Wolgarston High School

What Wolgarston High School does

Wolgarston High School is a state-funded secondary academy located in Penkridge, Staffordshire, England, serving students from Year 9 through Year 13 (Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, and Sixth Form). It is a founding member of Penk Valley Academy Trust, a multi-academy trust registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (company number 11124272), alongside five partner schools (three first schools, one middle school, and one CE first school) that collectively form a three-tier vertical pipeline from Year 1 to Year 13. The school delivers a full secondary curriculum under Professor John Hattie's Visible Learning framework, including 20+ GCSE/BTEC subjects at Key Stage 4 and a broad A-Level/BTEC programme at Sixth Form, supplemented by an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and The Elephant Group university-access programme targeting Oxbridge, Durham, King's College London, Exeter, Sheffield, and UAL destinations.

The school's technology infrastructure consists of standard educational platforms: ClassCharts for behaviour and attendance tracking (with parent-facing iOS/Android apps), CPOMS for safeguarding case management, Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for learning delivery, and Grofar for work-experience placement administration. The website is built by Juniper Education/e4education. Academic outcomes are strong: ranked top-performing school in Staffordshire for A-Level results in 2023 (DfE), top 10% nationally for GCSE progress, with 58.2% of students achieving AAB at A-Level and 76% achieving grade 4+ in English and Maths GCSE in 2025.

The school operates as a non-profit state academy funded primarily through Education and Skills Funding Agency per-pupil allocations, supplemented by Pupil Premium and small ancillary income streams (Before/After School Club, enrichment activities). Student recruitment is catchment-based via Staffordshire County Council's coordinated admissions for Year 9, with direct Sixth Form applications accepted through the school. The GTM motion is direct-to-consumer via Open Evenings, the school website, ClassCharts parent communication, social media (X/Twitter @WolgarstonSA), and feeder-school networks (Penkridge Middle School, Brewood). Customers are students and families in the Penkridge/Staffordshire catchment; there is no tuition charge for state-funded pupils.

Name

Wolgarston High School

Legal name

Penk Valley Academy Trust

Website

https://wolgarston.staffs.sch.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wolgarston High School is a state-funded secondary academy in Penkridge, Staffordshire, serving Year 9 through Sixth Form students with Visible Learning pedagogy and consistently top-ranked A-Level results in Staffordshire. It is a founding member of Penk Valley Academy Trust.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Penkridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government School Funding (Academy Funding): As an academy school within Penk Valley Academy Trust, Wolgarston receives funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) based on per-pupil allocation from the national funding formula. Funding is determined by pupil census data and covers educational operations. Additional funding streams include Pupil Premium for eligible students (based on Free School Meals eligibility, Ever 6, Looked After Children, and Armed Forces children).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wolgarston High School is a state-funded secondary school in Penkridge, Staffordshire, delivering a three-year Key Stage 3 curriculum (Year 9), GCSE and BTEC options at Key Stage 4, and A-Level and BTEC provision in its Sixth Form. Operating within Penk Valley Academy Trust and following Professor John Hattie's Visible Learning methodology, the school offers enrichment, the Extended Project Qualification, comprehensive careers education via employer and university partnerships, safeguarding and mental health services, and access to The Elephant Group university pathway programme.

