Parallel Learning Trust

Name

Parallel Learning Trust

Legal name

Parallel Learning Trust

Website

https://plt.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special and Alternative Provision Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Other Schools and Instruction (6116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Schools (Behavioral/Disciplinary & Nontraditional Settings) (EDAJAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Alternative, Continuation & Credit-Recovery Schools (EDAJAAAG), Charter Alternative & At-Risk Schools (Continuation, Credit Recovery, Juvenile) (EDAJACAE)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Alternative provision
• Multi-academy trust
• SEMH education
• Special educational needs

Headquarters

HQ city

Carshalton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a Multi-Academy Trust, PLT receives government funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for educating students. Additional funding may come from local authorities for pupils with Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Parallel Learning Trust is a charitable Multi-Academy Trust operating seven Special and Alternative Provision academies for students with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, plus a hospital-based school at King's College Hospital. The Trust delivers alternative provision for excluded primary and secondary pupils, specialist SEMH schooling (including residential provision at Ramsden Hall Academy), and reintegration support pathways to mainstream education. It is funded by the UK Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and local authorities and does not charge tuition fees.

Product overview

Parallel Learning Trust operates a Multi-Academy Trust established in 2014, comprising seven academies specializing in Special and Alternative Provision for children with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. The portfolio includes Evolve Academy West Norwood (PAN: 70) and Evolve Academy Kennington (PAN: 50) for alternative provision, Ramsden Hall Academy (PAN: 100) with residential provision for SEMH students, Sutton House Academy (PAN: 50), Victory Park Academy (PAN: 75), Wandle Valley Academy (PAN: 80) for ages 5-16, and Inspire Academy. Additionally, the Trust provides King's College Hospital School educational services. The academies work collaboratively to transform lives for pupils historically excluded by deprivation or additional needs, offering pathways from alternative placement through reintegration to mainstream or specialist settings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Evolve Academy West Norwood Alternative provision academy for young people aged 11-16 providing a 'Second Chance at Success' through alternative school placement or in-school Behaviour Support Outreach Service. Partners in Excellence (PiXL) club member with successive PiXL PRU Outstanding Achievement Awards in 2013, 2014 and 2015. PAN: 70.
• Evolve Academy Kennington
• Ramsden Hall Academy
• Sutton House Academy
• Victory Park Academy
• Wandle Valley Academy
• Inspire Academy
• King's College Hospital School (Schoolroom)

Quantifiable outcome

• PiXL PRU Outstanding Achievement Awards 2013, 2014, 2015
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• APL HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPL Health provides proactive occupational health support across the Trust and Academies, helping prevent absences and supporting staff wellbeing through health and rehabilitation services.
• EduCarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEduCare provides essential duty of care and safeguarding training for staff throughout all academies, offering online learning courses in partnership with leading experts.
• FireflycoreTechnology or IntegrationFirefly provides payroll services to PLT centrally and to some Academies within the Trust, acting as an off-site payroll department.
• GDPR SentrycoreTechnology or IntegrationGDPR Sentry platform effectively manages data within the Academies and Trust, providing a secure system for data protection compliance specifically designed for schools and MATs.
• Governors For SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernors For Schools sources the most suitable candidates for governance roles on the central Board or Academy Councils, finding skilled volunteers as governors and trustees.
• MAPA (Crisis Prevention Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPI provides MAPA (Management of Actual or Potential Aggression) training, evidence-based de-escalation and crisis prevention training for education settings.
• Single Central Record LimitedcoreTechnology or IntegrationSingle Central Record Limited provides online Single Central Record systems for the central Trust and all 7 Academies, with automated email reminders for compliance items.
• SleuthcoreTechnology or IntegrationSleuth is a software tracking system used by thousands of leaders and staff in hundreds of education and care settings, provided by The School Software Company.
• Thinking Schools Academy TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThinking Schools Academy Trust is ranked in the top ten MATs in the country for GCSE performance. They share a cognitive approach to education philosophy and are a partner MAT organization.
• Thomson Snell & Passmore LLPcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThomson Snell & Passmore LLP provides employment and legal services for the Trust, with a dedicated education team understanding the unique demands of the sector.
• SchudiocoreTechnology or IntegrationSchudio serves as website auditors and providers, offering a full school website service with UK leading compliance support and services to drive engagement.
• Morgan Sindall ConstructionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorgan Sindall Construction is undertaking the Ramsden Hall Academy build project, constructing a new SEMH school in Essex woodland.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wellspring Academy Trust: A Yorkshire-based Multi-Academy Trust that specialises in alternative provision and SEMH schools. Highly comparable to PLT in mission, student cohort, and reliance on ESFA/local-authority funding, and operates a similar number of specialist academies.
• Thinking Schools Academy Trust: PLT's mutual partner MAT, headquartered in the same South East England region and co-located with PLT's finance team. A multi-academy trust of comparable scale with overlapping pupil cohorts and shared governance philosophy, making it the closest operational peer.
• Catch22: A national charity running alternative provision academies, pupil referral units, and SEMH schools commissioned by local authorities. Direct peer for PLT's Evolve Academy AP sites and Wandle Valley/Victory Park-style provision.
• Priory Education Services: A private operator of SEMH schools, residential provision, and alternative education. Direct competitor to PLT for EHCP-funded placements, particularly residential, and operates at meaningfully larger scale.
• Witherslack Group: One of the largest UK operators of independent SEMH schools and residential specialist provision. A direct peer for Ramsden Hall-style residential EHCP placements and a competitor for local-authority SEMH commissioning budgets.
• Nexus Academy Trust: A specialist MAT focused on SEMH and alternative provision across the Midlands and North. Comparable in mission and student profile to PLT, with a similar number of academies and reliance on EHCP top-up funding.
• Edison Learning (Edison Academy Trust): An emerging MAT focused on special and alternative provision schools in the South East. Operates in a similar regional cluster and serves overlapping SEMH/excluded pupil cohorts, placing it in direct competition with PLT for local-authority referrals.

Broad incumbents

• Ormiston Academies Trust: One of the largest MATs in England, operating a broad portfolio of mainstream and some specialist/AP academies. A broader incumbent rather than specialist peer, but increasingly competing for the same local-authority AP/SEMH commissioning slots.
• Reach2 Academy Trust: A large national MAT operating primary and secondary academies including some specialist provision. Operates at significantly greater scale than PLT and competes in the same local-authority commissioning environment.

Emerging players

• Prospects Academy Trust: A smaller, growing MAT with a focus on specialist and alternative provision. Earlier-stage than PLT but pursuing a comparable SEMH/AP model, making it a useful emerging-player peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ParallelLTrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Parallel Learning Trust