Fortis Trust

What Fortis Trust does

Fortis Trust is a charitable Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) registered in England & Wales (company number 08899707), founded in 2014 and headquartered in Chatham, Kent. It delivers specialist education and school-improvement services across the South East of England, operating Bradfields Academy (a specialist all-through SEND academy for ages 4–19) and Forward2Employment (a post-16 supported internship programme helping young adults with SEND into paid employment), together serving children and young people aged 3–24. The trust employs approximately 388 staff across four provisions and is undergoing expansion, with the proposed transfer of Sutton House Academy and Victory Park Academy from Parallel Learning Trust under consultation through July 2026 and a planned Specialist Free School in Whitstable.

Revenue is primarily derived from the Department for Education's General Annual Grant (GAG) for academy funding agreements, supplemented by outreach services commissioned by local authorities (principally Medway) and by commercial income from the Medway & Kent PTI Hub — a professional development partnership with The PTI offering annual membership at £400 per school plus a £150/day non-member rate. Distribution is direct: educational provision through the trust's own academies, LA-commissioned outreach, and subscription-based CPD sales across Medway and Kent. The trust is not-for-profit, governed by Members and a Board of Trustees led by Chair Ian Chappell and CEO Marie Sweetlove, with no external equity backing.

Operationally, Fortis Trust positions itself as a community-led school improvement vehicle, emphasising its "Strength through Partnership" ethos, a Framework for Excellent Practice, and central shared services (HR via Kape HR, finance, IT, estates) that allow member schools to retain identity while benefiting from MAT economies of scale. Strategic partnerships include the National Governance Association (governance review), the PTI (CPD hub), Medway LA (outreach commissioning), Kape HR (HR services), and HBISP (international staff exchange). Quantified outcomes include a 100% Level 2/GCSE pass rate at Bradfields Academy and a 90.22% pass rate at Forward2Employment for 2025.

Name

Fortis Trust

Legal name

Fortis Trust

Website

https://fortistrust.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fortis Trust is a UK Multi-Academy Trust operating specialist SEND education (Bradfields Academy), supported internships (Forward2Employment), and the Medway & Kent PTI Hub CPD partnership across South East England, serving children and young people aged 3–24.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

AT Funding, Procurement & Compliance Support (IEP/504 Documentation) (EDAKAIAJ)

Keywords

• Special educational needs
• Multi-academy trust
• School improvement services
• Supported internship programmes
• Teacher professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Chatham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Department for Education Funding: Multi-Academy Trust receives General Annual Grant (GAG) funding directly from the Department for Education. Revenue comes from academy funding agreements and commissioned services for outreach.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fortis Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust operating specialist SEND education and school improvement services across South East England. Its core offerings include Bradfields Academy (a specialist all-through SEND academy for ages 4-19), Forward2Employment (supported internships for young adults with SEND), Outreach Services (SEND expertise and school improvement support to mainstream schools), and the Medway & Kent PTI Hub (continuing professional development and leadership programmes for schools).

