What Kingsmead School does

Kingsmead School is a state-funded secondary school and sixth form located in Hednesford, Cannock, Staffordshire, England, operating as a partner school within John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust. Founded in 1938 and employing approximately 52 staff, the school serves students aged 11-18 across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 (GCSE), and a sixth form offering 27 Level 3 academic and vocational courses including A-Levels, BTECs, the Extended Project Qualification, and the Lyceum Society Oxbridge preparation programme. The school is the most oversubscribed in Staffordshire and leads the county in student outcomes, with reported 2025 results of an average grade B at A-Level and Distinction at Vocational Level.

The school's core digital product is the Blended Learning Platform, a custom virtual learning environment built on Microsoft SharePoint and populated by Kingsmead staff with subject-specific worksheets, exam papers, mark schemes, videos, and games. This is reinforced by Personal Learning Checklists (PLCs) that break each unit into 'I can…' statements, and supported by an integrated stack of Microsoft 365 (1TB OneDrive per student, Teams), Satchel One for homework, ParentPay for payments, the MCAS parent communication app, and Prospects career exploration software. A distinctive on-site facility, the Animal Management Centre housing over 70 species, supports the BTEC Animal Management course. A laptop purchase scheme is operated in partnership with VeryPC and Freedom Technology.

The school's revenue is generated primarily through UK government per-pupil academy funding channelled via John Taylor MAT, with no tuition fees charged. Secondary revenue streams include the parent laptop scheme (full purchase or lease-to-own over up to three years) and ParentPay-collected service fees. Distribution occurs through formal local-authority admissions processes, open days, transition events, digital prospectus, and the school's website and Instagram presence; careers programmes are delivered through Gatsby Career Benchmark-aligned 'An Audience with…' sessions and advisor drop-ins. Governance sits with the MAT board while day-to-day leadership is provided by the Headteacher and the Director of Sixth Form, Mrs G Horsfield.

Name

Kingsmead School

Legal name

Kingsmead School

Website

https://kingsmeadschool.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kingsmead School is a state-funded secondary school and sixth form in Hednesford, Staffordshire, serving students aged 11-18 within John Taylor MAT, with a SharePoint-based Blended Learning Platform and a distinctive Animal Management Centre housing over 70 species.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Secondary education services
• Sixth form education
• GCSE A-Level courses
• Vocational BTEC qualifications
• Academic enrichment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hednesford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As a state-funded academy within John Taylor MAT, Kingsmead receives government funding based on pupil enrollment. The school operates under the Education Act 1996 for data collection purposes.
2. Laptop Purchase Scheme: Partnership with VeryPC and Freedom Technology offering parents laptop purchase options with extended warranties and insurance. Payment can be made as a lump sum or spread over up to three years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kingsmead School delivers state-funded secondary and sixth form education to students aged 11-18, offering GCSE, A-Level, and BTEC vocational courses across 27 subject areas. The school supplements classroom teaching with a custom-built Blended Learning Platform on Microsoft SharePoint, academic enrichment programmes (Lyceum Society, EPQ, High Flyers), and an on-site Animal Management Centre for practical vocational learning. Six designated sub-programmes (PLCs, EPQ, Lyceum Society, RIME Curriculum, High Flyers Programme, and the Animal Management Centre) are sold as cohesive components of the school enrolment.

Product overview

Kingsmead School is a secondary school and sixth form operating as a partner school in John Taylor MAT. Its core educational product is the delivery of GCSE and Level 3 (A-Level, BTEC, vocational) courses across 27 subject areas, supported by a Blended Learning Platform built on Microsoft SharePoint that functions as a virtual learning environment. The Blended Learning Platform is the central digital product, enabling students and staff to access self-created learning resources including worksheets, exam materials, videos, and interactive content organized by subject and year group. Supporting products include Personal Learning Checklists (PLCs) that break down curriculum into 'I can…' statements, the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) for independent research, and the Lyceum Society for Oxbridge preparation. The school also operates an Animal Management Centre with over 70 species as a practical facility for its Animal Management BTEC course, and partners with VeryPC/Freedom Technology on a device purchase scheme to support blended learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lyceum Society: A program designed to create opportunities for students to attend Oxbridge universities (Oxford or Cambridge), including workshops on personal statements, interview training, and Fortune 500 work experience placements.
• RIME Curriculum
• Blended Learning Platform
• High Flyers Programme
• RIME Funding
• The Animal Management Centre

