The Dublin Academy of Education

What The Dublin Academy of Education does

The Dublin Academy of Education is a privately held Irish supplementary education provider headquartered in Blackrock, Co Dublin. Originally founded in 2016 as Dublin School of Grinds by Chris Lauder, the business operates two integrated lines: a year-round grinds (tutoring) service and a full-time Day School that launched in September 2018. The grinds operation sells subject-specific weekly classes and all-inclusive Grinds+ annual subscription plans covering 1st through 6th Year students across 27 Leaving Cert subjects, with pricing ranging from €699 (1st/4th Year) to €1,599 (6th Year early bird) and 10-month instalment options. Add-on products include Summer Courses, Easter/Christmas/Mid-Term Revision Courses, Extra Subjects, supervised study sessions, and CAO guidance counselling. A separate PME (Professional Master of Education) line targets prospective primary-school teachers.

Service delivery uses a hybrid model: in-person instruction at the A-rated flagship Blackrock campus plus HD live-streamed classes to students anywhere in Ireland through the proprietary DASH (Dublin Academy School Hub) learning management system. DASH hosts live streams, class recordings (100+ hours of on-demand video), study notes, and supplementary materials, and supports flexible in-person/online attendance mixing.

The go-to-market is sales-led via website (dublinacademy.ie) and phone-based inside sales (+353 1 442 4442), supported by organic social (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), email marketing, free content (past papers, study guides), information evenings, and word-of-mouth referrals. Students and parents cite exam-focused teaching from credentialed state-examiner faculty as the core value driver, alongside documented outcomes including an average 23 CAO point increase per subject and select students attaining 625 points in the Leaving Cert. The company reports 100,000+ lifetime students served over 20 years of claimed operation, though no public revenue or financial disclosures are available.

Name

The Dublin Academy of Education

Legal name

The Dublin Academy of Education

Website

https://dublinacademy.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Dublin Academy of Education is a privately held Dublin-based grinds school and full-time secondary day school offering Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle exam preparation via in-person classes at its Blackrock campus and nationwide HD live-stream delivery, serving 100,000+ students over 20 years.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education Tutoring

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Standardized Assessments & Benchmark Exams Prep (State tests, MAP, ISEE/SSAT) (EDANABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Core Curriculum Small-Group Tutoring Centers (Math/ELA/Science/Social Studies) (EDANAHAA), Summer School & Extended-Year Academic Catch-Up (EDANAJAH), Gifted, Advanced & Acceleration Centers (Honors/AP/IB Enrichment) (EDANAHAL)

Keywords

• Secondary school tutoring
• Leaving Cert preparation
• Exam revision courses
• Online grinds classes
• Junior Cycle grinds

Headquarters

HQ city

Blackrock

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grinds+ Subscription Plans: All-inclusive annual subscription plans providing access to weekly grinds, revision courses, study resources, and recordings across multiple subjects for the full academic year (August to June). Students can choose up to 7 subjects from 27 Leaving Cert subjects. Plans offer both pay-in-full and spread-the-cost payment options over 10 monthly instalments.
2. Individual Subject Weekly Grinds: Single subject weekly grinds available for ongoing academic support, with flexible scheduling for in-person or online attendance
3. Summer Courses: Intensive multi-day summer courses (4 classes over 4 days) offered in-person in Blackrock or online via live-stream. Includes comprehensive study notes, recordings, and over nine hours of expert tuition per subject.
4. Revision Courses: Easter, Christmas, Mid-Term, and exam preparation revision courses offered as standalone or bundled packages with Grinds+
5. Extra Subject Courses: Full syllabus coverage courses for students taking additional Leaving Cert subjects outside their regular school curriculum, available for 5th and 6th year students
6. Day School Tuition: Full-time day school program with exam-focused academics, providing comprehensive secondary education

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Dublin Academy of Education provides supplementary grinds (tutoring) classes and a full-time Day School for Irish secondary school students preparing for the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate state examinations. Its flagship Grinds+ product is an all-inclusive subscription plan bundling weekly grinds, revision courses (Summer, August Prep, Christmas, Mid-Term, Easter, May), H1 study notes, recorded classes, and on-demand videos across up to seven subjects from 27 Leaving Cert subjects. The school also sells standalone Summer Courses, Extra Subjects, individual weekly subject grinds, CAO guidance counselling, a Supervised Study Lounge, and PME preparation courses for aspiring primary teachers.

