The Academy at Shotton Hall

What The Academy at Shotton Hall does

The Academy at Shotton Hall is a state-funded secondary school in Peterlee, County Durham, England, delivering education to students aged 11-16. Established in 1963 and operating as the lead school within the North East Learning Trust (NELT, Company number 07492165), it provides a comprehensive curriculum of over 27 GCSE and vocational courses with a specialism in performing arts (drama, dance, and music). The Academy has been rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted on three consecutive occasions, most recently in July 2024. Beyond core GCSEs, it delivers a Cultural Capital enrichment programme spanning Erasmus international exchanges (over 450 student participants across five years), Duke of Edinburgh awards, and more than 30 extra-curricular clubs, alongside a Gatsby-benchmark-aligned careers programme and a peer-supported transition system for incoming students.

The school's revenue model is entirely government-funded through the Department for Education via NELT's funding agreement, with no tuition fees charged to families. Year 7 admissions are administered through Durham County Council, with in-year admissions handled directly by NELT. The technology stack centres on Microsoft Office 365 / POD for digital learning and school operations, supported by Scopay (parent payments), Insight (TASC) for student reporting, SchoolCloud for parents' evening bookings, and Unifrog / How2Become / UCAS integrations for careers guidance. The Academy holds British Council International School Status (awarded 2018) and is a designated E-Twinning School with seven successive years of UK prize wins. Leadership includes a Head of School with 20+ years of internal tenure, a Curriculum Lead functioning as subject director across NELT, and a Designated Safeguarding Lead who also serves as Virtual Head for the trust.

Name

The Academy at Shotton Hall

Legal name

The Academy at Shotton Hall

Website

https://shottonhallacademy.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Academy at Shotton Hall is a state-funded 'Outstanding' Ofsted-rated secondary school in Peterlee, England, delivering GCSE education to students aged 11-16 as the lead school within the North East Learning Trust, with a performing arts specialism.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Peterlee

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State-Funded Education: The Academy is a government-funded secondary school providing free education at point of use for students aged 11-16 years. Funding comes from the Department for Education via local authority funding agreements through the North East Learning Trust.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Academy at Shotton Hall is a state-funded secondary school providing free education to students aged 11-16 (Key Stages 3 and 4). It delivers a broad curriculum of over 27 GCSE and vocational courses across English, maths, sciences, humanities, languages, performing arts, and computer science, alongside enrichment through Erasmus international exchanges, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, and over 30 extra-curricular clubs. It is the lead school in the North East Learning Trust, with Ofsted 'Outstanding' status awarded three consecutive times, most recently in July 2024.

