The Charter Schools Educational Trust

What The Charter Schools Educational Trust does

The Charter Schools Educational Trust is a multi-academy trust operating nine state-funded schools across the South London boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth, serving approximately 4,500 pupils aged 2 to 18. Founded in 2000, the trust has grown from its original two secondary schools to a portfolio spanning primary, junior, and secondary institutions, alongside a Research School accredited by the Education Endowment Foundation and a Department for Education-designated Teaching School Hub. The trust is led by CEO Cassie Buchanan OBE, a National Leader of Education and former Ofsted Inspector, and operates under a company-limited-by-guarantee structure (Company No. 07338707) registered in England and Wales.

The trust's core educational delivery runs through direct school enrollment via the standard UK admissions process. Beyond school operations, the trust has built proprietary educational products including the Fluency Focus reading programme developed by the London South Research School and trialled across multiple primary schools, a Character Curriculum, and a wellbeing framework adapted from Yale University's RULER approach. It also operates the London South Art Hub online platform, delivers National Professional Qualifications through the Teaching School Hub, runs an Early Career Teacher programme in partnership with University College London, and leads a National Behaviour Hub at Charles Dickens Primary School. The London South Learning Partnership, launched in 2025, extends the trust's CPD reach to schools and organisations across South London.

As a state-funded academy trust, the trust's revenue base is derived from UK Government education funding via the Department for Education per-pupil grants, supplemented by EEF Research School funding, Teaching School Hub programme fees, and minor commercial income. The trust has no external equity investors and no shareholders, consistent with the standard UK academy trust model. Growth has historically occurred through schools joining or merging with the trust, as evidenced by the 2022 merger with Dulwich Hamlet Educational Trust and the October 2024 addition of Loughborough Primary School as the ninth member school.

Name

The Charter Schools Educational Trust

Legal name

The Charter Schools Educational Trust

Website

https://tcset.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Charter Schools Educational Trust is a multi-academy trust operating nine state-funded schools across Southwark and Lambeth in South London, educating around 4,500 pupils aged 2 to 18, with affiliated Teaching School Hub, Research School, and CPD functions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary and Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter School Networks (Multi-Site) (EDAJACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter Special Education & Inclusive Programs (EDAJACAF)

Keywords

• Primary and secondary education
• Multi-academy trust services
• Teacher professional development
• Educational research programmes
• School improvement services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As a multi-academy trust operating state-funded schools, TCSET receives funding from the UK Government (Department for Education) to educate children. This is not a commercial revenue model but rather public education funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Charter Schools Educational Trust operates a network of nine state-funded primary, junior, and secondary schools across Southwark and Lambeth in South London, educating over 4,500 pupils aged 2 to 18. Beyond direct schooling, the Trust delivers research-based educational programmes (such as Fluency Focus), teacher training and professional development (including NPQs and the Early Career Teacher programme with UCL), and school improvement services through its Teaching School Hub and Research School.

Product overview

The Charter Schools Educational Trust operates as a multi-academy trust comprising a network of primary and secondary schools across South London (Southwark and Lambeth). The trust provides education for over 4,500 pupils aged 2 to 18. Its product portfolio includes the London South Art Hub (an online art education platform), Fluency Focus (a reading fluency programme developed by the Research School), National Professional Qualifications through the Teaching School Hub, Early Career Teacher training in partnership with UCL, Behaviour Hub support services, and various publications including The Charter Magazine and Safeguarding newsletters. The trust also operates the Charles Dickens Research School, Early Years Stronger Practice Hub, and London South Learning Partnership for professional development across South London schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• London South Art Hub: An online platform offering art lessons, documentaries, explainers, and lesson plans, led by Charles Dickens Primary School.
• Fluency Focus
• London South Research School
• London South Learning Partnership (LSLP)

