Derby Academy

What Derby Academy does

Derby Academy is a private, nonprofit, independent co-educational day school serving approximately 340 students from Pre-K through Grade 8, located on a 27-acre campus with 14 buildings in Hingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1784, it is the oldest co-educational independent school in New England, drawing families from 17 cities and towns across the South Shore region. The school operates on a teacher-coach model in which 27 of 31 coaches are also faculty members, and 55% of faculty hold advanced degrees; average class size is approximately 15 students. The institution's product is a Pre-K through Grade 8 liberal arts and athletics curriculum, delivered through in-person instruction and complemented by enrichment programs including Summer STEM, Summer Arts, a Nike Basketball Camp, and a service-learning partnership with Malawi Children's Mission.

The business model is tuition-driven, with annual tuition ranging from $34,290 (Pre-K) to $51,890 (Grades 6-8), implying a gross tuition run-rate of approximately $15 million before the $2,254,769 in tuition assistance the school distributes. Revenue is augmented by auxiliary programs — summer camps, afterschool care, transportation, and facility rentals — placing total operating revenue in an estimated $13M-$17M range. The school is governed as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with additional funding sourced through annual giving (the Derby Fund) and capital campaigns. Customers are individual families, not institutions, with no enterprise or B2B revenue concentration.

Operations are supported by approximately 110 faculty and staff under a 2025-2030 Strategic Plan and a Head of School appointed in 2021. The school recently completed the Class of 2021 Pavilion as a capital project and has expanded its summer program offerings, signaling active investment in both facilities and program surface. There are no disclosed AI/ML capabilities internal to the school's operations; AI references are limited to programmatic student-facing labs within the Summer STEM offering.

Name

Derby Academy

Legal name

Derby Academy

Website

https://derbyacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1784

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Derby Academy is a nonprofit independent co-educational day school in Hingham, Massachusetts, serving approximately 340 students from Pre-K through Grade 8 on a 27-acre campus, drawing families from 17 surrounding towns and operating on a teacher-coach model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments by grade level, ranging from $34,290 for Pre-K to $51,890 for Grades 6-8. Tuition includes mandatory tuition insurance.
2. Annual Giving (The Derby Fund): Annual fund appeals to bridge gap between tuition and actual per-student cost. Accepts gifts via credit card, Venmo, check, securities, donor-advised funds, and matching gifts.
3. Summer Programs: Revenue from summer camp programs including Camp Derby, Summer Arts, Summer STEM, and Summer Sports. Programs offered as half-day (9AM-12PM) or full-day (9AM-4PM) options over 7 weeks.
4. After School Programs: Auxiliary programs including Stay & Play, Homework Club, and private music lessons generating supplementary revenue.
5. Transportation Services: Optional private bus transportation service for families at additional expense. Covers North Bus (Boston, Milton, Randolph, Braintree, Weymouth, Quincy) and South Bus (Cohasset, Scituate, Marshfield, Duxbury).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Derby Academy delivers a Pre-K through Grade 8 independent school education on its 27-acre Hingham, Massachusetts campus, divided into a Lower School (Pre-K to Grade 4) and a Middle School (Grades 5-8), with specialized programming in STEM, arts, public speaking, athletics, and social-emotional learning. The core offering is supplemented by tuition-based summer programs, fee-based after-school enrichment, optional bus transportation, and a need-based tuition assistance program.

