Central Region Schools Trust

What Central Region Schools Trust does

Central Region Schools Trust (CRST) is a UK-based Multi-Academy Trust operating 13 state-funded schools across the West Midlands, Birmingham, Worcestershire, Kidderminster, and Stourport-on-Severn. Founded in September 2012 as Redditch RSA Academies Trust by the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), the trust was renamed Central RSA Academies Trust (CRSAAT) in 2017 and rebranded as Central Region Schools Trust in September 2021. The trust serves approximately 7,351 pupils aged 3-19 across first schools, primary schools, middle schools, high schools, and secondary schools with sixth form provision. The trust's stated aim is to deliver sustainably good education for 7,000+ students.

CRST operates two primary service divisions beyond its core academy delivery. Teach Central is the Initial Teacher Training arm offering PGCE with QTS programmes through a partnership with Birmingham City University, with tuition fees of £9,935, salaried routes, and access to DfE bursaries and scholarships. The People Development Institute (formerly the RSA Academies Teaching School Alliance) is the central professional learning, research and development arm delivering Early Career Framework, NPQ programmes, RQT development, co-design CPD, leadership development, and apprenticeship pathways in partnership with multiple teaching school hubs (Haybridge, Tudor Grange, Arthur Terry, Prince Henry's) and providers (Ambition Institute). Ancillary product lines include the CRST Enrichment Guarantee (Arts Award, Sports Day, Duke of Edinburgh, RSA4/RSA8 social action, Big Sing), school improvement services, and centralised IT services. The technology stack comprises Arbor MIS, Microsoft 365, Senso cloud-based classroom monitoring, Windows 11 devices, and early AI exploration initiatives.

Revenue is generated principally through Department for Education per-pupil funding and supplementary grants, supplemented by teacher training fees, apprenticeship levy programmes delivered through Be Ready, Baltic, and LMP, and ancillary contracts such as catering through Aspens Services. The trust operates a community-led go-to-market model, relying on school-to-school referrals via National Leaders of Education, Teach Central recruitment through the DfE Apply platform, and regional teaching school hub partnerships. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed. The trust is governed as a non-profit educational charity, wholly autonomous from its RSA founding sponsor, with Guy Shears as Executive Principal/CEO since 2012.

Name

Central Region Schools Trust

Legal name

Central Region Schools Trust

Website

https://crst.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Central Region Schools Trust is a UK Multi-Academy Trust operating 13 state-funded schools across the West Midlands, serving approximately 7,351 students aged 3-19, and providing initial teacher training, professional development, and school improvement services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Academy Trust (K-12 Education Services)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Multi-academy trust
• Primary secondary education
• Initial teacher training
• School improvement services
• Professional development programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: The trust operates as a Multi-Academy Trust receiving government funding through the Department for Education for educating pupils across its 13 schools. Revenue comes from per-pupil funding, supplementary grants for specific programmes, and capital funding for school improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Central Region Schools Trust operates a Multi-Academy Trust of 13 state-funded schools delivering primary, middle, secondary and sixth-form education to approximately 7,351 pupils across the West Midlands. Beyond school delivery, the trust runs Teach Central (Initial Teacher Training in partnership with Birmingham City University) and the People Development Institute (CPD, ECT, NPQs, leadership programmes), and provides School Improvement Services and a CRST Enrichment Guarantee spanning arts, sports, and social action.

Product overview

Central Region Schools Trust operates as a Multi-Academy Trust serving approximately 7,351 students across 13 schools (first, primary, middle, high, and secondary) in the West Midlands region. The Trust's product portfolio centres on its educational services platform (the CRST Website), which delivers information and access to its core offerings: Teach Central (Initial Teacher Training provision), the People Development Institute (CPLR&D for professional development), School Improvement Services, and the CRST Enrichment Guarantee (providing arts, sports, cultural, and personal development opportunities). The CRST Arts Award Virtual Gallery, hosted on Artsteps, extends the enrichment programme into a digital exhibition space. The Trust also provides IT Services infrastructure across its schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Teach Central: The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) division of Central Region Schools Trust, formerly known as the RSAA Teaching School Alliance. Offers teacher training programmes in partnership with Birmingham City University.
• People Development Institute

Products and services

• Teach Central (Initial Teacher Training)
• People Development Institute (CPD, ECT, NPQs and Leadership Programmes)

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of secondary trainees passed at Grade 1 & 2 (2023-24)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered founding, core, secondary, operational, minor and regulatory.

• Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA)foundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012RSA founded the trust originally as Redditch RSA Academies Trust in 2012. The trust maintains RSA values and heritage, with original schools designated as RSA Academies. Partnership includes collaborative social action projects (RSA4 & RSA8) with Birmingham Newman University.
• Birmingham City UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner for Teach Central Initial Teacher Training programmes. Co-designed PGCE with QTS programme combining school-based practice, centre-led training, and master's level academic study. Partnership enables trainees to achieve qualified teacher status.
• Haybridge Teaching School HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for ECF (Early Career Framework) delivery through StepLab and Ambition Institute, and NPQ programmes. Also provides regional curriculum and subject network hubs.
• Ambition InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery partner for Early Career Framework and NPQLTD (National Professional Qualification in Leading Teacher Development). Provides instructional coaching training.
• Tudor Grange Teaching School HubsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for NPQ provision. Offers additional pathway for teachers across the region to access leadership development programmes.
• Arthur Terry Teaching School HubsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for ITT and NPQ delivery, expanding reach across the West Midlands teaching school hub network.
• The Ogden TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for science education enhancement. Includes Science Ambassadors programme, trips to Science Museum London and Big Bang events, physics CPD (SKPT), and support for expanding access to quality physics education.
• Birmingham Newman UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in RSA4 and RSA8 social action projects for Year 4 and Year 8 pupils. Empowers young learners to understand and challenge inequality through creative, inclusive approaches. Students present Social Action projects at the university.
• Morgan StanleysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership for Year 7 business enrichment. Morgan Stanley volunteers support students in creating professional business documents and sustainable business ideas. Project focuses on careers in sustainability and business operations/finance.
• MicrosoftsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationArrow Vale High School recognised as a Microsoft Showcase School for two consecutive years. Trust uses Microsoft 365 suite across all schools. Staff trained as Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts.
• Aspens ServicesoperationalOthersMarket leading contract catering company providing school food across trust schools. Specialist in education catering with Streateries secondary offer and deli kitchen options. Provides home-cooked meals, special diets, and food education.
• Be Ready ApprenticeshipssecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApprenticeship levy partner providing opportunities for staff development across trust functions including administration, finance, procurement, governance, HR, estates management, and skilled trades.
• Baltic ApprenticeshipssecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApprenticeship levy partner offering development opportunities for trust staff across various functions.
• LMP ApprenticeshipssecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApprenticeship levy partner (LMP Group) providing staff development and qualification opportunities for trust employees.
• Worcester UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for ITT delivery and research school collaboration. Contributes to initial teacher training and professional development programmes.
• Prince Henry's Teaching School HubsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for NLE (National Leader of Education) work and school improvement support across the network.
• Billesley Research SchoolsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for evidence-based practice and research school activities supporting school improvement.
• Windsor Multi Academy TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsultant partner relationship for leadership development and best practice sharing.
• Care FirstoperationalOthersEmployee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider offering 24/7 workplace and personal support services including confidential counselling, information, and advice for all trust staff.
• Department for Education (DfE)regulatoryOthersDfE funding and regulatory oversight for academies. Trust serves on DfE's West Midlands Advisory Board. DfE Apply platform used for teacher training recruitment. Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses funded by DfE.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves19 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Greenwood Academies Trust: Mid-sized Midlands-region Multi-Academy Trust operating a similar mix of primary and secondary academies with comparable scale, geographic overlap, and school-improvement mandate.
• Harris Federation: Major UK Multi-Academy Trust running primary and secondary academies with a focus on school improvement and teacher development, paralleling CRST's structure and expansion-driven growth strategy.
• Academy Transformation Trust: Multi-Academy Trust focused on school improvement and turnaround across a comparable-sized portfolio of academies, with similar dependence on DfE funding and growth via school conversions.
• Oasis Community Learning: Large UK Multi-Academy Trust operating dozens of state-funded academies with a strong social-justice mission and community focus, directly comparable to CRST's MAT model, founding values, and school-improvement orientation.
• Reach Academy Trust: UK Multi-Academy Trust with a social-justice-aligned mission and primary-through-secondary provision, comparable to CRST in values, scale, and integrated enrichment programmes.
• Windsor Academy Trust: Listed as a CRST partner for leadership development and best-practice sharing; a West Midlands Multi-Academy Trust with overlapping geography and comparable MAT operating model.

Broad incumbents

• E-ACT: National Multi-Academy Trust running 30+ academies across multiple regions, broader in scale and geography than CRST but operating on the same state-funded academy model with shared services.

Others

• Ambition Institute: CRST's delivery partner for ECF and NPQ programmes; a national teacher-training and development provider that serves as both a strategic partner and ecosystem comparator for CRST's People Development Institute.

Regional players

• Northern Schools Trust: Regional Multi-Academy Trust operating a comparable cluster of state-funded academies with similar school-improvement and shared-services structure, though outside CRST's West Midlands catchment.
• Severn Academies Educational Trust: Worcestershire-area Multi-Academy Trust with overlapping regional footprint to CRST, running primary and secondary academies under a similar state-funded MAT structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CRSTrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centralregionschoolstrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries14 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 Central Region Schools Trust