Kings Ash Academy

What Kings Ash Academy does

Kings Ash Academy is a state-funded primary school academy located in Paignton, Devon, UK, serving children from the age of 9 months (Little Thinkers Nursery) through Key Stage 2, approximately age 11. The school is operated within the Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT), a multi-academy trust that provides governance, shared policies, and educational frameworks including the metacognitive 'Thinking School' methodology built around Thinking Maps, keys, and hats. Core delivery spans Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2 classrooms, supplemented by a free breakfast club, a paid after-school club, school meals catered by Innovate (a member of Impact Food Group), and a rotating set of extra-curricular clubs. Specialized services include SEND provision, speech and language support, and a new (April 2026) outdoor multi-sensory provision for children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), funded in partnership with Torbay Council.

The school's underlying technology infrastructure is non-proprietary and standard for UK primary education: the Arbor platform handles communications, meal bookings, payment, and wraparound care sign-up; Famly processes nursery applications; Microsoft Forms handles medical and absence forms; and Canva is used for newsletter design. There is no bespoke educational software, no AI product, and no disclosed data flywheel. The core 'technology' is the pedagogical methodology (Thinking School) and the quality of its specialist SEND and inclusion practice, evidenced by the Dingley's Promise Mark of Achievement and an ungraded Ofsted inspection in January 2025 that maintained its 'Good' rating with KS2 reading outcomes significantly above national average in 2024.

The business model is state-funded education: Kings Ash Academy is a not-for-profit academy receiving per-pupil funding from the UK Department for Education via Torbay Council, with free education for all pupils and free meals for Reception through Year 2. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Supplementary commercial income comes from paid after-school club sessions (£4–£6 per session), paid school meals, and extra-curricular club fees, all transacted through the Arbor platform. The customer base is geographically concentrated — families residing in the Paignton and Torbay area seeking primary education — with applications processed through the academy's admissions policy and local authority systems. The school is a single-campus operation with no disclosed expansion plans beyond its existing Torbay catchment.

Name

Kings Ash Academy

Legal name

Kings Ash Academy

Website

https://kingsashacademy.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kings Ash Academy is a state-funded UK primary school in Paignton, Devon, part of the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, serving children aged 9 months to 11 through nursery, EYFS, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2, with recognized SEND and inclusion provision.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)

Keywords

• Primary school education
• Early years provision
• SEND inclusive education
• Metacognitive thinking school
• Wraparound childcare

Headquarters

HQ city

Paignton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kings Ash Academy is a state-funded primary academy that delivers free education to children from age 2 through Year 6, covering Nursery, Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Its core offering is the primary curriculum taught through a metacognitive 'Thinking School' approach, supplemented by wraparound care (free breakfast club and paid after-school club), school meals, extra-curricular clubs, and specialised SEND and speech/language support.

Product overview

Kings Ash Academy is a primary school operated by The Thinking Schools Academy Trust, offering education from Nursery (age 2) through Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The school provides a unified educational service comprising its core curriculum delivery, with integrated support services including the Little Thinkers Nursery (ages 9 months-2 years, operated in partnership with Little Thinkers organization), wraparound care (free breakfast club and paid after-school club), school meals catering (via Innovate/Impact Food Group), and extra-curricular clubs. The school also offers specialized provisions including SEND support, speech and language communication support, mental health and wellbeing services, and an outdoor multi-sensory play and communication space. Communication and administrative functions are managed through the Arbor platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Little Thinkers Nursery: Nursery provision for children aged 9 months to 2 years, operated in partnership with Little Thinkers.

Products and services

• Little Thinkers Nursery Nursery provision for children aged 9 months to 2 years, operated in partnership with Little Thinkers, staffed by qualified practitioners providing early education and care.
• Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Foundation Stage education following the EYFS curriculum for young children transitioning from nursery into formal schooling.
• Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Curriculum Primary school curriculum covering Years 1-6, with emphasis on cognitive education and thinking skills using tools such as Thinking Maps, keys and hats.
• Breakfast Club Free breakfast club available from 8:00 am; sessions must be pre-booked 24 hours in advance via the Arbor app.
• After School Club After school club running until 4:20pm or 5:00pm; sessions cost £4.00 (until 4:20pm) or £6.00 (until 5:00pm) and must be pre-booked via Arbor.
• School Meals (Innovate / Impact Food Group) Catering service provided by Innovate (Impact Food Group), preparing all meals from scratch daily. Children from Reception to Year 2 receive Universal Infant Free School Meals; meals can be booked and paid for through Arbor.
• Extra-Curricular Clubs Various sports and music clubs offered during and after school terms, updated on a termly basis through Arbor.
• Outdoor Provision (SLCN Support) New outdoor provision including a multi-sensory play and communication space and Community Café area, designed to support children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), opened following a £40,000+ investment.
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Support Comprehensive SEN support with early identification and personalised provision; the school earned the Dingley's Promise Mark of Achievement for inclusive practice.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, notable and minor.

