What Hammersmith Academy does

Hammersmith Academy is a UK government-funded co-educational secondary academy located at 25 Cathnor Road in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, founded in 2011 and operating with 93 employees to serve students aged 11-18. The school delivers the standard English secondary curriculum — GCSE qualifications across Years 7-11 and A Level and BTEC/AAQ vocational programmes in its Sixth Form — alongside a structured Careers Education Programme aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks, work-experience placements, and a Mercers' Talent Award scholarship for high-attaining Sixth Form students. Progression outcomes are a defining feature: over 80% of Sixth Form students progress to university or degree apprenticeships, 60% receive Russell Group offers, and alumni have secured competitive places at Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, Bath, Edinburgh, and Durham, as well as degree apprenticeships with employers including BlackRock, L'Oréal, IBM, National Highways, Ofcom, and Kepler Interactive.

The underlying technology stack is built entirely on third-party educational platforms rather than proprietary software. Operational tools include SharePoint for staff and student resources, Satchel One for homework and behaviour management, ParentPay for cashless payments, and Unifrog for career exploration and destination tracking; a mobile phone-free policy is enforced via Yondr pouches. There are no in-house AI/ML capabilities, proprietary educational technology products, or platforms that generate external revenue — the digital infrastructure is operational support for teaching and administration rather than a commercial asset.

The business model is that of a state-funded academy rather than a commercial enterprise. Hammersmith Academy receives funding through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) under a funding agreement with the UK government, charges no tuition, and derives only ancillary income from uniform supply, school meals (with a £79 clothing allowance available to eligible Hammersmith & Fulham residents), trips, and enrichment activities. Free School Meals are available to families on qualifying benefits. The school is governed by a Governing Body with staff, parent, and community representation, has no parent company, no equity backers, and is led operationally by Headteacher Gary Kynaston. Student intake is fair-banded across ability groups, and admissions to Year 7 run through the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham coordinated admissions system.

Name

Hammersmith Academy

Legal name

Hammersmith Academy

Website

https://hammersmithacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hammersmith Academy is a UK government-funded co-educational secondary academy in Hammersmith, London, serving students aged 11-18 through GCSE, A Level, and BTEC programmes, with employer-partnership-led careers provision and strong Russell Group and degree-apprenticeship progression outcomes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• GCSE programmes
• Sixth form education
• A level courses
• BTEC vocational

Headquarters

HQ city

London

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, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hammersmith Academy is a state-funded co-educational secondary academy providing free education to students aged 11-18 in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. Its core offering comprises Years 7-11 secondary education leading to GCSE qualifications, and a Sixth Form (Years 12-13) delivering A Level and BTEC/AAQ vocational programmes, complemented by careers guidance, work experience, and university/apprenticeship preparation.

Product overview

Hammersmith Academy is a co-educational secondary school for students aged 11-18, offering a unified educational provision comprising secondary education (Years 7-11) with GCSE qualifications, and a Sixth Form with A Level and BTEC vocational programmes. The school complements its academic core with comprehensive support services including a structured Careers Education Programme aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks, work experience placements, the Mercers' Talent Award scholarship, and an active Alumni Network. Communication channels include The Academist newsletter and Alumni Magazine publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary Education (Years 7-11) Co-educational secondary school education for students aged 11-16, offering GCSE qualifications across core and elective subjects.
• Sixth Form