Product overview

Derby Academy is a Pre-K to Grade 8 independent private school offering a unified whole-child education program built around the motto 'Improve Both Mind and Heart.' The core academic program is divided into Lower School (Pre-K to Grade 4) and Middle School (Grades 5-8), with specialized components including STEM, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Applied Arts (sewing and woodshop), Public Speaking, Social-Emotional Learning, Leadership Development, and Athletics. The school operates on a 27-acre campus with 14 buildings and offers supplementary programs including Summer Programs (Camp Derby, Summer Arts, Summer STEM, Summer Sports), After School Programs (Stay & Play, Homework Club, Private Music Lessons, Enrichment), and the Mind & Heart Adventure Program for faculty. Financial support is provided through The Derby Fund (annual giving), Tuition Assistance Program, and Sarah Derby Merit Scholarships. The institution also produces The Derby Difference Podcast and adheres to the Portrait of a Graduate framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lower School (Pre-K to Grade 4) A discovery-focused educational program for children ages 4-9 in Pre-K through Grade 4 that embraces lively minds and imaginative spirits through experiences sparking curiosity, encouraging creativity, and challenging students to make meaningful connections across subjects.
• Middle School (Grades 5-8) A developmental program where students find their voice, join conversations, lead, and make change, growing as critical thinkers and collaborators who learn the value of strong self-advocacy and organizational skills.
• Camp Derby Classic summer camp experience for ages 4-11 featuring art, nature, games, and outdoor fun with flexible half-day (9AM-12PM) and full-day (9AM-4PM) options over 7 weeks.
• Summer Arts Specialty summer program featuring theater, dance, culinary arts, and creative arts fostering creativity and collaboration during summer sessions.
• Summer STEM Hands-on innovation summer program in LEGO Robotics, 3-D printing, and AI-focused labs for students seeking STEM enrichment.
• Summer Sports Athletic skill development summer program in basketball, soccer, rowing, sailing, and golf for various age groups.
• After School Programs Extended day programs including Daily Stay & Play, Homework Club (Grades 5-8), Private Music Lessons (Grades K-8), and Enrichment courses in robotics, animation, science activities, and more.
• Transportation Services Optional private bus transportation service for families at additional expense. Covers North Bus (Boston, Milton, Randolph, Braintree, Weymouth, Quincy) and South Bus (Cohasset, Scituate, Marshfield, Duxbury) routes, with approximately one-third of students using the bus program.
• The Derby Fund (Annual Giving) Annual giving program bridging the gap between what tuition covers and the full cost of a Derby education, funding programs, people, and opportunities. Accepts gifts via credit card, Venmo, check, securities, donor-advised funds, and matching gifts.
• Tuition Assistance Program Need-based financial assistance program awarded to qualified families, with awards ranging from 11% to 100% of tuition, totaling over $2,254,769 annually across 202 awards.
• Sarah Derby Merit Scholarship Merit-based scholarship of $5,000 to $10,000 awarded annually to one or two new incoming Grade 4-8 students from underrepresented local communities.
• Grades 5-8 Athletics Program Required athletic participation for Middle School students covering 21 interscholastic teams across 13 sports (soccer, field hockey, cross country, flag football, basketball, hockey, yoga, lacrosse, tennis, baseball, softball, track and field), with a teacher-coach model where 27 of 31 coaches are Derby faculty.
• Pre-K to 4 Physical Education Physical education program for Lower School students with PE 3 times per week and at least 2 outdoor recess breaks daily.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of eligible accepted students receive tuition assistance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NexploreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationally recognized enrichment provider offering hands-on STEM, digital technology, life skills, art, and fitness programs for Derby students through after school enrichment courses.
• Girls on the Run BostonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit dedicated to inspiring girls through research-based curriculum integrating movement with social-emotional learning. Provides after school program at Derby.
• Creativities StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram provider bringing art, dance, culinary exploration, and creative STEM experiences to Derby students through enrichment programming.
• ASA HoopsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYouth sports training organization partnering with Derby to offer basketball clinics and camps for students and local community.
• Nike Basketball CampminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNike-branded basketball camp operated at Derby Academy through partnership with US Sports Camps.
• Malawi Children's Mission AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year student-to-student partnership connecting Derby students with children in Malawi, Africa through Pen Pals program, yearly Global Read Aloud events, curricular collaborations, and FaceTime calls. Faculty travel grants support exchanges.
• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline financial aid platform used by Derby to calculate family ability to contribute to tuition and determine need-based tuition assistance awards.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dexter Southfield: Independent co-educational day school (Pre-K through 12) in Brookline, MA. Comparable to Derby as a premium South-of-Boston private school competing for the same metropolitan Boston family demographic with similar whole-child academic-plus-character positioning.
• Buckingham Browne & Nichols (BB&N): Independent day school (Pre-K through 9) in Cambridge, MA with similarly small class sizes, signature character program, and premium tuition. Direct competitor for South Shore and Boston families evaluating Pre-K-8 or Pre-K-9 options.
• Belmont Day School: Independent Pre-K-8 day school in Belmont, MA. Closely matches Derby's grade span, whole-child philosophy, and student/family profile within the greater Boston independent school market.
• Meadowbrook School: Independent Pre-K-8 day school in Weston, MA. Comparable in grade range, small class sizes, project-based pedagogy, and affluent suburban Boston market positioning.
• Shore Country Day School: Independent Pre-K-9 day school in Beverly, MA. Comparable Pre-K-grade-8/9 model on the North Shore with similar whole-child emphasis; competes for the broader Boston-area independent school family market.
• Charles River School: Independent Pre-K-8 day school in Dover, MA with a project-based, experiential curriculum. Comparable grade span and progressive pedagogy within the greater Boston independent school market.
• Fenn School: Independent day school (Grades 4-9) for boys in Concord, MA. Competes for the same upper-elementary/lower-middle-school cohort from Boston-area families considering single-sex options before secondary school.
• Park School: Independent progressive Pre-K-8 day school in Brookline, MA. Matches Derby on grade range, progressive/whole-child pedagogy, and Boston-metro family market positioning.
• Pingree School: Independent day school (Grades 9-12) in South Hamilton, MA. Functions as a primary secondary-school placement destination for Derby graduates and competes in the same Boston-area independent school ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Noble and Greenough School: Independent day school (Grades 7-12) in Dedham, MA. A larger, established Boston-area independent school that absorbs Derby's middle-school graduates and competes indirectly for the same family pipeline at the secondary-school transition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIK7nCYqh75vQdKQ7vgFqEw?guided_help_flow=3
• Facebookfacebook.com/derbyacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/derby.academy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Derby Academy