Southport Learning Trust

What Southport Learning Trust does

Southport Learning Trust is a multi-academy trust founded in July 2017 and headquartered in Southport, Merseyside, UK. The trust operates 10 schools across the Southport and Sefton area, comprising a mix of primary schools (Bedford Primary, Kew Woods Primary), secondary schools (Birkdale High, Greenbank High, Maghull High, Meols Cop High, Range High School, Stanley High School), and one special school (Merefield School, which joined in October 2025). The trust employs more than 850 staff and is described as one of the largest employers in Southport and surrounding areas. It is structured as a charitable company limited by guarantee, with Ian Raikes serving as CEO since formation.

The trust operates under a four-pillar framework covering Academic Excellence, Realising Aspirations, Investing in our People, and Inclusive Education. It has built a partnership ecosystem that includes Ambition Institute for professional development (ECT delivery, NPQ programmes, Middle Leader Mastery, Future Leaders), Voice 21 for oracy education across all schools, and Social Signature for character development. The trust is led by a central team including Directors of Education, Primary Education, Finance, and Inclusion (SEND and Safeguarding), with each school retaining its own Local Governing Body.

The business model is government-funded: revenue is received through the Department for Education via the Education and Skills Funding Agency on a per-pupil funding formula basis, with individual funding agreements between each school and the trust. There are no fees charged to students. Admissions are coordinated through Sefton Local Authority. The trust's growth has been primarily organic via additional school academisations into the trust network, with three documented school additions between 2019 and 2025.

Name

Southport Learning Trust

Legal name

Southport Learning Trust

Website

https://southportlearningtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Southport Learning Trust is a UK multi-academy trust operating 10 primary, secondary, and special schools in the Southport and Sefton area of Merseyside, employing 850+ staff and funded through government per-pupil grants via the Department for Education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Education (Multi Academy Trust)

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)

Keywords

• Multi academy trust
• Primary education
• Secondary education
• Special education
• School improvement

Headquarters

HQ city

Southport

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: Schools within the trust receive government funding through the Department for Education (DfE) funding agreements. Each school has individual funding agreements with the trust. Revenue is received through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for academies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Southport Learning Trust is a multi academy trust that operates 10 state-funded schools in the Southport and Sefton area of Merseyside, providing primary, secondary, and special educational needs provision for pupils aged 3 to 19. Its schools include Bedford Primary, Birkdale High, Greenbank High, Kew Woods Primary, Maghull High, Merefield School (special school for severe/complex learning difficulties), Meols Cop High, Range High, and Stanley High. The trust also delivers centralised school improvement, professional development, oracy education, and community engagement programmes across its schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bedford Community Primary School Two-form entry community primary school for children aged 4-11 years, founded in 1885, sharing site with Cambridge Children's Centre. Member of Southport Learning Trust.
• Birkdale High School Oversubscribed academy and the only 11-16 all-boys academy in Sefton, described as a beacon for outstanding practice in education of boys.
• Greenbank High School High-performing all-girls 11-16 school with a population of 1,010 girls; DfE approved sponsor with consistent good practice and high outcomes.
• Kew Woods Primary School Two-form entry primary school with nursery provision for 3-4 year olds; Apple Regional Training Centre with multiple awards including Primary Science Quality Mark, Artsmark Silver, Sportsmark Platinum, Anti-Bullying Alliance Gold, and Early Years Quality Mark.
• Maghull High School 11-18 school with specialist status as Performing Arts College; joined the trust in November 2020.
• Meols Cop High School Oversubscribed 11-16 school with over 900 students, with the vision of 'Brokering Aspirations'.
• Range High School School with excellent record for examination success and progress, highly inclusive with a long track record of supporting varied needs.
• Stanley High School Secondary school with a caring, nurturing and supportive learning environment and a strong pastoral care system.
• Merefield School Special school in Ainsdale, Merseyside for pupils aged 3-19 with severe, complex or profound learning difficulties, many on the autistic spectrum, with over 100 pupils. Joined the trust in October 2025.
• Teaching Internship Programme 2026 Paid internship programme for STEM and Languages undergraduates designed to attract future teachers to schools within the trust.

