Winchcombe School

What Winchcombe School does

Winchcombe School is a state-funded secondary academy located in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, England, serving students in Years 7 to 11 (ages 11 to 16). Founded in 1962, the school operates under an Academy Funding Agreement with the UK Department for Education and is part of The Balcarras Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust formed on 1 December 2020 that comprises three schools: Balcarras, The High School Leckhampton, and Winchcombe. The school delivers a broad curriculum covering 17 GCSE subjects alongside pastoral care, dedicated Heads of Year for each year group, safeguarding, SEND provision through the Individual Learning Department, careers education, and character development through its ASPIRES values framework (Attitude, Stewardship, Pride, Integrity, Resilience, Enjoyment, Success). It holds a current Ofsted Good rating and operates with a Local Governing Body under the Trust's Scheme of Delegated Authority.

The school's technology stack consists of standard UK EdTech systems: BromCom for student information management and assessment tracking, MCAS (My Child At School) for parent communications and attendance reporting, Wonde for real-time attendance data integration, SharePoint for internal staff operations, and Unifrog for work experience coordination. Community-facing channels include the school website, Instagram (@winchcombeschool), email, and in-person events such as open evenings, Year 5 taster days, Year 6 induction days, and parents' evenings. Partnerships extend the school's reach into mental health support (Young Minds Matter, Let's Talk Well), careers guidance (Careers and Enterprise Company), safeguarding (Gloucestershire County Council Graduated Pathway), and international exposure (Collège du Bois d'Orceau in Normandy).

Revenue derives primarily from per-pupil funding via the DfE Academy Funding Agreement, supplemented by Pupil Premium grants for disadvantaged students and transactional income from community lets of the school's Sports Centre, Auditorium, Main School Hall, and grounds (booked via Schoolhire.co.uk). Education is provided free at the point of use. The school has 38 employees listed in firmographic data, representing a modest core team supported by Trust-level shared services.

Name

Winchcombe School

Legal name

Winchcombe School

Website

https://winchcombeschool.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Winchcombe School is a state-funded secondary academy in Gloucestershire, England, serving students aged 11-16 in Years 7-11. Part of The Balcarras Trust, it delivers GCSE curricula, SEND support, careers guidance, and pastoral services free at the point of use.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Winchcombe

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Academy Funding Agreement: State-funded secondary education through Academy Funding Agreement with the Department for Education. Winchcombe School is an academy trust company limited by guarantee (registered Company Number 7606409) and part of The Balcarras Trust.
2. Premises Lettings: Community hire of school facilities including Sports Centre (badminton, basketball, cricket nets, five-a-side football, hockey, netball, table tennis, tennis, volleyball), Auditorium (100-150 seated guests), Main School Hall, and substantial grounds. Hirers must hold public liability insurance cover of £5,000,000. School holds Premises Licence from 9am to 11pm every day.
3. Pupil Premium Funding: Additional government funding specifically focused on addressing inequalities between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. Used for targeted academic support and wider strategies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Winchcombe School provides free state-funded secondary education for students in Years 7 through 11 (ages 11-16), delivering a broad curriculum across 17 GCSE subjects including core academics and options. The school supplements classroom learning with pastoral care, SEND support, safeguarding and wellbeing services, careers education, work experience coordination, and the Duke of Edinburgh award programme, while also offering community hire of its sports and event facilities.