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% of GCSE grades at 9-4, ranking in top 15% of schools nationally for student progress
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• St Paul's School and St Paul's Girls' SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing academic enrichment including mock interviews, interview preparation workshops, and Oxbridge preparation sessions. Students benefit from workshops and mentoring with staff and alumni from these top independent schools. The partnership specifically supports university application preparation including Cambridge application mentoring.
• BlackRockminorOthersLeading employer providing degree apprenticeship opportunities for Sixth Form students. Students have secured competitive apprenticeship places at this global investment management firm.
• L'OréalminorOthersLeading employer providing marketing degree apprenticeship opportunities. Alumni Lily Traykov secured a Marketing Degree Apprenticeship with L'Oréal after completing her studies.
• National HighwaysminorOthersEmployer partner providing civil engineering degree apprenticeship opportunities. Student Khalil Ali secured a Civil Engineering Degree Apprenticeship with National Highways.
• Kepler InteractiveminorOthersGlobal publisher and game developer providing Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship opportunities. Students Hassane Benzellat and Ruth Taddy secured places on this programme.
• OfcomminorOthersRegulatory authority providing apprenticeship opportunities. Student Tiffany Possi Nyabeu secured an apprenticeship at Ofcom.
• OCU ModusminorOthersEmployer providing project management apprenticeship. Student Elwad Elmi secured a Project Management Apprentice position with OCU Modus.
• OfgemminorOthersWork experience placement provider in the energy sector. Student Calvin Hartley completed work experience at Ofgem as part of career exploration programme.
• SavillsminorOthersEmployer partner offering apprenticeship and career opportunities for students.
• IBMminorOthersEmployer providing apprenticeship opportunities. Alumni Hamza El-Bakkali secured a Commercial Manager position at IBM after completing his apprenticeship pathway.
• AccentureminorOthersGlobal professional services company offering apprenticeship and career opportunities for students.
• SkyminorOthersEmployer partner offering career and apprenticeship opportunities.
• IntoUniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational charity providing workshops for every year group, supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds with university preparation and career guidance.
• British Exploring SocietyminorOthersCharitable organisation providing expedition opportunities. Alumni Hamza El-Bakkali participated in an Amazon rainforest expedition in Peru which he describes as life-changing.
• Cantor Fitzgerald and BGC PartnersminorOthersFinancial services firms hosting annual BGC Charity Day. Students participated in the 20th annual event alongside the Mayor of London, experiencing the trading floor and engaging with financial industry professionals.
• Mayor's Fund for LondonminorOthersCharitable initiative supported by the Mayor of London. Over £485,000 has been donated to the fund through BGC Charity Day, supporting employability and skills programmes for young Londoners.
• Hammersmith Community Gardens AssociationminorOthersLocal community organisation that collaborated with students on designing, building, and planting their RHS Bug Barrels Challenge entry.
• Natural History MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents invited to national launch of Government's proposed Natural History GCSE at the museum. Students participated in hands-on science activities and engaged with leading figures from education, science, and conservation.
• Department for EducationcoreOthersGovernment department co-hosting the Natural History GCSE launch event. The proposed new GCSE aims to help young people develop deeper understanding of the natural world and skills needed for environmental careers.
• Hammersmith & Fulham Borough CouncilcoreOthersLocal authority partnership for green investment scheme (H&F Green Investment). The Academy's solar project was chosen as launch venue, seen as leading example of green investment achieving financial savings and preventing 18 tonnes of carbon emissions.
• Various Political PartiesminorOthersPartnership hosting West London Schools Question Time event with parliamentary candidates from Conservative, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Reform parties, encouraging young people to engage in politics and voting.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Phoenix Academy: Secondary academy located in nearby Shepherd's Bush, also within the Hammersmith & Fulham borough. Competes for the same in-borough applicants with a similar comprehensive, non-selective model.
• West London Free School: Free school located in Hammersmith with a similar non-selective, knowledge-rich ethos and strong university-progression focus. Directly comparable on governance type, intake philosophy and academic ambitions.
• Burlington Danes Academy: Co-educational secondary academy in the Hammersmith & Fulham area serving a similar comprehensive intake. Comparable in size, governance type (academy trust), and student demographic, making it the most direct local competitor.
• Chelsea Academy: Inner-London co-educational secondary academy offering a similar academic-plus-enrichment model. Comparable mission, intake approach, and sixth-form provision.

Broad incumbents

• Ark Academy: High-performing academy in the Ark network, a multi-academy trust operating across London. Comparable academically and structurally as an academy, but with the resources and scale of a larger trust behind it.
• Harris Academy (Harris Federation): Large multi-academy trust running multiple secondary academies across London. Comparable as an academy operating model with a focus on academic outcomes and progression.

Regional players

• Henry Compton School: Secondary school in the neighbouring London Borough of Hounslow, serving a comparable West London comprehensive intake. Competes for similar families and provides a benchmark for borough-level outcomes.
• Holland Park School: Large non-selective secondary school in nearby Kensington, part of a local authority area that overlaps with Hammersmith & Fulham. Competes for similar West London families seeking strong state provision.

Emerging players

• St Paul's School: Elite independent school in Barnes and a formal enrichment partner of Hammersmith Academy. Comparable on academic stretch and Oxbridge pipeline, but operates a fee-paying, selective model — relevant as both a benchmark and an aspirational alternative for local families.
• London Academy of Excellence (LAE): High-achieving sixth-form college in Stratford with a selective post-16 model and a strong track record of Russell Group and Oxbridge placements. Comparable on sixth-form outcomes and progression, though Hammersmith offers full 11–18 provision rather than sixth form only.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hammersmith-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Hammersmith Academy