Bolingbroke Academy

What Bolingbroke Academy does

Ark Bolingbroke Academy is a non-selective state-funded secondary school and sixth form located in a refurbished Grade 2 listed former hospital building on Wakehurst Road in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Established in 2012 following a community campaign by Battersea parents and residents, the school operates as a four-form entry academy with 120 Year 7 places annually and approximately 100 students per Sixth Form year group, drawing applicants from a single London catchment and receiving on average 850 applications per year for its 120 Year 7 places. The school delivers the EBacc curriculum across 21 subjects in Years 7-11 and offers A Level and EPQ pathways alongside the Ark Professional Pathways vocational track in the Sixth Form, supplemented by an extensive extended curriculum covering Duke of Edinburgh, LAMDA acting examinations, peripatetic instrumental music, and competitive sport.

The school's technology footprint centers on a 1:1 Google Chromebook programme from Year 7 backed by Microsoft Office 365, with learning delivered through the Ark network's SPArk platform (aggregating Oak National Academy, BBC Bitesize, Hegarty Maths, Seneca, Education Perfect, and Uplearn), the Unifrog careers platform for Years 7-13, and the My Child at School (MCAS) parent app and iPayimpact cashless payments for parent engagement. Core revenue is UK government per-pupil funding administered through Ark Schools (a multi-academy trust operating 39 schools) under a Master Funding Agreement with the Secretary of State for Education; ancillary revenue streams include paid school meals, peripatetic music and LAMDA fees, enrichment clubs, and uniform pass-through, all with published subsidy schedules for Pupil Premium and Free School Meals pupils.

The school is governed by a 6-10 member Local Governing Body under Ark Schools, with day-to-day leadership provided by Principal Claire Edis and a team including a Vice Principal/Designated Safeguarding Lead, four Assistant Principals, a Director of Estates and Operations, and ten Heads of Department. Bolingbroke achieved Outstanding ratings across all five Ofsted categories in September 2024 and was recognized by The Times as Wandsworth's Happiest Secondary School based on Parent View data. External bursary partners (Reuben Foundation, Marshall Wace, Urbanest, Spencer Steadman Trust) underwrite post-18 progression for disadvantaged leavers, and partnerships with A List Education, Next Step, Place2Be, LAMDA, and the Ark Apprentice Ambassador Network extend the school's value chain into US university placement, social mobility mentoring, mental health, performing arts examinations, and apprenticeship pathways.

Name

Bolingbroke Academy

Legal name

Ark Bolingbroke Academy

Website

https://arkbolingbrokeacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Ark Bolingbroke Academy is a non-selective state-funded secondary school and sixth form in Wandsworth, South London, serving around 800 local pupils across Years 7-13 with EBacc, A Level, and vocational pathways, and operating under the Ark Schools multi-academy trust.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led) (EDAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• Sixth form college
• GCSE programmes
• A-level education
• Academy school

Headquarters

HQ city

City Of London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding (Academy Status): State-funded academy receiving government per-pupil funding for operational costs. Part of Ark Schools network of 39 schools.
2. School Meals: Paid meals service: £2.70 per meal for KS3, £2.90 for KS4 and KS5. Weekly cost £14.00 (KS3) and £14.50 (KS4/5). Provides nutritious daily lunches.
3. Instrumental Music Lessons: Per-term fees for instrumental lessons: £105 group lessons, £196 solo lessons. Subsidized rates for Pupil Premium and FSM pupils at 50%. Instrument hire £50 per term.
4. LAMDA Acting Lessons: Peripatetic acting lessons at £160 solo or £80 duo per term. Subsidized rates available for Free School Meals pupils.
5. Enrichment Clubs: Clubs offered twice yearly: free for FSM eligible pupils; £60 or under per half-year for others. Cycle 1 (September-February) and Cycle 2 (February-July).
6. Uniform Sales: School uniform supplied through Khalsa Schoolwear. 25% cost support provided for FSM pupils.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bolingbroke Academy is a non-selective state-funded secondary school and sixth form in Wandsworth, South London, offering education for students aged 11-18 (Years 7-13). It delivers the EBacc curriculum at secondary level and A-Level/BTEC/Professional Pathways programmes at sixth form, supported by a Google Chromebook digital learning programme, careers guidance, SEND support, and an extensive extended curriculum including music, LAMDA acting, sports, and Duke of Edinburgh.

