The de Ferrers Academy

What The de Ferrers Academy does

The de Ferrers Academy is a state-funded secondary school and academy based in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, providing free education to students aged 11-18 across Years 7 through Sixth Form. It operates across three campuses in a single town: Dove Campus on Harehedge Lane (headquarters and main secondary site), Trent Campus on St Mary's Drive (secondary provision), and a dedicated Sixth Form centre on Waterloo Street. The academy is governed within the Affinity Learning Partnership multi-academy trust and is led by Executive Principal Mrs A Bickle.

Its core offering is structured around two academic segments: secondary school education (Years 7-11) leading to GCSE qualifications, and Sixth Form education (Years 12-13) leading to A Levels or equivalent, with pathways into university, apprenticeships, or employment. Underlying delivery is supported by a 1:1 iPad programme providing each student with a personal device for digital learning, and a careers education programme aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks that draws on a partnership with The Careers and Enterprise Company (since 2018) and the Unifrog platform (adopted in 2022), supplemented by virtual work experience integrations with Springpod, The Forage, and Barclays LifeSkills. Standard ancillary services include catering, transport, uniform, and safeguarding/reporting systems.

As a state-funded UK academy, revenue is derived from per-pupil government funding routed through the multi-academy trust, with no tuition fees charged to families; ancillary income comes from optional paid services such as catering via ParentPay. The academy does not publish revenue figures, has no external shareholders, and operates exclusively within England. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via open evenings (Year 6 and Sixth Form), campus tours, an online admissions portal, and organic channels such as the school website and its Twitter/X account (@deferrers).

Name

The de Ferrers Academy

Legal name

The de Ferrers Academy

Website

https://deferrers.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The de Ferrers Academy is a UK state-funded secondary school and Sixth Form in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, delivering GCSE and A Level education to students aged 11-18 across three campuses as part of the Affinity Learning Partnership multi-academy trust.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Burton On Trent, Staffordshire

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State-Funded Education: The academy operates as a state-funded secondary school providing free education to students aged 11-18. Revenue comes from government funding based on student enrollment numbers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The de Ferrers Academy is a UK state-funded secondary school providing comprehensive education to students aged 11-18 across Years 7-13. The academy delivers GCSE-level education for Years 7-11 and A Level qualifications through its dedicated Sixth Form (Years 12-13). Core offerings include a structured curriculum across core and optional subjects, a Careers Education Programme aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks, an iPad 1:1 digital learning initiative, and a range of extracurricular activities including a Combined Cadet Force.

Product overview

The de Ferrers Academy is a secondary school providing comprehensive educational services across two main segments: secondary school education for Years 7-11 (GCSE level) and Sixth Form provision for Years 12-13 (A Level equivalent). The academy offers a structured curriculum with optional pathways, supported by a Careers Education Programme aligned to Gatsby Benchmarks, an iPad 1:1 Programme for digital learning, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Students receive guidance through the Unifrog careers platform, with provisions for university advice, apprenticeships, and employment support. The school operates across three campuses: Dove Campus (main secondary), Trent Campus (secondary), and Sixth Form Centre (Waterloo Street).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary School Education (Years 7-11) Comprehensive secondary education program for students in Years 7 through 11, providing GCSE qualifications across core and optional subjects, delivered on the Dove Campus and Trent Campus in Burton upon Trent.
• Sixth Form Education (Years 12-13) Post-16 education offering A Level and equivalent qualifications over two years at the dedicated Sixth Form Campus, supporting progression to university, apprenticeships, or employment. Internal and external students can apply via the online portal.
• Careers Education Programme

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Affinity Learning PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffinity Learning Partnership is the multi-academy trust that The de Ferrers Academy is part of. The trust provides governance, support, and shared resources across its member schools. The Executive Principal reports to the trust leadership.
• The Careers and Enterprise CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe academy has worked in partnership with the Careers & Enterprise Company since 2018. The CEC is the national body for careers education in England and supports schools to deliver high-quality careers provision aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks. The school uses CEC tools including Compass+ and works with an Enterprise Adviser.
• UnifrogcoreTechnology or IntegrationUnifrog is an award-winning online careers platform used by the academy since 2022. All students in Years 7-13 have access. The platform provides university course information, apprenticeship listings, college courses, and career exploration tools.
• University PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarious universities visit the academy throughout the summer term providing talks on student finance, personal statements, work experience, and degree apprenticeships through the enrichment programme.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: Large multi-academy trust operating state-funded and independent schools across England. Comparable as a major MAT with similar secondary school operations and curriculum delivery.
• Ormiston Academies Trust: National multi-academy trust operating secondary and primary academies across England. Comparable as a large state-funded MAT with similar per-pupil funding model and governance structure.
• Oasis Community Learning: National multi-academy trust operating academies across England with integrated community-focused services. Comparable state-funded MAT model with similar scale and operating context.
• Harris Federation: Large national multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary academies across England. Comparable as a state-funded MAT running multiple secondary schools with similar funding and governance structures.
• Reach2 Academy Trust: National multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary schools across multiple regions in England. Comparable state-funded MAT model with similar operating mechanics.
• E-ACT: National multi-academy trust operating a portfolio of primary and secondary academies across England. Comparable state-funded MAT operating model with similar funding mechanics.
• Windsor Academy Trust: Multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary schools primarily in the West Midlands region. Comparable state-funded MAT operating model serving similar demographic catchment.
• Academies Enterprise Trust: One of the largest multi-academy trusts in England operating primary and secondary academies. Comparable state-funded MAT model with similar funding, governance, and accountability requirements.

Regional players

• Greenwood Academies Trust: Midlands-based multi-academy trust operating schools across the East Midlands including near Staffordshire. Comparable as a regional MAT with state-funded secondary academies serving similar demographics.

Direct peers

• Affinity Learning Partnership: Multi-academy trust that governs The de Ferrers Academy and other schools in the region. Directly comparable as the operating trust structure with identical state-funded academy model and shared governance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/deferrers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/de-ferrers-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 The de Ferrers Academy