Product overview

The Academy at Shotton Hall is a secondary school offering a comprehensive educational programme for students aged 11-16. As an 'Outstanding' Ofsted-rated academy and part of the North East Learning Trust, it provides a broad curriculum of over 27 GCSE and vocational courses alongside a specialist performing arts programme. The school offers the core Main Secondary Education programme supported by specialised GCSE offerings in Computer Science, ICT/Media, Sciences, Humanities, and Languages. Its Cultural Capital Programme encompasses enrichment activities including Erasmus international exchanges, Duke of Edinburgh awards, and over 30 extra-curricular clubs. The school also provides Remote Education Provision for students unable to attend in person, a Careers Education Programme aligned with Gatsby benchmarks, and a peer-supported Buddies System for student transition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Secondary Education (11-16) Comprehensive secondary school education for students aged 11-16 in Key Stages 3 and 4, rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted three consecutive times. Provides a broad curriculum including GCSE qualifications across core and optional subjects with a performing arts specialism.
• GCSE Curriculum Over 27 different GCSE and vocational courses including English Language and Literature, Mathematics, Sciences, Humanities, Languages, Arts, and Technology, with many courses achieving 100% pass rates.
• Performing Arts Programme Specialist performing arts programme offering Dance, Drama, and Music as core subjects with numerous performance opportunities including school musicals and regional competitions.
• Computer Science and ICT Computer Science at GCSE level and ICT/iMedia qualifications covering programming, digital literacy, creative computing, and e-safety across key stages.
• Remote Education Provision Online learning resources and support for students unable to attend school in person, including access to Immersive Reader for accessibility.
• Learning Resource Centre (LRC) State-of-the-art library and learning centre open to all students, providing study resources, reading materials, and after-school access until 4:15pm.
• Cultural Capital Programme Extracurricular and enrichment activities including SMSC, British Values, Erasmus international exchanges, Duke of Edinburgh Award, and over 30 clubs and activities.
• Careers Education Programme Comprehensive careers guidance aligned with Gatsby benchmarks, including work experience placements, employer encounters, career fairs, and access to independent careers advisors.
• Extra-Curricular Clubs Over 30 clubs and activities including sports (rugby, football, netball, dance), arts (drama, choir, art), academics (coding, STEM, history), and recreational clubs.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North East Learning Trust (NELT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Academy is the lead school within the North East Learning Trust (Company number 07492165). NELT acts as the admissions authority, determines governance structures, handles in-year admissions, and provides shared services across trust schools. The Academy operates under NELT's funding agreement with the DfE.
• British Council - Erasmus ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in Erasmus programme through British Council, enabling international exchanges and study experiences. Over 450 students have visited European countries. Staff have delivered training internationally. The Academy is a designated E-Twinning School.
• European School Partners (Erasmus/E-Twinning)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with schools from Spain, Italy, Finland, Norway, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Germany, Romania, Martinique, Belgium, Ukraine, Serbia, Bosnia, Malta, and Lithuania through Erasmus and E-Twinning projects.
• Durham County CouncilcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdministers Year 7 admissions process on behalf of the Trust through the Durham County Council admissions portal. Local authority partnership for school place allocation.
• Career Wave / How2BecomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides independent careers advice service to support students in making next steps after GCSE. Students access career guides, practice tests, and interview preparation resources.
• Teesside UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts the annual 'Hello World' trip - a one-day event at Teesside University for young women in Years 8, 9 and 10 to get inspired by female leaders working in computer science and digital technology.
• Durham Music ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides individual instrumental lessons to students at the Academy on a weekly basis, supporting music education delivery.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationSchool uses Microsoft Office 365/POD platform for digital learning management, student portals, and school operations. Students gain exposure to Microsoft Office fundamentals as essential workforce skills.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Park View School: Outstanding-rated secondary school in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, directly adjacent to Shotton Hall's catchment. Comparable size, comprehensive intake, and serves a similar demographic in the North East region.
• Venerable Bede Academy: Secondary school in the North East region with a comparable 11-16 age range and comprehensive intake. Operates as part of the same regional secondary education market and competes for similar catchment families.
• Carmel College: Catholic secondary school in the North East region with a comparable comprehensive intake and 11-18 age range. Operates as a North East regional peer, competing for similar student demographics and offering overlapping curriculum choices.
• Outwood Grange Academy: Large Outstanding-rated secondary school in Redcar, North East England. Comparable in size, comprehensive intake, and academic aspiration, and is part of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust family.
• Emmanuel College, Gateshead: Outstanding-rated secondary school in Gateshead, North East England. Comparable in serving a comprehensive intake at secondary level with strong academic outcomes, operating in the same regional education market.
• St Mary's Catholic Comprehensive School: Catholic secondary school in the County Durham/North East region serving a similar 11-16 age range. Comparable comprehensive intake and curriculum breadth, representing a faith-school alternative within the same local market.
• Whitburn Church of England Academy: Secondary school in South Tyneside, North East England. Comparable in size, age range, and curriculum breadth, serving a similar demographic in the broader North East secondary education market.
• Durham Johnston Comprehensive School: Outstanding-rated, large comprehensive secondary school located in Durham city, the same county as Shotton Hall. Serves a similar 11-18 age range and is a direct competitor for the same catchment of families in County Durham.

Broad incumbents

• Consilium Academies: Multi-academy trust operating several secondary schools across the North of England. Comparable as an organisational/structural peer in the same regional education ecosystem, with similar trust-based governance and shared services model.

Regional players

• Teesdale School: Secondary school located in Barnard Castle, County Durham, operating in the same county but a more rural catchment. Comparable in size and curriculum breadth, but serves a different geographic sub-region within County Durham.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shottonhall
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-academy-at-shotton-hall

Compliance5 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 The Academy at Shotton Hall