SHARES

What SHARES does

SHARES Lancashire Ltd is a not-for-profit education partnership limited company, founded in 2010 and headquartered at Hillside Community Primary School in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire. It operates as a cluster of approximately 30 primary and secondary schools — including Church of England, Catholic, Community, and special schools — across Lancashire and the North West of England, delivering shared educational services to member schools and their surrounding communities. The organisation runs an integrated portfolio including Physical Education delivery, an accredited Swim England swimming service operating 36 weeks per year, Continuing Professional Development training (National Speakers, Subject Leadership, TA Training, Statutory Training, Head Teacher Updates), ethical recruitment, initial teacher training via the SHARES North West SCITT partnership, Multi-Sport and Activity Holiday Clubs, the Little SHARES toddler group, the P.A.S.T.A after-school cookery and nutrition programme, annual sports and non-sports competitions, and a Pupil Parliament leadership programme. It also leads delivery of the Lancashire Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme in partnership with Lancashire County Council.

The underlying technology base is intentionally modest: the company operates no proprietary technology stack, relying on a standard WordPress website, email, and digital tools to support service delivery. Specialist staff — PE teachers, swimming coaches, chefs, nutritionists, and trainers — deliver services directly at member school sites, which is the primary distribution model. The business model combines recurring school membership fees, unit-priced holiday club fees (e.g., £17/day for member schools, £22/day for non-member schools), subscription-style swimming instruction, SCITT teacher training tuition, professional services recruitment fees, and grant-funded community programmes such as HAF and P.A.S.T.A. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Member recruitment occurs through school-to-school referrals and partnerships with local authorities and third-sector organisations, with no external investors, parent company, or private equity involvement evident in the source data.

Name

SHARES

Legal name

SHARES Lancashire Ltd

Website

https://shareslancashire.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SHARES Lancashire Ltd is a not-for-profit education partnership of 30 primary and secondary schools delivering shared PE, swimming, CPD, teacher training, recruitment, holiday clubs, and community programmes across Lancashire and the North West of England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Partnership Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-District Consortia & Shared Services Authorities (EDADABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG), Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

Keywords

• School partnership services
• Physical education delivery
• Continuing professional development
• Initial teacher training
• Holiday activity clubs

Headquarters

HQ city

Skelmersdale

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. School Membership Fees: Schools pay membership fees to be part of the SHARES cluster, gaining access to CPD training, procurement support, and other shared services.
2. Holiday Club Fees: Revenue from Multi-Sport and Activity Holiday Clubs operating during school holidays. Daily and weekly pricing for member and non-member school children.
3. Swimming Lessons: Swimming instruction services delivered to children aged 5-11 years across member schools, operating 36 weeks per year.
4. Teacher Training (SCITT): Initial teacher training provision delivered via the SHARES North West SCITT partnership, recruiting and training new teachers for the region.
5. Recruitment Services: Not-for-profit recruitment service providing ethical, sector-led recruitment solutions for schools, reducing reliance on commercial agencies.
6. Procurement and Contracts Support: Supporting schools with procurement needs including IT support, property services, playground equipment, and technology products through negotiated group deals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SHARES Lancashire is a not-for-profit education partnership of 30 primary and secondary schools that delivers integrated educational services including specialist Physical Education, swimming instruction, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training, initial teacher training via the SHARES North West SCITT, ethical school recruitment, holiday activity clubs, competitions, and community development programmes to schools and families across Lancashire and the UK.

