John Taylor Free School

What John Taylor Free School does

John Taylor Free School (JTFS) is a non-selective state-funded secondary school in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, serving students aged 11-18 from the local catchment area in Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Opened in 2018 and operating as a partner school within the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust (JTMAT), JTFS provides free-at-point-of-use education across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, and Post-16 (Sixth Form), offering 24+ GCSE and A-Level subjects alongside a structured enrichment programme, dedicated wellbeing and SEND support, and a careers curriculum anchored on the Unifrog platform. The school holds an Ofsted "Good" rating and reports above-average academic outcomes, including a Progress 8 score of 0.08 (2024/25), 48% Grade 5+ in English and Maths, 88% EBacc entry, and a 100% post-KS4 education/training destination rate.

The school's core technology stack is administrative and pedagogical rather than proprietary: Bromcom Management Information System with the My Child at School (MCAS) parent portal for attendance, behaviour, communications, and cashless payments; Go4Schools for student tracking; and Unifrog for careers guidance. Pedagogical differentiators include the STRIPE learning behaviours framework integrated across Years 7 and 8, a deliberately sequenced remote learning infrastructure, and a wraparound care offer from 8:15am. Ancillary service offerings include MiQuill Catering (cashless via MCAS), musical instrument tuition through Entrust Music Service Staffordshire, and facilities-for-hire (sports hall, theatre, dance studio, classrooms, restaurant) commercialised through Actihire Venues Ltd.

JTFS's revenue model is dominated by per-pupil state education funding allocated via Staffordshire and Derbyshire Local Authorities, with supplementary transactional revenue from facility hire and subscription-based music tuition. Pupil acquisition is community-led: annual open evenings, scheduled school tours during October admissions, and local authority coordination. The school is led by Headteacher Mrs S Martin (appointed January 2026) with a senior leadership team comprising two Deputy Headteachers and eight Assistant Headteachers, and is governed by a Local Governing Body under JTMAT oversight.

Name

John Taylor Free School

Legal name

John Taylor Free School

Website

https://johntaylorfreeschool.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

John Taylor Free School is a non-selective state-funded secondary school in Burton-on-Trent, England, serving students aged 11-18 as part of the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust. It provides free GCSE and Post-16 education, enrichment, wellbeing, and SEND support to local families in Staffordshire and Derbyshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Instruction & Resource Support (Inclusion, Pull-Out, Co-Teaching) (EDAJAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inclusion Facilitation & Classroom Accommodation/Modification Support (EDAKABAD), Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• Comprehensive schooling
• Post-16 education
• GCSE programmes
• Wellbeing support

Headquarters

HQ city

Burton-on-Trent

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. State Education Funding: Government-funded secondary education provided free at point of use to students aged 11-18. Funded through Local Authority allocation based on student numbers and educational needs.
2. Facility Hire: Sports hall, theatre, dance studio, classrooms and restaurant available for hire to community. Operated through Actihire Venues Ltd.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

John Taylor Free School is a non-selective state-funded secondary school providing full-time education free at point of use to students aged 11-18 across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, and Post-16 (Sixth Form). Supporting the curriculum are paid wraparound services including school catering (via MiQuill Catering), musical instrument tuition (in partnership with Entrust Music Service Staffordshire), and community facilities hire (sports hall, theatre, dance studio, classrooms, restaurant) operated through Actihire Venues Ltd. All operations sit within the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust (JTMAT) framework with Bromcom/MCAS, Go4Schools, and Unifrog as the key digital platforms.

