What Danes Educational Trust does

Danes Educational Trust is a UK multi-academy trust that operates 13 schools across Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, providing government-funded education from primary through secondary, plus specialist further education. The trust was formed in 2011 when St Clement Danes School, an outstanding school in Chorleywood, was asked to open a second school (Croxley Danes School) in South West Hertfordshire. It subsequently grew via the addition of Chancellor's School and Onslow St Audrey's School (2020), De Havilland Primary School as its first primary member (October 2020), and Elstree Screen Arts Academy, a specialist FE college focused on behind-the-scenes media production (April 2021), reaching its current 13-school configuration.

The trust's core product is the school network itself, supplemented by 'The Partnership', an in-house teacher training programme delivered under Lead School status in partnership with the University of Hertfordshire and Best Practice Network, providing Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework support across primary and secondary phases. The trust publishes DET Dispatch, a monthly staff newsletter, and operates a centralised governance model with local School Boards delegating community-facing governance while outcomes, curriculum, finances, and estates are overseen by central DET directors.

The business model is entirely government-funded: revenue flows from per-pupil allocations and specific grants from the UK Department for Education. There is no commercial pricing for families, and the trust has no proprietary technology platform. Distribution is in-person only across its school sites, with admissions handled through local authority processes. The trust is governed by a Board of Trustees under Julie Jones as Interim CEO (also Headteacher of Onslow St Audrey's), Susan Poole as Director of Operations, Sarah King as Primary Director, Rachel Brindley as Trust Improvement Director, and Marianne Barlow as Head of HR. The trust holds multiple high-credibility accreditations, including World Class School status and Outstanding across all 31 Ofsted measures at St Clement Danes School, with Croxley Danes ranked in the top 20% nationally following its February 2026 Ofsted inspection.

Name

Danes Educational Trust

Legal name

Danes Educational Trust

Website

https://daneseducationaltrust.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Danes Educational Trust is a UK multi-academy trust operating 13 primary, secondary, and specialist creative arts schools across Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, delivering government-funded education to several thousand students and operating an in-house teacher training programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Academy Trust / K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

Keywords

• Multi-academy trust
• Primary education
• Secondary education
• Teacher training
• State school network

Headquarters

HQ city

Chorleywood

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, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As a multi-academy trust, Danes Educational Trust receives funding from the UK Department for Education (DfE) to operate its schools. Funding is based on per-pupil allocations and specific grants for educational programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Danes Educational Trust is a multi-academy trust operating 13 state-funded primary and secondary schools across Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, delivering education from Early Years through to Sixth Form. It also runs The Partnership, an Initial Teacher Training programme, and supports ongoing Early Career Framework development for new teachers. Schools are free to attend and funded by the UK Department for Education.

Product overview

Danes Educational Trust operates as a multi-academy trust offering educational services through a network of 13 primary and secondary schools across Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The trust provides teacher training through The Partnership programme, which includes Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework support, in collaboration with University of Hertfordshire and Dr Challoner's High School. The trust also publishes DET Dispatch, a monthly staff newsletter. The core product is the school network itself, while teacher training and internal communications serve as supplementary offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Danes Educational Trust Schools Network A multi-academy trust comprising 13 primary and secondary schools across Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, providing state-funded educational services from Early Years through Sixth Form, with St Clement Danes School as the founding member.
• The Partnership (Initial Teacher Training) Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Early Career Framework (ECF) programme recruiting and developing new teachers across primary and secondary phases, delivered in partnership with the University of Hertfordshire and Best Practice Network.
• Elstree Screen Arts Academy A specialist FE college within the trust focused on behind-the-scenes media production and entertainment technologies, supporting progression into the technical arts and culture industry through creative industry partnerships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 5% nationally for progress and attainment (St Clement Danes School)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of HertfordshirecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2021Partnership for Initial Teacher Training delivery, recruiting the next generation of teachers across secondary and primary phases. Trust has Lead School status for ITT delivery.
• Best Practice NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2021Partnership since 2017 for delivery of NPQ programmes and Early Career Framework support. Forty-five Early Career Teachers supported through this partnership from September 2021.
• Dr Challoner's High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2021Bucks Hub partner for teacher training recruitment and delivery across primary and secondary phases.
• The Chalfonts Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2021Former Alliance partner continuing relationship through teacher training programmes.
• St Michael's Catholic High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2021Former Alliance partner continuing relationship through teacher training programmes.
• Beaconsfield High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2021Former Alliance partner continuing relationship through teacher training programmes.
• Queens' SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2021Former Alliance partner continuing relationship through teacher training programmes.
• Parmiter's SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2021Former Alliance partner continuing relationship through teacher training programmes.
• Chessbrook ESCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2021Former Alliance partner continuing relationship through teacher training programmes.
• Creative Industry Partners (Elstree Screen Arts Academy)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2021Industry partners working with Elstree Screen Arts Academy, providing extended project opportunities and real-world experience for students in the technical arts and culture industry.
• Centre of Screen Excellence, ElstreeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2021Creative industry partner supporting student progression from Elstree Screen Arts Academy.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Greenwood Academies Trust: Greenwood Academies Trust is a UK multi-academy trust with comparable size and mixed primary/secondary school portfolio to Danes Educational Trust, focused on school improvement through centralized trust governance.
• Greenshaw Learning Trust: Greenshaw Learning Trust is a UK multi-academy trust of comparable size to Danes Educational Trust, operating a similar mix of primary and secondary schools across a defined geographic region with centralized governance and a strong academic improvement focus.
• NET Academies Trust: NET Academies Trust is a UK multi-academy trust with similar school count and mixed primary/secondary structure to Danes Educational Trust, operating under comparable central governance and school improvement methodologies.
• East Midlands Academies Trust (EMAT): EMAT is a UK multi-academy trust operating a comparable portfolio of primary and secondary schools under centralized governance in the East Midlands, with similar operational model and regional concentration to Danes Educational Trust.
• Creative Education Trust: Creative Education Trust is a UK multi-academy trust with thematic overlap to Danes Educational Trust via its creative arts and specialist provision focus, operating a network of primary and secondary schools under central governance.

Broad incumbents

• Harris Federation: Harris Federation is one of the largest UK multi-academy trusts operating 50+ primary and secondary schools, much larger than Danes Educational Trust but operating with similar centralized governance and strong academic improvement focus.
• Ormiston Academies Trust: Ormiston Academies Trust is a large UK multi-academy trust operating a substantial network of primary and secondary schools under central governance, comparable in business model to Danes Educational Trust but at much greater scale.
• United Learning: United Learning is one of the largest UK multi-academy trusts operating a much broader portfolio of schools than Danes Educational Trust, but with comparable central governance, mixed school types, and educational excellence focus.
• Ark Schools: Ark Schools is a large UK multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary schools across multiple regions with central governance and a strong focus on educational outcomes, comparable in business model to Danes Educational Trust but at significantly greater scale.
• Outwood Grange Academies Trust: Outwood Grange Academies Trust is a large UK multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary schools at significantly greater scale than Danes Educational Trust, but with comparable business model and school improvement methodology.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/danesedtrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/danes-educational-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Danes Educational Trust