The Skipton Academy

What The Skipton Academy does

The Skipton Academy is a state-funded secondary school located in Skipton, North Yorkshire, England, serving approximately 500+ students aged 11–16 (Years 7–11). Founded in 1909, the academy joined Moorlands Learning Trust (MLT) in 2019 as the trust's first partner academy and operates under MLT's multi-academy trust governance structure alongside Ilkley Grammar School and a growing portfolio of primary and secondary schools across West and North Yorkshire. The school delivers a comprehensive Key Stage 3 and 4 curriculum centred on nine GCSEs — a core of Maths, English Language, English Literature, and two Sciences plus four option choices — supplemented by vocational pathways (BTEC Sport, BTEC Health & Social Care, Cambridge Nationals in Engineering Design), careers education aligned with the Gatsby Benchmarks, mental health and wellbeing resources, Duke of Edinburgh, Eco Club, and an RSC Associate School programme for Shakespeare studies.

The academy operates a non-fee-based revenue model funded entirely through UK government per-pupil grants via the Education and Skills Funding Agency, with no tuition charged to students. Ancillary income streams include catering, venue hire, and PTA fundraising. Its digital ecosystem comprises Microsoft 365 for communications, Arbor as the management information system (MIS), ClassCharts for homework tracking, and Showbie for assignment management and remote education, with Google Analytics and YouTube embedded on its public-facing website. The school holds a 'Good' Ofsted rating, an Eco-Schools Green Flag Award (2026), and Computing Quality Framework recognition (2025). Leadership comprises Principal Mark Cook (formerly Deputy Principal, appointed after Richard McManus's transition to MLT Executive Principal), Assistant Principal & Careers Lead Jibran Khalil, and a governance link to former Skipton Building Society CEO David Cutter.

Name

The Skipton Academy

Legal name

The Skipton Academy

Website

https://theskiptonacademy.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Skipton Academy is a UK state-funded secondary school in North Yorkshire serving approximately 500+ students aged 11–16, delivering GCSE-focused education free at point of use as part of Moorlands Learning Trust.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Skipton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Education Funding: UK state-funded secondary school operating under Moorlands Learning Trust. Revenue comes from per-pupil government funding via the Education and Skills Funding Agency. No tuition fees charged to students.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Skipton Academy is a UK state-funded secondary school delivering education to students aged 11-16 (Years 7-11) leading to GCSE qualifications. It provides a comprehensive curriculum across core subjects (English, Mathematics, Science), humanities, languages, arts, technology, and vocational programmes, supplemented by careers guidance, mental health and wellbeing resources, remote education provision, and extracurricular activities including Duke of Edinburgh and Eco Club.