Product overview

John Taylor Free School offers a comprehensive educational programme for students aged 11-18, structured as a unified school offering with multiple integrated service components. The core educational offering spans Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9), Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11), and Post-16 (Sixth Form). Supporting this are the My Child at School (MCAS) digital platform for parent communication and payments, MiQuill Catering for meals, musical instrument tuition via Entrust Music Service, mental health and wellbeing support, an extensive enrichment programme, and facilities available for community hire through Actihire. The school also operates Go 4 Schools for student tracking and Unifrog for careers guidance. All components are integrated within the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Musical Instrument Tuition Music lessons provided in partnership with Entrust Music Service Staffordshire, offering instruction in woodwind, brass, percussion, and strings. Available as group lessons for 3 students (20-minute lessons, 32 weeks per year) or individual lessons at a higher rate, with instruments loaned free of charge and reductions for students receiving free school meals or studying GCSE music.
• Facilities for Hire State-of-the-art facilities available for hire to the community, including sports hall, theatre, dance studio, classrooms, and restaurant. Bookings are operated through partner Actihire Venues Ltd, providing a transactional venue-hire service to local sports clubs, performing arts groups, and community organisations.
• School Catering (Restaurant) Catering provision for breakfast, morning break, and lunch services operated by MiQuill Catering. Operates a cashless payment system via the My Child at School (MCAS) platform with thumb-scan accounts for students, supporting daily meal payments and balances.
• Secondary Education (Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, and Post-16) The school's core state-funded education programme for students aged 11-18 across Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9), Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11), and Post-16 Sixth Form, including GCSE and A-Level preparation. Provided free at point of use to local students regardless of faith, social, ethnic, or cultural background, under the 'succeed and thrive' ethos with high expectations for attendance, behaviour, and attitude.

Quantifiable outcome

• Progress 8 score of 0.08 (2024/25), above national average
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust (JTMAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent trust organisation providing experiences, resources, structures and systems to enable all students to engage, progress and achieve. JTFS is a partner school within the MAT, benefiting from shared best practices, professional development, and trust-wide resources.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oasis Academy South Bank: A non-selective secondary academy in Lambeth, London, part of Oasis Community Learning MAT. Comparable as a state secondary school with a strong focus on inclusion, community engagement, and enrichment.
• Wren Academy Finchley: A non-selective secondary academy in Barnet, North London, operating as an all-through school. Comparable as a state secondary academy with a strong focus on academic outcomes, enrichment, and community engagement.
• Ark Burlington Danes Academy: A non-selective secondary academy in Hammersmith & Fulham, London, part of the Ark Multi-Academy Trust. Comparable as a state-funded secondary school within a large MAT structure, serving a diverse community.
• Shire Oak Academy: A non-selective secondary academy in Walsall, West Midlands, part of the Central Co-operative Learning Trust. Comparable as a state secondary school in the West Midlands with a similar inclusive ethos, broad curriculum, and focus on student outcomes.
• Harris Academy St John's Wood: A non-selective secondary academy in Westminster, part of the Harris Federation (one of the largest UK MATs). Comparable as a state secondary school operating within a major multi-academy trust with shared systems and resources.
• Reach Academy Feltham: A 4-19 all-through free school in Hounslow, London, with a strong focus on academic outcomes and whole-child development. Comparable as a non-selective state school with similar enrichment and wellbeing programmes.
• Michaela Community School: A non-selective secondary free school in Brent, London, operating with high expectations on behaviour and academic rigour. Comparable as a state-funded free school serving 11-18 year olds with strong academic outcomes.
• West London Free School: A state-funded free school serving 11-18 year olds in Hammersmith, London. Directly comparable to JTFS as a non-selective secondary free school with similar ethos of academic rigour, broad enrichment, and inclusive community intake.

Regional players

• The BRIT School: A state-funded secondary free school in Croydon, London, specialising in the performing arts, media and creative industries. Comparable as a state free school with an enrichment-led ethos, though it operates with specialist entry criteria.
• Thomas Telford School: A high-performing state-funded secondary school in Shropshire. Comparable as a state secondary school known for strong academic outcomes, though it operates as a city technology college with a more selective intake.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@JohnTaylorFreeSchool
• Facebookfacebook.com/jtfreeschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/johntaylorfreeschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jtfs

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 John Taylor Free School