Matford Brook Academy

What Matford Brook Academy does

Matford Brook Academy is an all-through state-funded academy located in the Haldon Reach development on the south-western outskirts of Exeter, UK. It is operated by the Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust, a Devon-based charitable trust overseeing 15+ schools. The school opened in September 2023 with an inaugural Year 7 cohort and is expanding year-on-year, with a Published Admission Number of 60 for Reception and 90 for Year 7, taking it towards full Reception-through-Year-11 coverage by 2027. It currently serves Nursery, Preschool, Reception, Years 1–2, and Years 7–9, and will add Years 3 and 10 in September 2026. Customer-facing services are split across three personas: Early Years families, Primary Phase families, and Secondary Phase families, with all-through progression functioning as the core retention proposition.

Educational products include a sequenced curriculum designed backwards from university-level outcomes, the Little Wandle Letters & Sounds systematic synthetic phonics programme, specialist teaching from Year 5 (Science labs, Spanish, theatre), a Family Dining community model, a careers programme meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks, and an enrichment programme targeting SEND and Pupil Premium pupils. The school's pedagogical approach is values-based (Scholarship, Kindness, Community) and grounded in cognitive science research. It currently operates from temporary accommodation ('The Novel Building') while the Department for Education rebuilds a permanent school building following contractor failure and building standards failures with the original structure; Kier Group has been appointed for investigative works.

The school's revenue model is government per-pupil funding routed through the Department for Education and Devon County Council, supplemented by Pupil Premium and ancillary school meal charges (catered by Educatering at £2.60–£3.15 per meal depending on phase, with Universal Free School Meals for Reception–Year 2). Admissions are coordinated through Devon County Council's local authority system, with Nursery/Preschool applications taken directly by the school. Marketing is digital-and-event-led via the school's own website, social channels (X, Facebook, LinkedIn), and Eventbrite-booked open events.

Name

Matford Brook Academy

Legal name

Matford Brook Academy

Website

https://matfordbrook.academy

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Matford Brook Academy is a state-funded all-through academy within the Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust in Exeter, UK, delivering education from Nursery through Year 11 to families in the Haldon Reach development and surrounding area, expanding year-on-year toward full capacity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary and Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Nursery School Programs (2–4 Years) (EDACACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Full-Day Nursery Programs (EDACACAD), Nursery School Readiness & Transition Programs (EDACACAL), Nursery School Wraparound Care (Extended Hours) (EDACACAG)

Keywords

• Primary education
• Secondary education
• Early years education
• All-through school
• State-funded academy

Headquarters

HQ city

Exeter

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government per-pupil funding: As a state-funded academy within the Ted Wragg Trust, the school receives per-pupil funding from the Department for Education based on pupil numbers. Additional funding comes through pupil premium for eligible students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Matford Brook Academy is a state-funded all-through school providing education from Nursery/Preschool (age 2) through to Year 11. It operates within the Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust and serves the Haldon Reach development area in Exeter. The school delivers Nursery, Primary (Reception-Year 6), and Secondary (Years 7-11) phases, with specialist teaching from Year 5, phonics-based early literacy via the Little Wandle programme, and careers education aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks.

Product overview

Matford Brook Academy is an all-through school within the Ted Wragg Trust, offering seamless education from Nursery/Preschool (age 2) through Primary (Reception to Year 6) to Secondary (Years 7-11). The school currently serves Nursery, Preschool, Reception, Years 1-2, and Years 7-9, expanding to include Years 3 and 10 from September 2026. Core educational products include the Little Wandle Letters & Sounds phonics programme for early literacy, a comprehensive careers education programme meeting Gatsby Benchmarks, and enrichment activities. The school operates from temporary accommodation ('The Novel') pending completion of permanent buildings, and partners with Educatering for catering, Price & Buckland for uniform provision, and Eventbrite for event registration. Additional services include Family Dining, an extensive enrichment programme, and the Ted Wragg Teacher Training Partnership for teacher development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nursery and Preschool Early years education provision for children aged 2-4, including Nursery, Preschool, and Reception classes. Features a purpose-built space with bespoke classrooms, following the EYFS curriculum with a language-rich environment using inspiring stories and nursery rhymes. Direct applications are made to the school via an Initial Enquiry Form.
• Primary Phase Primary education covering Reception through Year 6, with specialist teaching from Year 5 upwards including Science laboratories, Spanish by subject experts, and annual performances in the theatre space. Follows a broad, balanced, and enriched curriculum. Applications for Reception are coordinated through Devon County Council.
• Secondary Phase Secondary education covering Years 7-11, providing a broad and enriched curriculum at KS3 with significant allocations for English, Maths, Science, and Spanish. Students select GCSE Options in Year 9. Applications for Year 7 are coordinated through Devon County Council admissions.
• All-Through Education Seamless educational journey from age 2 to 16, providing continuity of support, values, and relationships throughout Nursery, Primary, and Secondary phases within a single school community. Curriculum is sequenced backwards from the university endpoint and grounded in cognitive science research.
• Ted Wragg Teacher Training Partnership Accredited Initial Teacher Training provider offering QTS and PGCE options for Primary and Secondary routes with bursaries available. Partners with regional training organisations including Brigshaw Learning Partnership, Exeter Consortium, Reach Teacher Training, and South West Teacher Training.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pupils prepared for university or aspirational equivalent

