Tanfield School
Tanfield School is a state-funded secondary school in Stanley, County Durham, UK, serving approximately 790 students aged 11-16 under the Eden Learning Trust, delivering a knowledge-rich curriculum with employer and further education partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1912
- HeadquartersStanley, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Tanfield School does
Tanfield School is a state-funded secondary school located in Stanley, County Durham, United Kingdom, operating under the Eden Learning Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust. The school serves students aged 11-16 (Years 7-11), with a Year 7 intake capacity of up to 158 students and a total enrollment implied at approximately 790 students across the five-year secondary structure. Founded in 1912, the school has undergone several name changes and a major rebuilding programme following the 1998 Great Fire, with replacement facilities opening in January 2001. Tanfield delivers a knowledge-rich curriculum structured around detailed knowledge organisers and cycle-by-cycle subject content, complemented by a timetabled co-curricular programme aligned to the Duke of Edinburgh model and the SkillsBuilder Framework (having achieved Silver Award status). The school holds multiple recognitions including the International Schools Award, Schools Curriculum Award, Sportsmark, Artsmark, Healthy Schools Award, and EcoSchool Award.
The school's technology stack relies on third-party platforms rather than proprietary systems: Google Classroom and Google Meet for remote education delivery; Arbor Portal for student information management and parent communications; Sparx Reader, Sparx Maths, Tassomai, and GCSEPod for curriculum delivery and revision content; and a biometric catering payment system linked to the Arbor Parent Portal. The business model is government-funded with ancillary revenue streams: core UK government per-pupil funding, Pupil Premium grants (with 36% of students eligible), Chartwells catering services on a transaction-fee basis, and uniform sales through Sehgals. Education itself is free for all enrolled students. The school serves its local community through a partnership network of 16 primary feeder schools, multiple employers for Workplace Challenges, and further/higher education providers (FutureMe, New College Durham) for careers education aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks. Performance outcomes have improved substantially, with Progress 8 rising from -0.96 in 2018 to +0.86 in 2024 and English & Maths 9-4 attainment increasing from 38% to 79% over the same period.
Tanfield School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tanfield School
- Legal name
- Tanfield School
- Website
- https://tanfieldschool.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1912
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tanfield School is a state-funded secondary school in Stanley, County Durham, UK, serving approximately 790 students aged 11-16 under the Eden Learning Trust, delivering a knowledge-rich curriculum with employer and further education partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tanfield School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Secondary Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)
Keywords
Where Tanfield School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stanley
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tanfield School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Government Education Funding: Core funding from UK government for state secondary education, allocated per student enrolled
- Pupil Premium Grant: Additional government funding for disadvantaged students eligible for free school meals, children of service families, and looked-after children
- Catering Services: School meals provided through partnership with Chartwells; parents top up meal balances via Arbor Parent Portal
- Uniform Sales: School uniform sold through Sehgals, including pre-embroidered blazers, ties, PE kit; pre-loved uniform available from school
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | School meals - parents top up via Arbor Portal |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | School uniform purchased from Sehgals |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Tanfield School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tanfield School delivers state-funded secondary education for students aged 11-16 across Years 7-11 in County Durham. It offers a knowledge-rich Key Stage 3 and 4 curriculum leading to GCSE qualifications, a timetabled co-curricular programme covering physical, skills and volunteering cycles (aligned with Duke of Edinburgh), structured careers education following the Gatsby Benchmarks, and wrap-around services including school catering and uniform provision.
Product overview
Tanfield School is a secondary educational institution in County Durham, UK, providing Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 education (Years 7-11). The school offers a knowledge-rich curriculum, co-curricular programmes including Skills Builder framework and Duke of Edinburgh awards, careers education aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks, and PSHE/RSHE curriculum. The school partners with third-party educational platforms including Sparx for maths homework, Tassomai for quizzing, GCSEPod for revision content, and Google Classroom/Meet for remote education. Catering is provided through Chartwells. The school does not offer technology products or services as a software provider.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Secondary Education (Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4) State-funded secondary education for students aged 11-16 across Years 7-11 in County Durham, covering a knowledge-rich curriculum leading to GCSE qualifications. Includes core subjects, PSHE/RSHE provision, and exam preparation.
- Co-Curricular Programme Timetabled co-curricular activities for Years 7-10 featuring physical, skills, and volunteering cycles aligned to the Duke of Edinburgh model. Includes SkillsBuilder Framework teaching eight essential employability skills (listening, speaking, problem solving, creativity, positivity, aiming high, leadership, teamwork). Awarded Skills Builder Silver Award.
- Careers Education Programme Structured careers education aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks, including 1:1 careers interviews for targeted students, employer encounters, apprenticeship support via ASK, further/higher education outreach via FutureMe, and partnership with MyBigCareer and Durham Works to support NEET prevention.
- School Catering Services School meals provided through partnership with Chartwells, offering nutritious food suitable for children's needs with dedicated support for medical diets and food intolerances. Parents manage meal balances via Arbor Parent Portal with biometric payment.
- School Uniform Compulsory school uniform items supplied through Sehgals, including black school blazer with embroidered badge, white shirts, clip-on ties, black trousers or Tanfield tartan skirt, plus PE kit. Pre-loved uniform available from the school on request.
