The Edge Academy

Name

The Edge Academy

Legal name

The Edge Academy

Website

https://theedgeacademy.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Schools & Life Skills Programs (EDAKAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Transition-to-College/Independence Skills Tutoring for Learning Differences (EDANAFAJ)

Keywords

• Alternative provision
• Behavioral support education
• School referral services
• Key stage education
• Pastoral support school

Headquarters

HQ city

Northfield, Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public funding for commissioned pupil places: As a publicly funded alternative provision academy, The Edge Academy receives government funding for each commissioned pupil place from mainstream schools. Revenue is generated through pupil-led funding from local authorities and commissioning schools for dual-registered students.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Edge Academy is an Alternative Provision school in Northfield, Birmingham, providing full-time educational placements for Key Stage 3 and 4 students (Years 7–11) referred from mainstream schools due to social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties (SEBD). It operates as part of A Plato Trust, founded in 2018, and delivers a combined academic and behavioral support curriculum to referred pupils in a small-scale setting of 14 employees.

Product overview

The Edge Academy is an Alternative Provision school in Birmingham offering a unified portfolio of educational programmes and support services for Key Stage 3 and 4 students at risk of or permanently excluded from mainstream education. The core offering consists of the CONNECT Programme (a one-term behaviour-focused nurture package for Years 8-9) and Key Stage 4 Provision (medium and long-term placement for Years 10-11). These are complemented by Solid Skills Learning, a vocational construction training partnership providing tasters in bricklaying, carpentry, plastering, and rendering; the STEM on Track enrichment programme where students build racing karts; and a comprehensive SEND support service. The school also provides a careers programme aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks, life skills curriculum, RSHE delivery, and safeguarding support. All students receive free meals and refreshments as part of the Edge Pledge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CONNECT Programme: A one-term behaviour-focused nurture programme for Year 8 and Year 9 students with blended academic support, emphasizing therapeutic principles for social and emotional development.
• Solid Skills Learning Partnership

Products and services

• Alternative Provision Placement (Key Stage 3 and 4) Full-time alternative provision school placement for Key Stage 3 and 4 students (Years 7–11) referred from mainstream schools due to social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties (SEBD). Delivered at a single site in Northfield, Birmingham, under A Plato Trust, combining academic teaching with individualized behavioral and pastoral support. Purchasers are mainstream schools and local authorities commissioning places.

Quantifiable outcome

• Good Ofsted rating across all categories (Leadership and Management, Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• STEM on TrackcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025STEM on Track is a national challenge for KS3 and KS4 students where young people build racing karts, learn STEM theory, and race against other schools. The Edge Academy became a partner school in 2025. Students assemble karts, complete STEM progress booklets, and participate in National Race Series at Whilton Mill Circuit.
• Solid Skills LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership with Solid Skills Learning, a vocational alternative training provider specializing in construction. Providers have operated informally for nearly 10 years before formalizing. Solid Skills has relocated from Longbridge to share facilities within The Edge Academy building. Offers vocational training in bricklaying, carpentry, plastering, and rendering. Expands opportunities for Edge students to gain vocational qualifications while allowing local schools to refer students directly to Solid Skills.
• Birmingham Careers ServicecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndependent careers adviser from Birmingham Careers Service provides careers guidance to students. Partnership supports the Gatsby Benchmarks delivery and provides one-to-one careers guidance throughout Key Stage 4.
• Skills Builder PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Edge Academy is a partner school with Skills Builder Partnership. The curriculum integrates the Skills Builder Essential Skills framework across eight essential skills. Students work on upskilling across these skills through the CONNECT programme and broader curriculum delivery.
• Careers and Enterprise CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for careers education resources and support, aligned with Gatsby Benchmarks for good career guidance.
• When the Adults ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBehaviour training and development programme founded by Paul Dix. The Edge Academy is the first alternative provision school in the UK to achieve Partner School status. Training is based on trauma-educated, attachment-aware, and nurture-driven approaches to behavior management.
• Birmingham Education PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal education partnership supporting school improvement and collaboration across Birmingham schools.
• REACH AP SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with REACH AP School for mutual support and collaboration in alternative provision.
• Aspire AP SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Aspire AP School for mutual support and collaboration in alternative provision.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Catch22: National charity that directly runs a network of alternative provision schools and pupil referral units across the UK, operating under a similar referral/commissioning model for students at risk of exclusion. Directly comparable on AP service design, commissioning-school relationships, and trauma-informed practice.
• Nacro: Charity delivering alternative provision and education services for disengaged and at-risk young people across the UK. Directly comparable on AP service design and re-engagement outcomes for KS3/4 students.
• Aspire AP School (referenced partner): Named in The Edge Academy's partnership network as an alternative provision school in the Midlands serving a similar SEND/SEMH cohort. Likely directly comparable on commissioning-led admissions and AP curriculum design; primary website not separately confirmed.
• REACH AP School (referenced partner): Named in The Edge Academy's partnership network as an AP school collaborating on mutual support in the region. Comparable on referral-led AP delivery, SEND/SEMH specialism, and Midlands regional footprint; primary website not separately confirmed.

Broad incumbents

• Witherslack Group: Operates a portfolio of specialist independent schools and AP settings for children with SEMH and SEND needs across England. Comparable on target cohort (SEMH/SEND) and outcome-driven model, but larger scale and broader residential/independent offer than Edge's single-site AP academy.
• Outcomes First Group: Runs specialist schools, AP, and residential services for SEND and SEMH pupils across the UK. Comparable on alternative provision and SEMH specialism, but operates at significantly greater scale and across multiple modalities (residential, fostering, education).
• Acorn Care and Education: Provides specialist education including alternative provision and SEMH-focused schools across the UK. Comparable cohort and commissioning-led model, but typically larger and multi-site relative to Edge's single-site AP academy.
• Priory Education Services: Operates specialist education services including AP and SEMH schools for local authorities and commissioning schools. Comparable on referral-led admissions and SEND/SEMH cohort, with a much wider portfolio of education and care services.
• Caldecott Foundation: Provides specialist education and residential provision for children with SEMH and complex needs. Comparable on cohort and trauma-informed ethos, but more focused on residential and looked-after children than AP-only delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/edgenorthfield
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCecMYPWTNC-DYEbioHbBFvA
• Facebookfacebook.com/edgeacademynorthfield
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-edge-academy-northfield
• Instagraminstagram.com/theedgeacademynorthfield
• TikToktiktok.com/@edgeacademynorthfield

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Edge Academy