Kennet School
Kennet School is a state-funded UK secondary academy in Thatcham, Berkshire, serving pupils aged 11-18 across Years 7-13 with 25 GCSE and 34 A Level options, plus specialist SEND Hearing and Physically Disabled Resource bases serving a wider regional catchment.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersThatcham, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Kennet School does
Kennet School is a state-funded secondary academy located in Thatcham, Berkshire, United Kingdom, operating as part of the Equinox Learning Trust (a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales, company no. 7543874). The school serves approximately 700-850 pupils aged 11-18 across Years 7-13, delivering GCSE and A Level qualifications alongside specialist programmes. Its core academic offering comprises a main school (Years 7-11) with 25 Key Stage 4 option choices and a Sixth Form (Years 12-13) with 34 Key Stage 5 courses including A Levels, T Levels, and vocational qualifications. The school also operates two specialist SEND resources — the Hearing Resource Base and the Physically Disabled Resource — which admit pupils from a wider regional catchment across West Berkshire, Reading, Wokingham, and parts of Hampshire, representing a distinctive local-authority-commissioned service line.
The school's technology infrastructure is built on standard UK education-sector platforms: a Frog-based Virtual Learning Environment for remote learning, Bromcom as the Management Information System for pupil data and attendance, Microsoft 365 for staff and pupil productivity, and Unifrog as the careers destinations platform. Supporting the academic core are several distinct programmes: the Kennet Scholars Programme for high-achieving pupils targeting Oxbridge and Russell Group universities; a comprehensive careers programme aligned to all eight Gatsby Benchmarks; and a co-curricular portfolio spanning performing arts, sport, action and adventure, and enrichment activities. Facility investments include purpose-built acoustically treated SEND classrooms, a new £46,000 indoor cricket net installation (December 2025), and a partnership with Kennet Leisure Centre providing swimming pool and fitness suite access.
As a state-funded academy, Kennet School does not charge tuition fees and derives revenue from local-authority per-pupil funding and SEND top-ups. Admissions are administered through West Berkshire Council for mainstream intake and through the West Berkshire SEND team for specialist placements. The school holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating across Quality of Education, Personal Development, Leadership & Management, and Sixth Form Provision (confirmed July 2024), with Progress 8 of 0.15 and Attainment 8 of 47.5 both above England averages. The senior leadership team is led by Mr Gayler as Acting Headteacher (appointed 27 March 2026).
Kennet School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kennet School
- Legal name
- Kennet School
- Website
- https://kennetschool.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Kennet School is a state-funded UK secondary academy in Thatcham, Berkshire, serving pupils aged 11-18 across Years 7-13 with 25 GCSE and 34 A Level options, plus specialist SEND Hearing and Physically Disabled Resource bases serving a wider regional catchment.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kennet School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Secondary Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)
Keywords
Where Kennet School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Thatcham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kennet School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Kennet School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kennet School is a state-funded secondary academy that delivers full-time education to pupils aged 11-18 across Years 7-13, including a Main School offering 25 GCSE option choices and a Sixth Form offering 34 A Level, T Level, and vocational course choices. It supplements academic provision with specialist programmes such as the Kennet Scholars Programme for high-achieving pupils and inclusive SEND provisions (Hearing Resource Base and Physically Disabled Resource), together with a comprehensive Careers Programme aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks and a Co-Curriculum of enrichment activities.
Product overview
Kennet School is an award-winning secondary academy in Thatcham, Berkshire, offering a unified educational service spanning Years 7-13. The school operates as a single institution comprising a main school (Years 7-11) with a broad curriculum of 25 GCSE option choices, and a Sixth Form (Years 12-13) with 34 course choices including A Levels, T Levels, and vocational qualifications. Supporting the core academic offerings are specialist programmes including the Kennet Scholars Programme for high-achieving pupils, Hearing Resource Base and Physically Disabled Resource for inclusive education, and a comprehensive Careers Programme following Gatsby Benchmarks. The Co-Curriculum complements academic study with enrichment activities across sports, performing arts, and adventure. The school achieved Outstanding Ofsted ratings in 2016, with 39% of pupils achieving GCSE grades 9-7 and 70% achieving A*-B at A Level. Kennet School is part of the Equinox Learning Trust.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kennet Scholars Programme A prestigious academic enrichment programme for high-achieving pupils from Years 7 to 13 at Kennet School, providing specialist Oxbridge-style tutorials, mentoring, and university preparation to help secure places at Oxbridge and Russell Group universities.
- Hearing Resource Base (HRB) A purpose-built specialist facility at Kennet School with acoustically treated classrooms and specialist group rooms that supports pupils with hearing loss to access the mainstream curriculum while following personalised learning goals.
- Physically Disabled Resource (PDR) A specialist resource at Kennet School supporting pupils with physical disabilities in mainstream education, featuring physiotherapy rooms, hoists, accessible facilities, and a dedicated Sixth Form provision for post-16 students with physical disabilities.
- Main School Curriculum (Years 7-11) A text-rich, challenging Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 curriculum offering 25 GCSE option choices, delivered with specialist teaching and a focus on core knowledge retention and critical thinking to pupils in Years 7-11 at Kennet School.
- Sixth Form Provision (Years 12-13) Post-16 education at Kennet School offering 34 Key Stage 5 course choices including A Levels, T Levels, and vocational qualifications, with 70% of students achieving A*-B grades and 85% securing their first or second choice of university.
- Careers Programme A comprehensive careers education programme at Kennet School following the eight Gatsby Benchmarks, providing career-focused activities, work experience, employer encounters, and personalised guidance from Year 7 through Sixth Form.