Product overview

Ark Bolingbroke Academy operates as a secondary school and sixth form offering, structured around its core educational programmes (Years 7-11 Secondary Education and Years 12-13 Sixth Form), supplemented by an integrated digital learning ecosystem (SPArk platform with Google Chromebook and Office 365 access), and extended services including the Ark Music Programme, Extended Curriculum (performing arts, sports, Duke of Edinburgh), Careers and Destinations Programme, Bursary Programme, and Ark Professional Pathways vocational track. Parent communication is facilitated through the My Child at School (MCAS) app. The school provides SEND support through a three-tiered graduated approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary Education (Year 7-11) Comprehensive secondary school education for students in Years 7 through 11, offering a broad curriculum including core subjects (English, Maths, Science), languages (French, Spanish), humanities, creative arts, and physical education following the EBacc curriculum with high academic standards.
• Sixth Form Education (Year 12-13)

Quantifiable outcome

• 80%+ of students achieve places at top-third universities or top 100 apprenticeship programmes
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• A List EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting students to apply for admission and financial aid to US universities. Several students selected each year for free places on programme including SAT/ACT preparation, application essays, and financial aid support. Value: several thousand pounds per student.
• Next StepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting disadvantaged students with university applications. Offers free places to Ark students for mentoring and academic support programme, helping students progress to top university destinations.
• Place2BeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's mental health charity collaborating with the school to support pupil mental health and wellbeing through on-site services.
• Ark SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading education charity and one of country's top-performing academy operators. Network of 39 schools in UK. Provides shared mission to transform lives through education. Supports teacher training, professional development, and resource sharing across network.
• Local Sport ClubsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchool works in partnership with several local and community sport clubs to signpost individuals beyond school to develop their potential in various sports.
• LinkedIn Ark Alumni NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLinkedIn platform creating safe, supportive community for former Ark students. Alumni can connect, access exclusive coaching, and network opportunities for professional development.
• Ark Apprentice Ambassador NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork dedicated to supporting Ark students to access apprenticeships through coaching, network opportunities, and application skills. Uses LinkedIn platform to engage with employability skills and professional networking.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Harris Federation: One of the UK's largest multi-academy trusts operating primary and secondary academies across London and the South East, comparable in operating model (non-selective state academies within a MAT), governance structure, and reliance on government per-pupil funding.
• United Learning: Large non-profit multi-academy trust operating both state-funded academies and independent schools across the UK; similar charitable governance, broad curriculum offering, and emphasis on university destinations and enrichment.
• Greenshaw Learning Trust: Growing multi-academy trust with secondary and primary schools across London and the South West; comparable in operating a non-selective admissions model and sharing best practices across a MAT network.
• Reach Academy Feltham: Small non-selective secondary school and sixth form in West London with a comparable Ofsted Outstanding-or-equivalent record, university destination focus, and emphasis on serving disadvantaged pupils - a direct peer in scale and mission.
• Oasis Community Learning: Multi-academy trust operating a network of academies across England with a similar charitable structure and academy conversion model; directly comparable to Ark Schools in mission, scale, and operating approach.
• ARK Academies Network (Sister Schools): Other Ark network secondary academies (e.g., Ark Burlington Danes, Ark St Alban's) share the same governance, curriculum framework, SPArk platform, and Ark-wide professional development, making them the closest operational peers for benchmarking outcomes and practices.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Foundation: US non-profit network of college-preparatory public charter schools with comparable mission of serving disadvantaged students through rigorous academics and college destination outcomes; similar multi-school operating model and outcome-tracking approach.
• Charter Schools USA: Large US charter school management organisation operating a broad portfolio of K-12 schools; comparable in operating non-selective publicly-funded schools at scale with centralised curriculum and shared services, though operating under a different policy framework.

Regional players

• Wandsworth Council Secondary Schools: Other state secondary schools within Wandsworth (e.g., Ernest Bevin College, Graveney School, Southfields Academy) compete directly for the same Year 7 applicant pool through the same coordinated admissions scheme, making them the most direct local competitive set.

Others

• Unifrog: Online careers and destinations platform used by Bolingbroke's students (Years 7-13) and many other UK secondary schools and sixth forms; not a competitor but a key enabling technology partner in the school's careers programme.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/ark-alumni/?originalSubdomain=uk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 Bolingbroke Academy