• Torbay CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026The school is partnered with Torbay Council as part of the Torbay Locality Model. This £40,000+ investment in new outdoor provision was supported by Torbay Council, including a multi-sensory play and communication space and Community Café area designed to support children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).
• Royal Opera HousenotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Kings Ash Academy partnered with the Royal Opera House and UNICEF for the Royal Opera House Create Day, a nationwide event involving over 50,000 pupils from 500 schools celebrating the UN convention on the rights of the child. Year 5 pupils participated in dance, movement, music, and design activities guided by Royal Ballet and Royal Opera Company artists.
• Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKings Ash Academy is a member of the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, a family of schools in the Torbay region and across the south-west committed to transforming life chances for students. TSAT provides governance, policies, and support services including an AI Use Policy, Data Protection Policy, and shared educational approaches including the metacognitive 'Thinking School' methodology.
• Impact Food Group (Innovate)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe school partners with Innovate, a member of Impact Food Group, for school meal catering. Innovate prepares all meals from scratch daily in the school kitchen, offering quality food choices with restaurant-style presentation. They accommodate dietary requirements and allergies, with allergen matrices available for parents.
• Community Sports Clubs NetworkminorOthersThe school maintains relationships with local sports clubs including Roselands Football, Torbay Gymnastics Club, Paignton RFC, Paignton Cricket Club, Torquay Tennis Club, Torbay Hockey Club, Torbay Karate Club, and others. These clubs are promoted to families as enrichment opportunities.
• ArborcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe school uses Arbor as its school management and communication system. Through Arbor, parents can receive letters and messages, book school lunches, sign up for wraparound care and clubs, make payments, and give permissions for trips and activities.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Learning Trust: A UK-wide multi-academy trust operating a large portfolio of primary, secondary, and all-through schools. Comparable as a broader multi-academy trust peer operating state-funded schools with shared services, governance, and curriculum design at significant scale.
• Oasis Academy Trust: A UK multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary academies nationally, including schools with strong inclusion/SEND and community-hub positioning. Comparable as an industry-level peer with similar wraparound care and inclusion orientations to Kings Ash Academy.
• Harris Federation: A large UK multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary academies across London and the south-east. Industry-level comparable as a large multi-academy trust providing centralised governance, shared curriculum frameworks, and economies of scale — analogous to TSAT's role for Kings Ash.
• Reach2 Academy Trust: One of the largest UK primary-focused multi-academy trusts, operating dozens of primary academies nationally. Comparable as an industry-level peer operating state-funded primary schools at scale, with shared governance and centralised support models analogous to TSAT.
• Thinking Schools Academy Trust: The parent multi-academy trust that operates Kings Ash Academy and multiple other primary and secondary schools across Torbay and the south-west. Directly comparable as it operates similar state-funded primary academies using the same Thinking Schools methodology and shared governance model.

Direct peers

• School 21: A London-based primary and secondary school widely recognised for its thinking-based, metacognitive pedagogical approach using tools comparable to Kings Ash's Thinking Maps, keys, and hats methodology. Directly comparable on curriculum differentiation rather than geography.
• Sacred Heart Catholic School: A faith-based Catholic primary school in Paignton competing in the same Torbay catchment for primary-aged pupils. Offers Reception through KS2 with faith-led ethos, providing an alternative option for local families choosing between Kings Ash and denominational provision.
• Roselands Primary School: A Paignton-area primary school serving Reception through KS2 in the same Torbay catchment as Kings Ash. Direct competitor for local families selecting between primary schools in the immediate area.
• Oldway Primary School: A state primary school located in Paignton, directly competing with Kings Ash Academy for pupils in the same Torbay catchment. Operates across Reception through KS2 with similar age range, serving the same local parent population.
• White Rock Primary School: A primary school in the Paignton area offering primary education across the same age range as Kings Ash Academy. Competes for the same Torbay catchment families and serves a similar demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kings-ash-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Kings Ash Academy