Product overview

The Dublin Academy of Education is a Dublin-based supplementary education provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of exam-focused programmes spanning Junior Cycle, Transition Year, and Leaving Cert preparation. The core offering centres on Grinds+ — an all-inclusive subscription plan providing weekly grinds, revision courses, study notes, class recordings, and on-demand video resources — available across multiple year groups (1st through 6th Year) with subject-specific customisation. Alongside Grinds+, the institution operates a full-time Day School, Summer Courses, Extra Subjects programmes, and CAO Guidance Counselling. The product line covers 27+ Leaving Cert subjects including Maths, English, Irish, French, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Applied Maths, DCG, Business, Music, and others, delivered in-person at the Blackrock campus or via HD live-stream. Individual subject grinds function as modules within the Grinds+ ecosystem, with some also offered as standalone weekly grind programmes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grinds+: All-inclusive grinds plan providing weekly grinds, revision courses, and study resources in one affordable package.
• DASH

Products and services

• Grinds+ Subscription Plans All-inclusive annual subscription plans providing access to weekly grinds, revision courses, study resources, and recordings across multiple subjects for the full academic year (August to June). Students choose up to 7 subjects from 27 Leaving Cert subjects with both pay-in-full and 10-month instalment options. Separate year-group packages exist for 1st Year (€699), 2nd Year, 3rd Year Junior Cycle (€899), 4th Year Maths (€699), 5th Year, and 6th Year (€1,399 early bird).
• Day School Full-time day school providing exam-focused academics for Leaving Cert preparation at the Blackrock campus, with the goal of building confidence and maximising student results through structured secondary education.
• Summer Courses Intensive summer courses consisting of 4 classes over 4 days, offered in-person at the Blackrock campus or online via HD live-stream. Includes comprehensive H1 study notes, class recordings, and over nine hours of expert tuition per subject.
• Easter Revision Courses Intensive Easter revision courses for exam preparation offered as standalone packages or bundled with Grinds+ plans. Recordings are made available until the summer examinations.
• Christmas Revision Courses Christmas revision courses for exam preparation during the holiday period, included in Grinds+ plans and offered as standalone packages.
• Extra Subjects Full syllabus coverage courses for 5th and 6th Year students taking additional Leaving Cert subjects outside their regular school curriculum. Available subjects include Ag Science, Economics, Music, Applied Maths, Accounting, DCG, Physical Education, and Business, including required projects and portfolios.
• Supervised Study Lounge Supervised study facility located in Blackrock, available to grinds students five days per week, providing a structured environment for independent study outside class hours.
• CAO & Guidance Counselling Career guidance counselling service led by Kay Lynch providing support with CAO applications, college course selection, scholarships, and career pathways for Leaving Cert students and their families.
• PME Courses Professional Master of Education preparation courses including Irish for Primary School Teaching, Hibernia Online Prep Course, and TEG Oral Prep Course for aspiring primary school teachers.
• Weekly Subject Grinds Individual subject weekly grinds offered as standalone recurring programmes across Maths, English, Irish, French, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Applied Maths, DCG, Business, Music, and other Leaving Cert subjects. Available in-person or via live-stream with flexible scheduling for ongoing academic support.

Quantifiable outcome

• On average, students see a 23 CAO point increase per subject
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ZestLifeminorOthersZestLife is a counselling partner referred to students and parents/guardians at The Dublin Academy of Education when counselling services are requested or may be required. This is part of the school's student welfare support services.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Studyclix: Irish online study and revision platform with past papers, marking schemes, and topic-by-topic practice for Junior and Leaving Cert. Comparable to The Academy's DASH learning portal and study-notes offering, focused on the same Irish exam cycle.
• ACE Tuition: Irish grinds and tuition provider covering Junior and Leaving Cert subjects with in-person and online classes. Directly competes with The Academy for the same exam-focused supplemental tutoring market in Ireland.
• The Academy (Dublin): Dublin-based grinds school offering Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle preparation with in-person and online classes. A near-direct competitor to The Dublin Academy of Education in the same city and exam-prep category.
• The Institute of Education (IOE): Dublin-based grinds school and Leaving Cert college offering supplemental classes, revision courses, and a full-time day school. Directly comparable to The Dublin Academy of Education in core offering, target market, and Irish state exam focus.

Regional players

• Kilkenny Tutorial School: Regional Irish grinds school covering Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle subjects with in-person and online delivery. Comparable in subject breadth and exam-focused positioning, but primarily serves the south-east region rather than Dublin.

Broad incumbents

• GoStudent: European online tutoring platform offering subscription-based one-to-one lessons across subjects and levels. Comparable subscription model and online delivery to Grinds+, but operates at broader European scale rather than Irish exam specialism.
• Tutorful: UK-based online tutoring marketplace offering one-to-one tutors across academic subjects including exam preparation. Comparable in online delivery model and supplemental tutoring positioning, but broader and UK-centric rather than focused on Irish state exams.
• The Princeton Review: Established US test preparation company offering standardised-exam prep courses, tutoring, and study materials. Comparable in the exam-prep subscription category and proven-results positioning, though operating in a different geography and exam system.

Emerging players

• ExamCraft: Irish publisher of Leaving Cert revision notes, workbooks, and exam-prep materials. Comparable content library to The Academy's H1 notes and serves the same student base, but operates as a publisher rather than a teaching provider.
• Hatch Tuition: Irish online tutoring platform matching students with vetted Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle tutors. Overlaps with The Academy on subject coverage and online delivery but uses a marketplace model rather than employed teachers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dublinacademy_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYX8SwIoZ7Mjizw1_eQ6kUA
• Facebookfacebook.com/dublinacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/dublinacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-dublin-academy-of-education

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 Dublin Academy of Education