Quantifiable outcome
- Progress 8 score improved from -0.96 (2018) to 0.86 (2024)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Tanfield School
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Tanfield School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Tanfield School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Eden Learning TrustcoreTanfield School is a proud member of Eden Learning Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust based at Merrington Road, Ferryhill, County Durham. The trust provides governance and support services to the school.
- ChartwellscoreChartwells provides school meals for students, developing nutritious and delicious food suitable for children's needs. They have a dedicated team for medical diets and food intolerances.
- Skills Builder PartnershipcorePartnership with skillsbuilder.org to deliver structured employability skills programme covering listening, speaking, problem solving, creativity, positivity, aiming high, leadership, and teamwork. School has achieved Silver Award.
- ASK (Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge)majorProgramme providing apprenticeship information and support for students and parents, including monthly information packs, registration workshops, CV workshops, and mock interviews.
- Marmax ProductsmajorBusiness partner for Workplace Challenges providing presentations, scenarios and visits. Worked with English and Science departments for enterprise skills development.
- FutureMemajorHigher education outreach programme providing undergraduate mentoring, enterprise challenges, and residential experiences at local universities for students.
- New College DurhammajorFurther education provider for T-Level presentations, open evenings, visits and FE presence at parents' options evenings.
- KP SnacksminorWorkplace Challenge partner for English and Geography departments, providing real-world business scenarios for students.
- AspensminorWorkplace Challenge partner for enterprise activities and presentations.
- TG EscapesminorWorkplace Challenge partner for Design and Technology department.
- NELEPminorScience department partner for Workplace Challenges and STEM activities.
- TeleperformanceminorWorkplace Challenge partner for Maths department providing real-world business scenarios.
- MyBigCareerminorCharity providing 1:1 careers interviews for targeted students, including workshops exploring dream careers.
- Durham WorksminorSupport programme providing interviews for students at risk of Not being in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).
- One VisionminorInterview programme for students at risk of NEET, working with targeted students and their families.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Tanfield School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Michaela Community School: Knowledge-rich curriculum pioneer often cited as the model for the structured, mastery-driven approach Tanfield has adopted. Comparable on curriculum philosophy and explicit character/skills teaching, though operating in a different (London) market and at a wider national profile.
Direct peers
- Hermitage Academy: Secondary school in Chester-le-Street, County Durham. Comparable state-funded 11–16 provision serving a similar demographic profile and operating under the same local-authority admissions framework.
- St Bede's Catholic School, Lanchester: Named in Tanfield's own data as a leading post-16 destination for former Tanfield students. Comparable 11–18 secondary school serving the same County Durham community and competing for the same feeder primaries.
- Durham Johnston Comprehensive School: Long-established Durham secondary school and a benchmark for academic outcomes in the county. Comparable on curriculum model, GCSE pathway and catchment-based admissions administered by Durham County Council.
- Parkside Academy: Secondary school in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. Comparable state-funded 11–16 provision competing for pupils across the central Durham catchment and sharing the same funding and Ofsted accountability regime.
- Ferryhill School: Fellow member school of Eden Learning Trust, the same multi-academy trust that governs Tanfield. Shares central trust services, governance and improvement methodology, making it the closest internal benchmark.
- North Durham Academy: State-funded secondary school in the same Stanley / County Durham catchment, competing for the same Year 7 intake from the local primary feeder network. Operates as a comparable 11–16 secondary under a similar funding and admissions regime.
- Consett Academy: Secondary school in nearby Consett serving an overlapping County Durham demographic. Comparable state-funded 11–16 provision competing for similar pupil cohorts and feeding into the same post-16 destinations.
- Shotton Hall Academy: Secondary school in Peterlee, County Durham serving a similar mixed-affluence community. Directly comparable on size, funding model, and Gatsby careers provision.
- Sedgefield Community College: Secondary school in Sedgefield, County Durham — another Eden Learning Trust member serving a similar mixed-affluence community. Comparable on trust governance, curriculum structure and funding model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tanfield School social profiles
Digital presenceTanfield School compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Tanfield School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tanfield School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Tanfield School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tanfield School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tanfield School
What does Tanfield School do?
Tanfield School delivers state-funded secondary education for students aged 11-16 across Years 7-11 in County Durham. It offers a knowledge-rich Key Stage 3 and 4 curriculum leading to GCSE qualifications, a timetabled co-curricular programme covering physical, skills and volunteering cycles (aligned with Duke of Edinburgh), structured careers education following the Gatsby Benchmarks, and wrap-around services including school catering and uniform provision.
Is Tanfield School a public or private company?
Tanfield School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Tanfield School founded?
Tanfield School was founded in 1912. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tanfield School based?
Tanfield School is headquartered in Stanley, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Tanfield School make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Education Funding is the primary driver. The others are pupil Premium Grant, catering Services and uniform Sales.
Who are Tanfield School's main competitors?
Michaela Community School is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Hermitage Academy, St Bede's Catholic School, Lanchester, Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, Parkside Academy, Ferryhill School, North Durham Academy, Consett Academy, Shotton Hall Academy and Sedgefield Community College.
Does Tanfield School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tanfield School.
What industry is Tanfield School in?
Tanfield School's product category is Secondary Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAAAC, Public Middle Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.