Products and services

• The Charter Schools Network (Nine Schools) Network of state-funded primary, junior, and secondary schools across Southwark and Lambeth boroughs in South London, educating over 4,500 pupils aged 2 to 18. Schools include Charter School Bermondsey (opened 2013), Charter School East Dulwich (opened 2016), Charter School North Dulwich, Charles Dickens Primary School, Lyndhurst Primary School, Dulwich Hamlet Junior School, The Belham Primary School, Streatham Wells Primary School, and Loughborough Primary School (joined October 2024).
• Fluency Focus A reading fluency programme developed by the London South Research School supporting the explicit teaching and practice of reading fluency at Key Stage 2. Initially trialled in ten primary schools in the East Midlands and scaled up for a pilot with twenty schools in South London.
• Charles Dickens Research School A Research School accredited by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), one of thirty schools nationally. Supports teachers and school leaders to understand and apply research evidence to improve outcomes for children academically and through creative, social and emotional development.
• National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) Leadership and teaching professional qualifications accredited by the Department for Education, offered through the Teaching School Hub. Includes NPQs in Early Years Leadership, Senior Leadership, Headship, Executive Leadership, Leading Teacher Development, Leading Teaching, Leading Primary Maths, Leading Behaviour and Culture, and Leading Literacy.
• Early Career Teacher Programme Two-year training programme for early career teachers delivered in partnership with University College London (UCL), combining face-to-face workshops, self-directed online learning, and in-school mentoring.
• London South Teaching School Hub A Teaching School Hub providing professional development, school improvement support, and leadership development across the Trust and beyond, including NPQs and the Early Career Teacher programme.
• Early Years Stronger Practice Hub A hub supporting early years practice and professional development for practitioners working with young children.
• Behaviour Hub A National Behaviour Hub programme led by Charles Dickens Primary School, guiding schools through improving behaviour practices. Includes character curriculum and wellbeing curriculum based on Yale's RULER approach and EEF guidance on Social Intelligence.
• London South Art Hub An online platform led by Charles Dickens Primary School offering free access to hundreds of online art lessons, documentaries, explainers, and lesson plans. Available for individual or school-wide subscriptions to inspire creativity and enrich art education.
• London South Learning Partnership (LSLP) A CPD initiative from London South Teaching School Hub bringing together schools and organisations across South London to deliver high-quality, tailored professional development for educators, including training programmes, learning networks, and school improvement support.
• Literacy Toolkit Reading products including Supported Sentences, Fluency Focus in KS2, and Deepening Reading resources for curriculum support.
• Pastoral and Early Help Services Pastoral and early help services for families, working with council departments to help families navigate support services, including support for young parents and early years wrap-around care.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45% of A Level grades were A or A* at Charter North Dulwich 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The Education Endowment Foundation is an independent charity funding the Research School at Charles Dickens Primary School. TCSET's London South Research School is one of 30 schools accredited and funded by EEF. They have collaborated on Fluency Focus reading programme and a new writing research project.
• University College London (UCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCL partnership for delivering the two-year Early Career Teacher training programme with face-to-face workshops, self-directed online learning, and in-school mentoring.
• London South Teaching School HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) and professional development across South London. Offers programmes including NPQ in Early Years Leadership, NPQSL, NPQH, NPQEL.
• London South Learning Partnership (LSLP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA brand-new CPD initiative from London South Teaching School Hub bringing together schools and organisations across South London to deliver high-quality professional development for educators.
• Department for EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment department overseeing free school programme and education policy. TCSET schools participate in free school programme including Charter School East Dulwich and Charter School Bermondsey.
• Southwark CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal authority partnership for school development. Southwark contributed £6.55 million towards ASD resource at Charter East Dulwich and led transformation of historic hospital site.
• Livery Companies (Worshipful Companies of Pewterers, Curriers, Gardeners, Pattenmakers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarious livery companies have supported Charter Bermondsey school, attending official opening ceremony and providing essay prizes.
• Charles Dickens Research SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited Research School based at Charles Dickens Primary School, one of 30 nationally. Supports teachers and school leaders to understand research evidence and use it to inform decision-making.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Greenwood Academies Trust: Mid-sized national MAT with a portfolio of primary and secondary schools. Comparable in MAT operating model and growth-through-acquisition pattern, though operating in different regional markets.
• Haberdashers' Aske's Federation: South London-based MAT with primary and secondary schools across Lewisham and surrounding boroughs. Comparable geographic focus, multi-phase portfolio, and historical Outstanding-rated heritage similar to TCSET's positioning.
• Oasis Community Learning: Nationally operating MAT with a strong community-hub ethos and integrated family support services (matching TCSET's pastoral/early help model). Comparable in mission orientation though at much greater geographic and pupil scale.
• Reach Academy Trust: Small, values-driven South London MAT operating all-through schooling with a strong character and wellbeing focus. Closely mirrors TCSET's community-led, research-informed model at a smaller scale.
• Harris Federation: One of the largest London-based Multi-Academy Trusts operating primary and secondary schools across South and East London. Directly comparable in operating model (state-funded MAT, multi-phase schooling) and South London geographic focus, though at materially larger scale.
• Ark Schools: London-headquartered MAT with a research- and evidence-informed teaching approach, network of primary and secondary academies, and Teaching School hub activity. Highly comparable in pedagogical ethos and urban MAT structure to TCSET.
• Reach2 Academy Trust: National primary-focused MAT that grows through academy conversions. Comparable community-led GTM and primary-school specialisation, with similar operational scale to TCSET's primary portfolio.
• The Kemnal Academies Trust (TKAT): South East England MAT operating a mix of primary and secondary schools with a school-improvement focus. Comparable MAT structure and South/South East geography with similar scale to TCSET.

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: One of the UK's largest MATs spanning state and independent schools nationally. Overlaps with TCSET in MAT structure, Teaching School activity, and professional development, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
• Outwood Grange Academies Trust: Large national MAT focused on school improvement and raising outcomes in underperforming schools. Comparable GTM of acquiring/converting schools, though at much larger operational scale than TCSET.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Charter_Trust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-charter-schools-educational-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries10 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 Charter Schools Educational Trust