Product overview

Fortis Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust offering a unified portfolio of educational services centered around its core provision of specialist SEND education. The portfolio comprises Bradfields Academy (specialist all-through SEND academy for ages 4-19), Forward2Employment (supported internship post-16 institution), Outreach Services (school improvement support across Medway and Kent), and the Medway & Kent PTI Hub (professional development network). The trust also plans to expand with a specialist free school in Whitstable. The organization does not operate a software product platform but rather delivers educational services directly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bradfields Academy A specialist all-through SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) academy providing education for children and young people aged 4-19 years with complex learning needs, including those with autism spectrum conditions, communication difficulties, and other SEND requirements.
• Forward2Employment A specialist post-16 institution providing supported internships and employment preparation for young adults with SEND, helping them transition into meaningful paid employment through community-based partnerships with local employers.
• Outreach Services School improvement support services provided to nursery, primary and secondary schools across Medway and Kent, including SEND expertise sharing, staff training, specialist consultancy, and tailored intervention support.
• Medway & Kent PTI Hub A professional development hub partnering with The PTI (Prince's Teaching Institute) providing CPD events, virtual hub twilight sessions, PTI resources, leadership development programmes, and networking opportunities for schools across Medway and Kent on a subscription basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% pass rate in Level 2 & GCSE results (Bradfields Academy, 2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Governance Association (NGA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Fortis Trust commissioned and worked with the NGA for Schools & Trusts to carry out an external review of governance and progress. The review supported development as the trust moves from single academy trust towards a growing multi-academy trust.
• The PTI (The Prince's Teaching Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFortis Trust has partnered with The PTI to provide schools in Medway and Kent with an opportunity to join the Medway & Kent PTI Primary Hub. This partnership provides networking, collaboration and innovation aligned with PTI aims, including subject expertise CPD, curriculum resources, and leadership development programmes.
• CPI Group (UK)minorOthersCPI Group (UK) sponsored the purchase of a Book Vending Machine for Bradfields Academy, a member of Fortis Trust. CPI Group is a printing and publishing company.
• Kape HRminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKape HR provides a personal and professional HR service to schools and academies within the Fortis Trust network, supporting HR advisory and consultancy functions.
• ArrivaminorOthersFortis Trust has joined Arriva's Travel Club as part of their Staff Benefits Scheme, providing staff with up to 20% annual savings on travel compared to buying 4 weekly tickets over the year.
• Hebei International School Partnership (HBISP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFortis Trust has partnered with HBISP to provide opportunities for staff from trust provisions to experience teaching in China, and vice versa. This international exchange programme broadens educational perspectives for staff and students.
• Medway Local AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedway local authority commissions Fortis Trust's outreach service, allowing support to be offered free to schools within the Medway area. This is the primary funding mechanism for the outreach programme supporting SEND provision across the region.
• Migration MuseumminorOthersLiberty Melly, Head of Learning at the Migration Museum, joined Fortis Trust's PTI Hub event as a speaker to help teachers develop engagement when teaching the theme of migration within classroom settings.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Oasis Community Learning: Large national MAT running mainstream, SEND and alternative provision academies across England. Comparable as a diversified MAT with embedded hub-style community and outreach programmes beyond core academy operation.
• Leigh Academies Trust: Large Kent-based Multi-Academy Trust operating mainstream and specialist provisions across the South East. Comparable for its regional MAT structure and school improvement model serving similar geographies.
• The Kemnal Academies Trust (TKAT): Large multi-academy trust operating primary, secondary and SEND schools across the South East and beyond. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating specialist SEND and AP provisions alongside mainstream schools under DfE GAG funding.
• REAch2 Academy Trust: National primary-focused multi-academy trust operating across England with growth via academy transfers. Comparable for its academy conversion process and DfE-funded growth playbook.

Others

• The Prince's Teaching Institute (PTI): CPD and curriculum network that partners with Fortis Trust to deliver the Medway & Kent PTI Hub. Relevant as the trust's strategic CPD partner and a structural component of its PTI Hub revenue line.
• Medway Council (Local Authority SEND Commissioning): Local authority that commissions Fortis Trust's outreach service and refers SEND placements. Relevant as the trust's primary commissioning counterparty and source of statutory SEND placement referrals.

Direct peers

• Compass Community Schools: Specialist SEND-focused multi-academy trust operating alternative provision and SEMH schools across England. Closely comparable for its specialist SEND operating model and AP-to-employment transition pathway similar to Forward2Employment.
• The Pyramid Group of Schools: Specialist SEMH/alternative provision MAT operating schools across southern England. Comparable as a SEND-focused MAT delivering all-through education and transition support for vulnerable learners.
• Swale Academies Trust: Multi-Academy Trust operating a portfolio of primary and secondary schools across Kent including SEND and AP provisions. Directly comparable as a regional Kent-based MAT operating specialist provision with similar GAG funding model.
• Parallel Learning Trust: Multi-Academy Trust operating specialist alternative provision (AP) and SEND academies in Kent/Medway. Directly comparable as the current operator of Sutton House Academy and Victory Park Academy, which Fortis Trust is in the process of acquiring.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FortisTrust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7JRAQKZ40soUVqeOQmp6Ug
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fortistrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Fortis Trust