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ted Wragg TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatford Brook Academy is part of the Ted Wragg Multi-Academy Trust, an ambitious and inclusive trust of over 15 schools in Devon. The trust provides governance, shared resources, teacher training partnerships, and operational support. The CEO is Moira Marder.
• EducateringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducatering is the school's catering partner, providing school meals and supporting the Family Dining model. They deliver produce and recipes aligned with the school's community dining approach.
• Ted Wragg Teacher Training Partnership (TWTTP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn accredited Initial Teacher Training provider working with multiple partner organizations including Brigshaw Learning Partnership, Exeter Consortium, Reach Teacher Training, and South West Teacher Training (SWTT). Provides QTS and PGCE routes for primary and secondary trainees.
• Brigshaw Learning PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Ted Wragg Teacher Training Partnership, providing teacher training across multiple regions including Yorkshire.
• Exeter ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional training organization providing Primary ITT through the Ted Wragg Teacher Training Partnership in Devon areas.
• Reach Teacher TrainingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Ted Wragg Teacher Training Partnership, providing teacher training routes.
• South West Teacher Training (SWTT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner providing teacher training through the Ted Wragg Teacher Training Partnership in the South West region.
• Gatsby BenchmarkscoreOthersThe school's careers programme meets Gatsby Benchmarks standards for career guidance, ensuring pupils receive informed career advice and opportunities.
• Marine Academy PrimaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA double Outstanding school within Ted Wragg Trust that Matford Brook Academy collaborates with, ensuring best practices are shared across the all-through model.
• Kier GroupcoreOthersAppointed by DfE to support investigative works on the permanent building site to determine the most appropriate pathway forward for construction completion.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• West Exe School: Ted Wragg Trust secondary in Exeter. A direct competitor for Year 7 intake in the same city, with a longer track record against which Matford Brook's outcomes will be judged.
• Marine Academy Primary: Double-Outstanding Ted Wragg Trust primary cited by Matford Brook as a direct best-practice partner. Represents the aspirational benchmark for the primary phase and curriculum design.
• All Saints CofE Academy: A mixed-phase Ted Wragg Trust school in Devon. Comparable in governance structure and all-through philosophy, useful for benchmarking curriculum and operational practices.
• St James School: Ted Wragg Trust secondary school in Exeter, providing a like-for-like comparison for the secondary phase of Matford Brook as it scales toward a full Year 7–11 cohort.
• Isca Academy: Exeter secondary within the Ted Wragg Trust, comparable in size and demographic, and a relevant benchmark for parental choice in the Year 7 admissions market.
• Cranbrook Education Campus: Also an all-through school within the Ted Wragg Trust, sited in a new-build Devon town (Cranbrook). Shares the all-through, new-development, MAT-affiliated model and is the closest comparable operating context to Matford Brook.
• Exwick Heights Primary School: Ted Wragg Trust primary school in Exeter, providing a local competitive benchmark for the Reception–Year 6 phase of Matford Brook.

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: One of the largest UK multi-academy trusts. Comparable as a governance and scale model, and a relevant reference for what MAT-level support, central services, and growth trajectory can look like at national scale.
• Harris Federation: Large national MAT running primary and secondary academies across the UK. Useful for benchmarking MAT-level performance improvement, teacher training infrastructure, and expansion playbook beyond Devon.

Regional players

• Cranbrook Education Campus (new-town comparator): Beyond operating similarity, Cranbrook's experience scaling a new-build all-through school offers a regional template for how pupil numbers, staffing, and outcomes mature over time in Devon new towns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/matfordbrook
• Facebookfacebook.com/matfordbrook
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/matford-brook-academy

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Matford Brook Academy