Product overview

Wolgarston High School is a secondary school in Penkridge, Staffordshire, operating as part of Penk Valley Academy Trust. The school's educational offering consists of a three-year Key Stage 3 curriculum (Year 9), GCSE and BTEC options at Key Stage 4, and A-Level and BTEC provision in the Sixth Form. The curriculum is underpinned by Professor John Hattie's Visible Learning methodology. Beyond core academic programmes, the school offers enrichment activities, the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), comprehensive careers education through employer partnerships and work experience, and membership in The Elephant Group for university access. Supporting services include safeguarding, mental health provision, and student welfare programmes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Key Stage 3 Curriculum (Year 9)
• GCSE and BTEC Options (Key Stage 4)
• Sixth Form (A-Level and BTEC)
• Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
• Enrichment and Clubs Programme
• Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG)
• The Elephant Group Programme
• Safeguarding and Student Welfare Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 58.2% of students achieved AAB at A-Level (2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• G F Tomlinson Building LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Midlands-based building company delivering annual enterprise day for Year 9 students since 2021, including virtual site tours, design challenges, and interactive sessions with managers. Students design dining areas, budget materials, build 3D models and present to a panel of senior designers, engineers and managers. G F Tomlinson also delivers Uniformed Services presentations.
• Penk Valley Academy TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWolgarston High School is a founding member of Penk Valley Academy Trust, a multi-academy trust established with four partner schools. The trust provides shared governance, policies, financial oversight, and strategic direction while Wolgarston maintains its operational autonomy and academic leadership. The trust supports schools across the Penk Valley area in Staffordshire.
• Hands at Work in AfricaminorOthersInternational charity based in South Africa working across eight countries, operating only in communities where no other charities are involved. Hands at Work runs Care Points providing Food Security, Education and Health services to orphaned and vulnerable children. Wolgarston students visit South Africa annually to support the Mafambisa Care Point community.
• Link for Life ProjectminorOthersStaffordshire-based charity supporting orphaned and vulnerable children in South African communities through the Hands at Work partner charity. Wolgarston has maintained a long-standing partnership with Link for Life, conducting fundraising activities and community visits since 2015 with six completed visits to the Mafambisa community in Mpumalanga province.
• PSR SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction industry recruitment company providing enterprise advisor Mr Abdul Mozzamdar to Wolgarston. PSR Solutions supports careers education through apprenticeships expertise, marketing presentations, and employer encounter events. PSR has been supporting school careers events since 2021 with Training Manager Tracey Androlia and Marketing Manager Luke Hough participating in school presentations.
• Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Careers HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Careers Hub within Staffordshire County Council's Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Directorate to ensure careers provision aligns with DfE statutory guidance. Careers Consultant Andrew Stephan meets termly with the school's Careers Team to assess progress against Gatsby Benchmarks and evaluate impact using Future Skills Questionnaires and Compass activity logs.
• The Careers & Enterprise CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational careers and enterprise organisation supporting schools and colleges to deliver effective careers education. Wolgarston works with The Careers & Enterprise Company through the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Careers Hub partnership, using Compass online self-evaluation tool to monitor provision against Gatsby Benchmarks.
• The Elephant GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational organisation committed to ensuring state school sixth formers access top university destinations. Despite 93% of UK population being educated in non-selective state schools, only 20% progress to top-third universities compared to 60% from private schools. The Elephant Group addresses this social mobility gap through fully-funded university experience days at destinations including Durham, Cambridge, Oxford, King's College London, Sheffield, UAL, and Exeter.
• Stafford College (NSCG)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal college partner providing presentations on apprenticeships, college courses, and regular bulletins on apprenticeship opportunities. Supports students exploring post-16 pathways beyond Sixth Form through education provider presentations.
• Keele UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal university maintaining good links with Wolgarston, providing presentation support, masterclasses access, and university pathway guidance for students. Supports the Elephant Group university experience programme.
• Speakers For SchoolsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCharitable organisation providing free online careers talks and virtual presentations from employers and industry professionals. Wolgarston uses the Speakers For Schools Virtual programme to deliver careers presentations linked to specific employment areas, subjects, and student interests.
• Malachi (Family Support Service)minorOthersTier 2 Family Support service commissioned in Staffordshire providing emotional and practical support to families. Wolgarston can refer families to Malachi, or families can self-refer for support. Malachi provides targeted intervention for families facing challenges that may affect student attendance and outcomes.
• GrofarcoreTechnology or IntegrationDfE-supported work placement software used by Wolgarston to administer student work experience applications, manage health and safety documentation, facilitate communication with businesses offering placements, and collect feedback. Used for Year 10 and Year 12 work experience placements.
• Jackie Flint - Independent Careers Advisor (JF Career Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLevel 6 qualified Careers Guidance professional serving as independent careers advisor for Wolgarston with extensive experience in local labour market and education providers. Provides one-to-one interviews mainly for Year 11 students, targeted Year 10 sessions, GCSE and A-Level results day support, and Options Evening assistance.
• Operation EncompasscoreOthersPolice and education early information safeguarding partnership enabling schools to receive immediate notification of domestic abuse incidents affecting children. Supports school's duty to safeguard and promote welfare of students experiencing domestic abuse, connecting police information directly to school safeguarding teams.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Harris Federation: One of the largest multi-academy trusts in England, operating numerous high-performing secondary and sixth-form academies including Harris Westminster and Harris Garrard. Comparable as the operator of multiple Wolgarston-equivalent state secondary schools.
• Ark Schools: A major multi-academy trust running a network of state secondary and all-through academies across England, including Ark Burlington Danes and Ark St Albans. Comparable as a portfolio operator of state secondary schools with sixth-form provision.

Direct peers

• St Olave's Grammar School: A selective boys' grammar school in Orpington, Kent, regularly ranked in the UK top 10 for A-Level results. Comparable as a high-performing secondary and sixth form with a strong value-added narrative.
• The Henrietta Barnett School: A non-selective state secondary school in North London consistently ranked among the top state schools in England for GCSE and A-Level results. Comparable as a high-performing, non-selective state school demonstrating exceptional value-added outcomes.
• Queen Mary's Grammar School, Walsall: A selective boys' grammar school in the West Midlands with a long-standing reputation for academic excellence and strong sixth-form outcomes. Comparable as a high-performing secondary and sixth form serving a similar West Midlands feeder base.
• King Edward VI School, Lichfield: A selective grammar school in nearby Lichfield with a strong academic reputation across Staffordshire, attracting a similar demographic of high-attaining students. Directly comparable as a top-performing secondary school in the same regional market.
• Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School: A Catholic voluntary-aided secondary school in Coventry with strong GCSE and A-Level outcomes serving a similar West Midlands demographic. Comparable as a faith/state-aided secondary with strong value-added results.
• Hills Road Sixth Form College: A specialist state-funded sixth form college in Cambridge consistently ranked among England's top post-16 providers for A-Level outcomes. Comparable as a state-funded sixth form with a comparable university-preparation proposition via The Elephant Group.
• Penkridge Middle School: A sister school within the same Penk Valley Academy Trust, feeding Year 9 students directly into Wolgarston. Operates the same Visible Learning pedagogy and serves the same Staffordshire community, making it the most directly comparable organisation.

Regional players

• Stafford Grammar School: An independent co-educational day school in Stafford serving the same regional catchment as Wolgarston. Comparable as a local secondary competitor in the Staffordshire market, though differentiated by its fee-based independent status.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/61554583878420
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wolgarston-high-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Wolgarston High School