Products and services

• Blended Learning Platform A virtual online classroom built on Microsoft SharePoint, self-populated by school staff with worksheets, exam papers, mark schemes, videos, and games matched to each subject and year group. Students access it via the school intranet or direct link, with 'Help' and 'Upgrade' tasks for personalised learning support.
• Sixth Form Courses Portfolio A comprehensive portfolio of 27 Level 3 academic and vocational courses offered in the Sixth Form, including A-Levels across sciences, humanities, languages, mathematics, and creative arts, as well as BTEC and vocational qualifications in subjects such as Animal Management, Applied Science, Business, Criminology, Health & Social Care, Law, Music, Performing Arts, and Sports Studies.
• Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) A Level 3 qualification requiring students to independently complete a 5,000-word academic essay or an artefact with a 1,000-word report on a topic of their choice, worth 28 UCAS points (half an A-Level). Designed for Year 12 students seeking to strengthen university applications.
• Lyceum Society An academic enrichment programme mirroring Aristotle's school, including visits to Oxford and Cambridge, bespoke workshops on personal statements and interview training, and support applying for Fortune 500 work experience placements. Students with a GCSE score of 6.5 are automatically enrolled.
• Animal Management Centre An on-site animal facility housing over 70 animal species including tapir, meerkats, lemurs, otters, birds of prey, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and domestic animals. Students on the BTEC Animal Management course use it for hands-on practical sessions, taught by qualified tutors and zoo keepers.
• Laptop/Device Scheme A laptop purchase programme delivered in partnership with VeryPC and Freedom Technology, offering devices with at least 3-year lifespans, extended 3-year warranties, and accidental damage/theft cover. Payment options include a lump sum or spreading costs over up to three years. Includes a loan device while a purchased device is under repair.
• Personal Learning Checklists (PLCs) Subject-level learning breakdown tools that divide each unit into 'I can...' statements, mapped against student work and assessments. PLCs are shared with parents via termly reports and used alongside the Blended Learning Platform to help students identify gaps and track progress through 'Help' and 'Upgrade' tasks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average grade B at A-Level, Distinction at Vocational Level (2025)
• +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

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• John Taylor MAT (Multi-Academy Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKingsmead School is a partner school within John Taylor MAT, a multi-academy trust. The MAT provides governance, strategic direction, and support services including the intranet system (intranet-ks.jtmat.co.uk) hosting the prospectuses and blended learning platform.
• VeryPC and Freedom TechnologysupportingTechnology or IntegrationLaptop scheme partners offering parents the option to purchase devices through the school with extended warranties, accidental damage and theft cover. Devices are chosen to last at least three school years with flexible payment options.
• Microsoft 365 / SharePointcoreTechnology or IntegrationSchool network is part of Microsoft 365 providing cloud-based storage via OneDrive (1TB per student), Microsoft Office suite including Teams, and the SharePoint-based KNG-StudentHub blended learning platform.
• Satchel One (formerly Show My Homework)supportingTechnology or IntegrationHomework and learning management platform used by the school for assignment tracking and student communication.
• ParentPaysupportingTechnology or IntegrationOnline payment system used by parents to pay for school services including the laptop scheme and school meals.
• Gatsby Career BenchmarkssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool's careers provision aligns with the eight Gatsby Career Benchmarks, ensuring students receive comprehensive career guidance and employer connections.
• Prospects (Career Software)supportingTechnology or IntegrationCareer exploration software helping students identify career matches based on their skills, interests and preferences. Login uses first 6 digits of student's school email address.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Repton School: Elite independent boarding and day school in Derbyshire with a strong Oxbridge record and broad Sixth Form curriculum. A larger, fee-charging incumbent in the same space; not a direct commercial competitor but competes aspirationally for high-attaining families across the Midlands.
• Bloxham School: Independent co-educational boarding and day school in Oxfordshire with strong A-Level and Oxbridge outcomes. Comparable in offering a full secondary and Sixth Form experience with academic enrichment programmes, but operates at smaller scale under a fee-paying model.

Direct peers

• King Edward VI School, Lichfield: Selective grammar school in Lichfield offering GCSE and A-Level provision, located within commuting distance of Cannock. Competes for the same high-attaining student cohort that underpins Kingsmead's oversubscription.
• Wolverhampton Grammar School: Independent co-educational secondary school in Wolverhampton offering GCSE and A-Level provision. Comparable academic profile and geography; competes for parents willing to pay fees in preference to Kingsmead's state-funded model.
• Lichfield Cathedral School: Independent co-educational day school in Lichfield covering Reception through Sixth Form. Located in the same catchment as Kingsmead and competes for the same local families seeking secondary and post-16 education.
• Queen Mary's Grammar School: Selective state grammar school in Walsall with a strong academic track record and Sixth Form. Directly comparable on curriculum model and competitor set for high-attaining families across the West Midlands conurbation.
• South Staffordshire College: Further education college serving Cannock, Tamworth and Lichfield with a strong vocational/BTEC portfolio. Directly competes with Kingsmead Sixth Form for post-16 applicants, particularly those pursuing vocational pathways such as Animal Management, Health & Social Care, and Business.
• Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School: Catholic voluntary aided secondary school in the same Staffordshire/Cannock catchment, offering secondary and Sixth Form education with a similar curriculum breadth. A direct competitor for faith-aligned families and local post-16 applicants.
• John Taylor High School: Sister secondary school within John Taylor MAT, located in the same Staffordshire trust and operating under the same governance, funding model, and digital infrastructure as Kingsmead. It is the most directly comparable peer for both curriculum structure and operational model.
• Chase Terrace Academy: State-funded secondary school in Burntwood, Staffordshire, serving a similar geographic catchment with comparable GCSE and post-16 provision. Directly competes with Kingsmead for the same Year 7–Sixth Form applicant pool across Cannock Chase.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/kingsmeadschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kingsmead-school-hednesford

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 Kingsmead School