Product overview

Winchcombe School is a secondary academy providing comprehensive education for students in Years 7-11, operating under The Balcarras Trust alongside Balcarras and The High School Leckhampton. The school offers a single integrated educational platform combining its public website with the MCAS (My Child At School) parent portal for communications and attendance management. The core offering includes a broad secondary curriculum spanning 17 GCSE subjects including core academics (English, Mathematics, Science) and specialist options (Computer Science, Business Studies, Media Studies, Languages, Arts, and more), complemented by character development through the ASPIRES values programme. Beyond academics, the school provides integrated support services including Safeguarding and Wellbeing (with ELSA, counselling, Young Minds Matter partnerships), SEND support through the Individual Learning Department, and Careers Education with work experience coordination via Unifrog. Community-facing extensions include sports centre and venue hire facilities available to local groups, plus cost of living support services connecting families with external resources. The school maintains internal systems including BromCom for student data, Wonde for attendance tracking, and SharePoint for staff operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary School Curriculum (Years 7-11) Comprehensive secondary school curriculum covering core subjects (English, Mathematics, Science) and a wide range of GCSE options including Art, Business Studies, Computer Science, Design & Technology, Drama, Geography, History, Hospitality & Catering, Languages, Media Studies, Music, Physical Education, and Religion, Ethics & Philosophy. Designed for students aged 11-16 preparing for GCSE examinations.
• Safeguarding and Wellbeing Services Comprehensive student protection services including a safeguarding team led by a Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy, mental health support, counselling, ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants), and partnerships with external agencies including Young Minds Matter and Let's Talk Well. Provided to all enrolled students.
• Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Support Inclusive education provision including the Individual Learning Department with specialist staff (SENDCo, Deputy SENDCo, Exam Access Co-ordinator, SEND Transitions Co-ordinator, Higher Level Teaching Assistants), exam access arrangements, sensory facilities, and targeted support for cognition, learning, communication, and social-emotional needs. Provided to students with SEND.
• Careers Education and Guidance Careers programme providing 1:1 guidance with Level 7 qualified external professional advisors, Personal Development lessons, and connections with employers and post-16 providers aligned with the Gatsby Benchmarks. Every Year 11 student is offered at least one careers advice appointment.
• Work Experience Programme Year 10 work experience placement programme coordinated through the Unifrog digital platform, enabling students to find, check, record, and evaluate workplace learning experiences.
• Sports Centre and Facilities Hire Community sports facilities available for hire including badminton courts, basketball court, cricket nets, football pitch, hockey, netball, table tennis, and tennis facilities. Available during school holidays, weekends, and after 5:30pm. Bookings via Schoolhire.co.uk.
• Venue and Auditorium Hire Event spaces for community hire including an Auditorium with capacity for 100-150 seated guests, Main School Hall for quizzes and large events, and substantial grounds for outdoor activities. Premises licence from 9am to 11pm daily. Hirers must hold public liability insurance cover of £5,000,000.
• Pupil Premium Support Programme Targeted support for disadvantaged pupils using the EEF tiered approach: high quality teaching, targeted academic support, and wider strategies addressing attendance, behaviour, and social-emotional barriers. Funded by Pupil Premium government allocation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students with 95%+ attendance achieve 1 full grade better per subject (DfE 2022/23)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Balcarras TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Winchcombe School is an academy within The Balcarras Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust formed on 1st December 2020. The Trust comprises three schools: Balcarras, The High School Leckhampton, and Winchcombe School. Each school is committed to delivering outstanding inclusive, comprehensive education. The Trust has assigned local governance responsibilities to the Local Governing Body (LGB) of Winchcombe School, in accordance with the Scheme of Delegated Authority.
• Gloucestershire County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool follows Gloucestershire Graduated Pathway of Early Help and SEND Support, working closely with families to remove barriers. References Glosfamilies Directory for local support services. School participates in Gloucestershire Support Hub for cost of living support including Household Support Fund.
• External Professional Careers AdvisorcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSchool uses services of an external Level 7 qualified, registered Careers Advisor (QCG) to work with students on 1-1 basis for personalized careers advice. Every Year 11 student is offered at least one appointment.
• WondecoreTechnology or IntegrationSchool uses Wonde data for accurate, real-time tracking of student attendance. This enables identification of attendance patterns and early intervention when concerns arise.
• Young Minds Matter (CAMHS Mental Health Support Team)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSchool is a Young Minds Matter School - a CAMHS Mental Health Support Team providing mental health support for children and young people up to 18 years in Gloucestershire schools.
• Let's Talk Well (formerly TIC+)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFree counselling and support service for 9-25 year olds. Parents/carers complete self-referral form to access counselling for their child.
• The Trussel Trust Food BanksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool can issue food vouchers to families in need through the Trussel Trust Food Banks network.
• Collège du Bois d'Orceau, NormandyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPenfriend links with French school in Normandy. Trip planned for Year 8 students to meet their correspondants (penfriends) at school in France.
• GCHQ, Army, National GovernmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKeynote speakers from GCHQ, the army, and national Government have delivered engaging sessions to students on language learning and career opportunities.
• Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational body providing enhanced Careers Leadership training. The school's Careers Lead completed enhanced training with CEC in January 2024.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Balcarras School: Sister school within The Balcarras Trust (formed 1 Dec 2020) serving secondary-age students in Cheltenham/Gloucestershire. Operates under the same MAT governance, Scheme of Delegation, and shared services model as Winchcombe, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• The High School Leckhampton: Third member of The Balcarras Trust, a state-funded secondary school in Leckhampton, Cheltenham. Shares MAT-level governance, employer engagement, and post-16 progression pathways with Winchcombe, making it a structural and operational peer.
• Cleeve School: Co-educational secondary school serving the wider Cheltenham/Gloucestershire catchment that competes directly with Winchcombe for Years 7-11 admissions. Comparable state-funded context, curriculum breadth, and extracurricular offering in the same local market.
• All Saints' Academy: Secondary academy in Cheltenham offering a comparable comprehensive 11-16 education model with GCSE pathways, SEND support, and pastoral structures that directly overlap with Winchcombe's offer. Competes for the same Gloucestershire cohort.
• Churchdown School Academy: Secondary academy near Gloucester serving a similar 11-16 comprehensive intake. Comparable state-funded funding model, curriculum structure, and competition profile within the broader Gloucestershire admissions market.

Regional players

• Pate's Grammar School: Selective grammar school in Cheltenham serving able students across Gloucestershire. Comparable secondary-phase provision and overlapping catchment, though differentiated by selective admissions rather than comprehensive intake.
• Sir Thomas Rich's School: Selective boys' grammar school in Gloucester serving high-attaining secondary-age students in the same county. Comparable regional competitor for high-progress families, though selective rather than comprehensive.

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: Large national Multi-Academy Trust operating dozens of primary and secondary schools across England. Comparable academy-trust operating model, governance, and per-pupil funding mechanics that Winchcombe's MAT structure mirrors at a much smaller scale.
• Ormiston Academies Trust: National Multi-Academy Trust running a portfolio of secondary and primary academies across England. Provides a comparable academy-trust governance and central-services model relevant to evaluating The Balcarras Trust's growth trajectory.

Others

• Gloucestershire County Council (School Admissions & SEND): Local authority that coordinates admissions, SEND transport, and the Gloucestershire Graduated Pathway of Early Help referenced by Winchcombe. Not a competitor but a critical counterparty for funding, admissions, and inclusion pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/winchcombeschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 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 Winchcombe School