COLCHESTER ACADEMY

What COLCHESTER ACADEMY does

Colchester Academy is a state-funded, non-selective, co-educational secondary school located in Colchester, Essex, serving students aged 11-16 (Years 7-11). The academy is a charitable company limited by guarantee operating under the Penrose Learning Trust, a multi-academy trust registered in England and Wales (company number 07682993). It educates 937 pupils across 453 families with 144 staff members, operating at near-full capacity against a Published Admission Number of 182 places per year group. The Principal is Mrs J Betts, supported by two Vice Principals, five Assistant Principals, a SENDCo, and a Family Liaison Officer. Governance is provided by an Academy Committee chaired by Mr Chris Burns.

The academy's core product is a full National Curriculum programme spanning three years of Key Stage 3 followed by a two-year Key Stage 4 with GCSE, BTEC, and vocational options covering 20+ subjects. Supporting services include a dedicated SEND/Inclusion area with specialist coordinators, a structured GCSE revision programme, examination administration, safeguarding infrastructure (Designated Safeguarding Lead, Prevent Lead, ESCB-aligned policies), attendance support targeting above 97%, young carers provision, music tuition through Essex Music Hub, and careers guidance. The technology stack runs on Arbor (Student Information System) for student/parent portals, Google Workspace for Education and Google Sites for remote/revision learning, with curriculum content sourced from third-party platforms (Oak Academy, Seneca Learning, BBC Bitesize, MathsWatch, MathsGenie, Quizlet). The website is delivered via the Greenhouse School Websites platform and supports 100+ languages via Google Translate.

Colchester Academy's revenue model is government school funding distributed via the Penrose Learning Trust through UK Department for Education per-pupil allocations. Education is free at point of use; no tuition fees are charged, and admissions are administered through Essex County Council. Marketing is conducted via the school website, open events, virtual tours, social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram), and the Ofsted Parent View platform. Strategic positioning centres on a values-driven ethos ('Resilience, Excellence, Respect'), inclusive education for students with SEND, and a broad academic-vocational curriculum with strong character development, as evidenced by recent recognitions including the Young Carers Silver Award (2025) and CQM Framework Award (2025-2026).

Name

COLCHESTER ACADEMY

Legal name

Colchester Academy

Website

https://colchesteracademy.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Colchester Academy is a state-funded, non-selective co-educational secondary school in Colchester, Essex, serving 937 pupils aged 11-16 across Years 7-11 as part of the Penrose Learning Trust. It delivers a full National Curriculum with GCSE, BTEC, and SEND provision, funded via UK government per-pupil allocations through Essex County Council admissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• State-funded school
• GCSE programmes
• SEND support
• Academy trust school

Headquarters

HQ city

Colchester

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Government School Funding: As a state-funded academy within the Penrose Learning Trust, Colchester Academy is funded through UK government education funding. Revenue is derived from per-pupil funding allocated by the Department for Education, distributed via the trust.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Colchester Academy provides free, state-funded secondary education for students aged 11–16 (Years 7–11), delivering a full National Curriculum across Key Stage 3 (three years) and Key Stage 4 (two years) leading to GCSE and vocational qualifications. The core offer is complemented by SEND inclusion, safeguarding, attendance support, careers guidance, music tuition, young carers provision, and digital learning platforms for students and parents.

