SEARCH Education Trust

What SEARCH Education Trust does

SEARCH Education Trust is a UK-based multi-academy trust (MAT) and registered non-profit headquartered in Wood Green, London. Founded in May 2013 as Heartlands Community Trust and rebranded to its current name in July 2021, the Trust operates a small network of academies: Heartlands High School (secondary education, opened 2010, academy-converted 2013), The Grove School (a specialist school for children and young people with autism, opened 2018), and The Meadows School (a free school for autistic children with complex needs in Enfield, awarded via the Department for Education free school programme and opening 2025). It also runs a sixth form at Heartlands. The Trust serves secondary-age students in Haringey, autistic learners across a broad age range with both standard and complex needs, and aspiring teachers through multiple training pathways.

The Trust's core "products" are educational services delivered directly through its academies, supported by a teacher training programme that operates across multiple pathways (School Direct Salaried, School Direct Non-Salaried in partnership with Compton School, Teach First, PGCE via UCL and Middlesex University, and an Apprenticeship Route) and continuing professional development offerings (Discovery Days, CPD sessions in pastoral support, codifying teaching, incremental coaching, and literacy). Supporting technology includes a content-led website (searcheducationtrust.com), an active Twitter channel (@SearchEduTrust), job postings via TES Jobs, MyNewTerm and LinkedIn, and GovernorHub for governance. No proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capability is disclosed.

The Trust's revenue model is predominantly government-funded: Department for Education per-pupil grants flow to each academy, with a small annual central services charge levied on each school to cover shared HR, Finance, Governance, Operations, Catering and Facilities Management. A secondary revenue stream comes from teacher training, including Department for Education salary grants of up to £28,000 under the School Direct Salaried Route. The Trust also generates income by recruiting additional schools to join the MAT from within Haringey, neighbouring local authorities, or a roughly 60-90 minute geographic reach, providing onboarding support (asset transfer, TUPE consultation, financial modelling, and regulatory compliance). Customer segments include secondary school students in Haringey, children with autism (primary and complex needs), and schools seeking MAT partnership. Pricing for core educational provision is determined by government funding formulas rather than market-based pricing and is not publicly disclosed.

Name

SEARCH Education Trust

Legal name

SEARCH Education Trust

Website

https://searcheducationtrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SEARCH Education Trust is a UK multi-academy trust operating secondary and specialist autism schools in Haringey, London. It provides teacher training, professional development, and central services to schools joining its network, with a third school opening in 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Academy Trust Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs & Learning Differences Private Schools (EDAJABAH)

Keywords

• Multi-academy trust
• Special education
• Teacher training
• Autism education
• School improvement

Headquarters

HQ city

Wood Green

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Academy Funding: Core revenue comes from Department for Education funding allocated to academies within the MAT. Schools receive per-pupil funding based on pupil numbers.
2. Central Services Charges: Each academy incurs a small funding charge per year that covers SEARCH central services costs including HR, Finance, Governance, Operations, Catering and Facilities Management.
3. Teacher Training Programs: Revenue from teacher training pathways including School Direct Salaried Route where schools may benefit from salary grants of up to £28,000 from the Department for Education.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SEARCH Education Trust is a multi-academy trust that operates a network of schools — Heartlands High School (secondary) and The Grove School (specialist autism school) — and delivers initial teacher training programmes alongside Discovery Days and CPD for educators. It grows by recruiting schools to join the trust, providing onboarding (asset transfer, TUPE, financial modelling, regulatory compliance) and shared central services (HR, Finance, Governance, Operations, Catering, Facilities Management).

Product overview

SEARCH Education Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) that operates a network of schools providing inclusive education. The Trust operates three educational services: Heartlands High School (secondary school), The Grove School (special school for autism), and the newly announced The Meadows School. Additionally, the Trust offers a Teacher Training Program with multiple pathways (School Direct, Teach First, PGCE, Apprenticeship) and professional development opportunities through Discovery Days and CPD sessions. The schools work collaboratively within the Trust framework, sharing expertise in teaching, learning, and curriculum while maintaining individual ethos and identity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heartlands High School Secondary school in Wood Green, Haringey, opened in 2010 as part of the 'Building Schools for the Future' initiative and converted to academy status in 2013 when the Trust was established. Provides secondary education for ages 11-18 with a strong ethos of aspiration focused on educational excellence through shared values and traditions.
• The Grove School Specialist school for children and young people with autism, opened in 2018 following refurbishment of a Victorian building. Provides education from early years through to sixth form, leads the wider system by sharing innovation and best practice in autism education.
• Teacher Training Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% stakeholder support for Heartlands Sixth Form opening
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Compton School (SCITT Provider)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Compton School for School Direct Non-Salaried Route teacher training program. Trainees apply directly to the partnership and are placed in a partner school within the network.
• UCL (University College London)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for PGCE route enabling trainees to gain QTS while studying at university and completing placements in two separate schools.
• Middlesex UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for PGCE route enabling trainees to gain QTS while studying at university and completing placements in two separate schools.
• Teach FirstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious program for high-potential graduates providing immediate classroom experience, leadership development, and a salary while trainees make a real impact in education.
• Department for EducationcoreOthersDFE provides salary grants of up to £28,000 for School Direct Salaried Route. The Meadows School was awarded through DfE free school programme. Trust applies to Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) for sixth form funding.
• Haringey Local AuthoritycoreOthersHaringey Council is a key partner providing support and demand recognition for The Grove School. The council responded to consultation on Grove admission increase and acknowledged need for extra sixth form places due to pupil bulge.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ark (Absolute Return for Kids): Large UK MAT running a network of academies including specialist provision, with a central model for school improvement and teacher training. Closely comparable governance and operating structure to SEARCH.
• Harris Federation: One of the largest UK multi-academy trusts, operating primary, secondary and special schools across London and the South East. Directly comparable to SEARCH as a London-anchored MAT recruiting and converting schools using a central services model.
• Oasis Community Learning: National UK MAT running academies across primary, secondary and special phases. Comparable as a multi-phase trust growing via school conversion with a values-driven identity.
• REAch2 Academy Trust: UK primary-focused MAT that has scaled rapidly through school conversion, comparable to SEARCH in GTM motion (targeting schools for MAT onboarding) though concentrated in primary phase.
• Ambitious about Autism: National charity running specialist schools and colleges for autistic pupils. Closest direct peer for The Grove / The Meadows on the specialist autism education proposition, though operating as a charity rather than a MAT.
• LEO Academy Trust: Smaller Surrey-based MAT running multiple primary schools using a school-to-school support model. Closely comparable in scale and 'by schools for schools' philosophy to SEARCH.

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: One of the largest UK MATs, operating state and independent schools nationwide with extensive teacher training programmes. Wider portfolio than SEARCH but same MAT/central services model.
• Outwood Grange Academies Trust: Large multi-academy trust running secondary and primary schools with a centralised school improvement approach. Relevant comparable on MAT growth and centralisation thesis.
• Academies Enterprise Trust (AET): Large UK MAT with primary, secondary and special academies and significant central services infrastructure. Comparable in operating model but materially larger scale.

Emerging players

• National Autistic Society Schools: Runs specialist NAS-accredited schools for autistic pupils and the accreditation framework The Grove holds. Comparable as a specialist education provider / accreditation body in the same autism education category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SearchEduTrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/search-education-trust

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries3 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 SEARCH Education Trust