Product overview

SHARES Lancashire is a not-for-profit education partnership of 30 primary and secondary schools that delivers a comprehensive portfolio of educational and enrichment services directly to schools and families. The core offerings include Physical Education delivery, SHARES Swimming (National Curriculum lessons and AG+T programme), CPD/training services (National Speakers, Subject Leadership, TA Training, Statutory Training), and initial teacher training via the SHARES North West SCITT. Beyond the school day, SHARES operates Multi-Sport & Activity Holiday Clubs, Little SHARES toddler groups, and the P.A.S.T.A Project combining cookery and physical activity. The partnership also facilitates Sports and Non-Sports Competitions, a Pupil Parliament programme, and Community Development initiatives including the Lancashire HAF programme. Services are delivered by specialist staff and coaches through a unified operational model rather than a technology platform, serving both member and non-member schools across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• CPD contributed to Outstanding Ofsted judgement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers31 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Lancashire County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking in partnership with Lancashire County Council to develop local communities in West Lancashire and represent cluster school priorities.
• West Lancashire Borough CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Tawd Valley redevelopment project, new and refurbished leisure centres, and Beacon Country Park Play Area. SHARES Pupil Parliament participates in council consultations.
• Active LancashirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in community development initiatives working to develop local communities in West Lancashire alongside SHARES Lancashire.
• Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHARES Lancashire undertook a project on behalf of DHSC to provide digital guidance and support for residents of Lancashire through the Isolation Station platform.
• Ogden TruststrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partnership supporting the development of high-quality science teaching and learning, particularly within primary education, and strengthening subject expertise across the partnership.
• North West SCITT PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHARES plays a central role in the SCITT (School Centred Initial Teacher Training) partnership, recruiting, training and supporting high-quality new teachers for the region.
• Swim EnglandcoreTechnology or IntegrationSHARES Lancashire is an accredited Swim England provider, delivering high quality National Curriculum swimming lessons and water safety training.
• Wigan Wasps Swim ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite local swim club that AG+T swimmers have progressed to after the Able, Gifted and Talented swimming program.
• Ormskirk Otters Swim ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite local swim club that AG+T swimmers have progressed to after the Able, Gifted and Talented swimming program.
• Nye Bevan PoolminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVenue where SHARES AG&T Swimming Club sessions are held on Monday evenings, run by Level 2 qualified swimming teachers.
• UK ParliamentstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK Parliament Senior Education Engagement Officer (North West) leads Pupil Parliament sessions, introducing children to government workings, voting systems, and democracy.
• West Lancashire CollegeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHost venue for SHARES Pupil Parliament meetings and educational sessions, providing theatre facilities for democracy education.
• The ZoneminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity venue used for Pupil Parliament meetings and activities, supporting youth leadership development programs.
• GlassballminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal not-for-profit arts organization that partnered with SHARES Lancashire on the Arts Council funded GlassBall Arts project, placing temporary and permanent art installations in Skelmersdale.
• Lancashire Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunder and partner for the P.A.S.T.A (Play and Skills at Teatime Activities) project, providing parents and children with after-school activities, nutritional education and cookery skills.
• SERCOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHARES Pupil Parliament worked alongside SERCO and West Lancashire Borough Council to choose and name a new play area at Beacon Country Park.
• Preston Preservation StudiosminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFully funded trip destination for Pupil Parliament members to learn about heritage conservation and participate in creating community art pieces as part of the Glass Ball Art Project.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Magic Breakfast: UK charity providing food and enrichment programmes to schools. Comparable to SHARES in delivering school-based community programmes and holiday activities, though focused on food poverty rather than PE/swimming.
• Schools NorthEast: Regional school partnership organisation in the North East of England providing shared services, CPD, and advocacy to member schools. Similar cluster-based service model to SHARES but serving a different UK region.

Direct peers

• Premier Education Group: UK provider of PE, sport, and activity programmes to primary schools and families through extra-curricular and holiday clubs. Highly comparable to SHARES' PE delivery, holiday clubs, and swimming services.
• Schools Co-operative Society: Co-operative network of UK schools providing shared services, advocacy, and procurement. Directly comparable to SHARES' school cluster, co-operative governance model, and shared services approach.
• Challenge Partners: UK school partnership network that connects schools for collaboration, peer review, and school improvement. Directly comparable to SHARES as a multi-school collective delivering shared services and CPD.
• SSAT (Schools, Students and Teachers): Network of schools offering CPD, leadership development, and shared services to UK schools. Comparable to SHARES in membership-driven model serving primary and secondary schools.

Emerging players

• School-Home Support: UK charity working with schools to support families and pupil wellbeing. Comparable to SHARES in family-facing community programmes such as P.A.S.T.A and Little SHARES, with overlap in HAF-type holiday provision.

Broad incumbents

• The Key for School Leaders: UK provider of support, guidance, and CPD resources to school leaders. Comparable to SHARES in serving schools with CPD and operational support, though as a broader commercial incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SHARES_Lancs
• Facebookfacebook.com/shareslancs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shares

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 SHARES