- Co-Curriculum An enrichment programme at Kennet School covering Action & Adventure, Performing Arts, Sport, Activities, and Library programmes, complementing academic study with diverse extracurricular opportunities.
- Open Events & School Tours School open evenings and tours at Kennet School for prospective parents and pupils, including an Open Evening in September for Year 7 intake, morning tours for Year 5 parents, and a Sixth Form Open Evening for Year 11 students.
Quantifiable outcome
- 39% of pupils achieved GCSE grades 9-7
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Kennet School
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kennet School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature5 records
Kennet School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Equinox Learning TrustcoreKennet School is part of the Equinox Learning Trust, a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales (no. 7543874). The trust provides governance, data protection policies, and strategic oversight for the school.
- SkoolkitcoreOfficial uniform supplier for branded school uniform items. Located at Parkway Shopping Centre, Newbury, Berkshire. Provides mandatory branded items including ties, jumpers, and PE kit.
- TUXchangeminorNon-profit second-hand uniform service for pre-loved school uniforms in Newbury and Thatcham. Provides affordable uniform options for families.
- Juniper EducationcoreWebsite provider for Kennet School's official website. Also provides cookie consent management (cookiesAllowed, cookieConsentID cookies).
- Kennet Leisure CentrecoreUnique partnership providing access to squash courts, fitness suite, spin classes, and 25-metre swimming pool for PE curriculum and extracurricular sports.
- West Berkshire SEND TeamcoreLocal authority team managing admissions for pupils requiring Hearing Resource Base and Physically Disabled Resource placements in West Berkshire area.
- Gatsby Foundation (Gatsby Benchmarks)coreCareers programme adheres to the eight Gatsby Benchmarks of good career guidance, ensuring comprehensive careers education aligned with national standards.
- Local Employers and Industry PartnersVarious employers participate in careers fairs, mock interview days, work experience placements, and careers presentations. Listed as T Level Employer Partnership contacts.
- Mind (Mental Health Charity)minorKennet pupils led a digital wellbeing project in collaboration with Mind to create student-led resources supporting digital mental health.
- BromcomcoreManagement Information System (MIS) used for pupil data, attendance, and academic tracking. Separate portals for pupils and staff.
- Microsoft 365coreProductivity and collaboration platform used across the school for staff and pupil communication and work.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kennet School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Equinox Learning Trust (sister schools): Multi-academy trust of which Kennet is a member. Sister schools within the trust share governance, back-office, and curriculum resources, providing a structural reference point for Kennet's operating model and potential expansion partners.
Regional players
- Little Heath School: Secondary comprehensive in Tilehurst, Reading. Comparable academic and pastoral model, with overlapping but largely Reading-focused catchment relative to Kennet's West Berkshire base.
- Denefield School: Secondary school in Tilehurst, Reading, near the eastern edge of Kennet's broader catchment. Comparable state-funded model but primarily serves Reading families rather than directly competing for central West Berkshire pupils.
Broad incumbents
- Wellington College: Independent (fee-charging) school in Crowthorne, Berkshire, with a much broader UK and international draw. Not a direct admissions competitor (different fee model) but is a benchmark for academic excellence and Oxbridge preparation in the Berkshire region.
- Bradfield College: Independent co-educational boarding school in Berkshire. Not a direct competitor on price/catchment but operates in the same Berkshire competitive set for high-achieving families evaluating state vs independent secondary options.
Direct peers
- St Bartholomew's School: Co-educational secondary school in Newbury, Berkshire, serving the same West Berkshire catchment as Kennet. Direct admissions competitor with comparable GCSE and A Level curriculum breadth.
- The Willink School: Secondary school in Burghfield Common, West Berkshire. Comparable state-funded secondary provision serving a neighbouring part of the Kennet catchment, with similar academic and pastoral positioning.
- Park House School: Secondary school in Newbury, Berkshire, competing for the same West Berkshire families. Offers a comparable academic and vocational curriculum and serves as a near-substitute for Kennet in parental school choice.
- Trinity School: Secondary school in Newbury, Berkshire, with a similar Christian ethos-adjacent identity and comparable GCSE/A Level provision. Directly competes with Kennet for West Berkshire Year 7 and Sixth Form applicants.
- The Downs School: Secondary comprehensive school in Compton, near Newbury, Berkshire, serving a similar West Berkshire catchment. Directly competes with Kennet for Year 7 admissions and offers comparable mainstream GCSE and A Level provision.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kennet School social profiles
Digital presenceKennet School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kennet School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Kennet School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kennet School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kennet School
What does Kennet School do?
Kennet School is a state-funded secondary academy that delivers full-time education to pupils aged 11-18 across Years 7-13, including a Main School offering 25 GCSE option choices and a Sixth Form offering 34 A Level, T Level, and vocational course choices. It supplements academic provision with specialist programmes such as the Kennet Scholars Programme for high-achieving pupils and inclusive SEND provisions (Hearing Resource Base and Physically Disabled Resource), together with a comprehensive Careers Programme aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks and a Co-Curriculum of enrichment activities.
Is Kennet School a public or private company?
Kennet School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Kennet School founded?
Kennet School was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Kennet School based?
Kennet School is headquartered in Thatcham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Kennet School's main competitors?
Equinox Learning Trust (sister schools) is listed as an others. Regional players are Little Heath School and Denefield School. Broad incumbents are Wellington College and Bradfield College. Direct peers are St Bartholomew's School, The Willink School, Park House School, Trinity School and The Downs School.
Does Kennet School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kennet School.
What industry is Kennet School in?
Kennet School's product category is Secondary Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAKAH, Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability). Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.