Product overview

Colchester Academy is a non-selective, co-educational secondary school offering a comprehensive educational programme for students in Years 7-11. The school's core product is its full National Curriculum programme spanning three years of Key Stage 3 followed by a two-year Key Stage 4 with GCSE and vocational options. Supporting the curriculum are digital platforms including the Arbor Student and Parent Portals for academic and attendance management, StudentNet for remote learning, and Google Translate for accessibility. Additional services include SEND support, GCSE revision programmes, examination services, safeguarding, attendance support, career guidance, young carers programme, and music tuition. The school is part of the Penrose Learning Trust and is located in Colchester, Essex.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full School Curriculum Comprehensive three-year Key Stage 3 curriculum followed by two-year Key Stage 4 options programme covering all National Curriculum subjects including Art and Design, Business Studies, Child Development, Computer Science, Creative Media, Design and Technology, Drama, Engineering, English, Food Technology, Geography, Health & Social Care, History, Hospitality & Catering, Mathematics, Music, Photography, Physical Education, Science, Spanish, Sport, Statistics, and Personal Development (Careers, E-Safety, PSHE/RSE, Enrichment). Intended for students aged 11–16 in Years 7–11.
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Support Dedicated SEND provision for students with additional learning needs, led by the SENDCo with support from the Deputy SENDCo, Coordinator of Learning Support, and Learning Support Assistants. Includes intervention programmes, an Inclusion Area, EAL support, and a structured referral process initiated via Google Forms. Intended for students with SEND and their families.
• GCSE Revision Programme Structured revision support for Key Stage 4 students preparing for GCSEs, including Period 6 sessions, revision guides, timetables, techniques documentation, a dedicated revision website built on Google Sites, and parental support guidance. Intended for Year 10 and 11 students and their families.
• Music Tuition and Instrument Hire Instrumental and vocal tuition delivered through Essex Music Tutors, with financial assistance vouchers available for instrument hire, ensembles, and music courses managed via the Essex Music Hub. Includes 15 minutes individual music tuition per week for Key Stage 4 students. Intended for students wishing to develop music skills beyond the core curriculum.
• Young Carers Programme Dedicated support programme for students with caring responsibilities at home, including a designated Young Carers School Lead, a formal referral system, partnership with the Essex Young Carers Service, and the Bronze and Silver Young Carers Award achievement scheme. Intended for students who are young carers and their families.
• Career Information, Advice and Guidance Careers education programme for Key Stage 4 students, with a dedicated careers policy, Provider Access Statement, and links to external careers resources and support services in line with statutory requirements.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Penrose Learning TrustcoreOthersColchester Academy is part of the Penrose Learning Trust, a multi-academy trust in the East of England. The trust provides governance, shared policies, HR services, and strategic oversight. The registered office is at Penrose Learning Trust Offices, Heath Road, East Bergholt, Suffolk, CO7 6RJ.
• Essex County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEssex County Council manages admissions appeals for Colchester Academy and provides guidance for families on school place applications through its website. The school also refers to the ESCB (Essex Safeguarding Children Board) for safeguarding recommendations.
• Essex Music HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Essex Music Hub manages the financial assistance scheme for instrumental tuition vouchers, providing subsidies for Looked After Children and eligible students for music lessons, ensembles, and instrument hire.
• Essex Safeguarding Children Board (ESCB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColchester Academy subscribes to ESCB recommendations, actions, and outcomes for safeguarding children and young people in Essex.
• DNA Networks (Free School Uniform Exchange)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe school participates in the Essex Free School Uniform Exchange run by DNA Networks, providing assistance to families struggling with uniform costs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• East Bergholt High School: Secondary school within the Penrose Learning Trust (the same multi-academy trust as Colchester Academy), serving pupils in the East Bergholt/Suffolk area. Operates under identical governance, funding, and curriculum model, making it the closest comparable peer.

Broad incumbents

• Ormiston Academies Trust: National multi-academy trust running secondary and primary academies across England. Comparable state-funded academy operator model with shared services, but at a larger scale than Penrose Learning Trust.
• Ark Schools: Multi-academy trust operating a network of non-selective secondary academies across the UK. Comparable academy operating model focused on education in areas of disadvantage, but at greater national scale.
• Harris Federation academies (e.g. Harris Academy Bermondsey): One of the UK's largest multi-academy trusts operating numerous secondary academies across London and southern England. Comparable secondary academy model with shared governance, economies of scale, and central support services, but at materially greater scale than Colchester Academy.
• Oasis Community Learning (Oasis Academies): Large national multi-academy trust operating dozens of secondary and primary academies across England. Comparable academy model with centralised governance and pastoral-led ethos, but at significantly greater scale and geographic spread.

Regional players

• Philip Morant School and College: Secondary school in the Colchester area of Essex. Comparable state-funded co-educational secondary with overlapping catchment and similar demographic, providing direct competition for admissions.
• The Stanway School: Co-educational secondary school located in the Stanway area of Colchester, Essex. Comparable non-selective state secondary operating in the same local authority catchment, competing directly for the same parental pool.
• Thomas Lord Audley School: Secondary school located in Colchester, Essex. Operates as an academy serving 11-16 year olds in the same local authority area as Colchester Academy, with overlapping catchment and similar curriculum scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ColchesterAcad
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColchesterAcademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colchester-academy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 COLCHESTER ACADEMY