable as a MAT operating state-funded secondary schools with shared curriculum and governance models.
• Lift Schools: UK-wide multi-academy trust (formerly E-ACT) operating a large network of secondary academies. Comparable to DRET in operating model, governance structure, and breadth of secondary provision.
• Ormiston Academies Trust: UK multi-academy trust operating a portfolio of secondary academies. Comparable to Charnwood/DRET as a peer MAT model delivering secondary education at scale with shared back-office services.
• Academies Enterprise Trust: UK-wide multi-academy trust operating a large number of primary and secondary academies. Comparable to DRET as a peer MAT operating state secondary schools with shared services and central curriculum frameworks.
• Outwood Grange Academies Trust: Large UK multi-academy trust running numerous secondary academies. Comparable as a peer multi-academy trust delivering standardised curriculum, digital platforms, and enrichment across its network.

Regional players

• The Priory Federation of Academies: Multi-academy trust running secondary academies across Lincolnshire and the East Midlands. Comparable as a regional peer running state secondary schools with shared sixth form provision.
• Loughborough Grammar School: Independent selective school located in Loughborough, offering GCSE and A-Level programmes to 11-18 year olds. Comparable as a local peer for secondary/6th form provision in the same town, though it operates a fee-paying model.
• Greenwood Academies Trust: Multi-academy trust with several academies across the East Midlands, including secondary schools. Comparable as a peer regional MAT operating state-funded secondary schools in a similar geography to Charnwood.

Direct peers

• City of Leicester School: State-funded secondary school in Leicester. Comparable as a peer secondary school in the same region offering GCSEs and A-Levels to a similar 11-18 student cohort with catchment-based admissions.
• Babington Academy: Leicester-based secondary academy offering GCSE and post-16 pathways. Comparable as a peer state secondary academy in the same East Midlands region serving a similar 11-18 demographic with academic and vocational routes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charnwood-college

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Charnwood College