Product overview

The Skipton Academy operates as a secondary school website and digital learning platform within the Moorlands Learning Trust. The primary digital offering consists of the school's website, which serves as an information portal and learning hub. The school provides a comprehensive curriculum across Key Stages 3 and 4, encompassing core subjects (English, Mathematics, Science), humanities, languages, arts, technology, and vocational programmes. The digital ecosystem includes Showbie for assignment management, ClassCharts for homework tracking, and Microsoft 365 for student communications. Supporting services include a careers guidance programme, mental health and wellbeing resources, and remote education provision. The school also offers Extra Curricular Activities, Duke of Edinburgh programme, Eco Club, and performing arts productions including RSC-linked theatre.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary Education Curriculum (Key Stages 3 and 4) Comprehensive secondary school curriculum covering Key Stages 3 and 4 across core subjects (English, Mathematics, Science), humanities (Geography, History, Religious Education), languages (French/Spanish), arts (Art, Music, Performing Arts), technology (Computing, Design Technology, Food and Nutrition), and vocational options (GCSE Business Studies, Cambridge Nationals in Engineering Design, BTEC Health & Social Care, BTEC Sport). Most students take nine GCSEs including the CORE curriculum of Maths, English Language, English Literature and two Sciences plus four option choices.
• Careers and Guidance Programme Comprehensive careers education, information, advice, and guidance (CEIAG) programme supporting students from Year 7 to Year 13. Includes careers advice, labour market information, destination data, alumni network, and connections with further education providers and employers, including an Enterprise Advisor from TSYS.
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources Digital wellbeing support hub offering resources for students including virtual culture experiences, reading activities, skill-building challenges, music resources, physical activity guidance, craft tutorials, academic support tools, and mindfulness content to support student mental health and emotional wellbeing.
• Remote Education Provision Distance learning support system providing academic resources, technical support tutorials, and self-study materials for students requiring remote learning, including access to Showbie for assignments, Microsoft Teams for communication, and links to revision platforms like BBC Bitesize and GCSE POD.
• Extracurricular Activities Programme Extracurricular enrichment programme including Duke of Edinburgh Award, Eco Club (with Green Flag Award), performing arts productions linked to RSC Associate School status, and sports activities, supported by partnerships with North Yorkshire Music Service for peripatetic instrumental lessons and Yorkshire Sport Foundation for the #thisisPE programme.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Moorlands Learning TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The Skipton Academy joined Moorlands Learning Trust in 2019 as their first partner academy. MLT was formed on July 1st 2017 when Ilkley Grammar School converted to MAT status. The trust now includes multiple primary and secondary schools across West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire.
• Ilkley Grammar SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding school of Moorlands Learning Trust and partner academy within the MAT. The Executive Principal of The Skipton Academy reports to MLT with Ilkley Grammar School as the founding institution.
• North Yorkshire Music ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing peripatetic instrumental lessons for students, enabling one-to-one and small group instrumental provision by instrumental experts.
• Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Skipton Academy is an RSC Associate School. Shakespeare is studied in each year group through practical classroom approaches. Students participate in RSC Next Generation, RSC First Encounters, and RSC Playmaking Festival programs.
• Yorkshire Sport FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for #thisisPE programme providing engaging videos to help students keep fit and improve PE skills, aligned with national physical education initiatives.
• Craven CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal further education college partner for Post-16 transitions. Students have participated in competitions at the college, including the Rotary Young Chef Competition.
• Askham Bryan CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFurther education provider invited to school to inform students about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships as part of the Baker Clause compliance.
• Keighley CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFurther education college providing Post-16 pathways and apprenticeship information to students.
• University of BradfordminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHigher education provider invited to school to present university options to students as part of careers programme.
• Newcastle UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHigher education provider participating in school careers events and providing information about university pathways.
• TSYSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnterprise partner providing Tobias Neale as Enterprise Advisor to the school. Tobias is Senior Director for Client Service Management at TSYS, bringing industry experience to support student career development.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Skipton Girls' High School: Selective girls' grammar school located in Skipton, serving the same local catchment as The Skipton Academy. It is a direct competitor for admissions and for higher-attaining pupils in the area.
• Nidderdale High School: Secondary school within Moorlands Learning Trust (joined 2023/24), making it a direct trust peer for shared services, curriculum, and governance benchmarking alongside The Skipton Academy.
• Ermysted's Grammar School: Selective state-funded boys' grammar school located in Skipton, competing for the same local pupil catchment as The Skipton Academy. It is the most direct local competitive peer for high-attaining pupils and parental choice.
• Ilkley Grammar School: Founding school of Moorlands Learning Trust and the Skipton Academy's direct trust partner. It is a UK state secondary school operating in the same MAT, governed by the same Executive Principal, and offers the most direct comparison for operational model, curriculum, and performance benchmarking.
• Benton Park School: First Leeds-based secondary to join Moorlands Learning Trust in 2025. As a fellow MLT secondary, it is a direct peer for trust-wide curriculum, performance, and resource-allocation comparisons.
• South Craven School: Large co-educational secondary school in the neighbouring South Craven area, serving overlapping communities. It is the most direct non-MLT local comprehensive peer and a useful alternative for parents in the wider Skipton catchment.

Regional players

• Ripon Grammar School: Selective grammar school in North Yorkshire, outside the Skipton catchment. Relevant as a regional selective competitor and benchmark for North Yorkshire grammar-school performance metrics.
• Tadcaster Grammar School: Secondary school in North Yorkshire of broadly comparable size and intake profile. Useful as a North Yorkshire regional peer for performance and curriculum benchmarking.
• Settle College: Secondary school in the nearby North Yorkshire market town of Settle. It is a regional peer serving a similar rural/semi-rural North Yorkshire community with comparable scale and demographic profile.

Others

• Ashlands Primary School: Primary school within Moorlands Learning Trust and a key feeder into The Skipton Academy. Most relevant as a pipeline/source peer influencing the secondary's transition and enrolment dynamics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/skipton_academy
• Facebookfacebook.com/SkiptonAcademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/skiptonacademy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Skipton Academy