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ambition InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong partnership with Ambition Institute for professional development. They deliver the 'Golden Thread' of professional development including ECT (Early Career Teacher) delivery, NPQ programmes, and Future Leaders/Curriculum Leadership programmes. The trust works with Ambition for evidence-based CPD content and curriculum delivery.
• Social SignaturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to embed Social Signature approach across all schools. Social Signature is a lifelong mindset helping children feel seen, valued, and powerful - developing confident, compassionate young people who understand their value and impact on the world. Focus on character development, social responsibility, and positive change.
• Voice 21coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll primary and secondary schools are Voice 21 schools. The trust has a Voice 21 Oracy Vision. Oracy leads have network meetings to support pedagogy and curriculum development in oracy. Focus on unlocking deeper learning, critical thinking, wellbeing, social mobility, and employability through developing confident communicators.
• The Grand (Southport)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulinary partnership hosting the annual Southport Dessert Competition. Students work with professional chefs from The Grand to bring their dessert creations to life. Professional judging by The Grand's culinary team. Event highlights vocational education and community partnerships.
• AIMS (Anti-Bullying Ambassador Programme)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnti-Bullying Ambassador Programme delivered by AIMS with funding from Sefton. Students from secondary schools receive specialist training to become peer leaders. Programme empowers young people to champion kindness, respect, and positive change within communities.
• Wigan Athletic Community TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting the kNOwKnifeCrime campaign. Students participated in a 21-mile cycle ride from Southport to Wigan to raise awareness for knife crime and bleed control kits. Students completed a short run and passed the 'bleed kit baton'.
• Sefton Council / Sefton Local AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSefton Local Authority coordinates school admissions for trust schools. Trust works with Sefton on various initiatives including Anti-Bullying funding, safeguarding partnerships, and education strategy. Sefton Admissions Team handles formal applications.
• Aspens CateringminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAspens Catering provides catering services to trust schools. Current vacancies include Area Support Chef and Catering Assistants. Trust partners with Aspens for school catering operations.
• Edge Hill UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristina Greaves has participated in the interviewing process for PGCE and QTS students at Edge Hill University. Trust may provide placement opportunities for student teachers.
• Sefton Safeguarding Children PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Ian Raikes sits on the Sefton Safeguarding Children Partnership Forum representing local Headteachers and secondary schools on strategic development of safeguarding.
• Liverpool City Region Careers HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Ian Raikes is Chair of the Liverpool City Region Careers Hub. Sits on national Education Leaders Advisory Group which strategically supports the DfE Careers Strategy.
• Sefton Digital Skills BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Ian Raikes sits on the Digital Skills Board for Sefton to support children in having necessary digital skills to progress into the workplace.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ormiston Academies Trust: National multi-academy trust sponsoring a portfolio of primary and secondary academies across England with shared back-office services. Directly comparable operating model to Southport Learning Trust's academy trust structure.
• Harris Federation: One of the largest multi-academy trusts in England operating a comparable network of primary and secondary academies with a central trust team. Southport Learning Trust operates the same MAT model at a smaller, regionally concentrated scale.
• Greenshaw Learning Trust: Regional multi-academy trust that has grown by school conversion with a focus on inclusion and CPD. Closely comparable in size, growth strategy, and inclusive education focus to Southport Learning Trust.
• Academy Transformation Trust: Mid-sized multi-academy trust operating a portfolio of primary and secondary academies across multiple regions. Directly comparable in portfolio mix and central operating model to Southport Learning Trust.
• REAch2 Academy Trust: One of the largest primary-focused multi-academy trusts in England, sponsoring a network of primary academies. Comparable in trust-level operating model and growth-by-conversion strategy to Southport Learning Trust.
• Tauheedul Education Trust: Multi-academy trust operating faith-based and non-faith schools with a strong emphasis on standards and centralised school improvement. Comparable trust-level operating model and academy sponsor status to Southport Learning Trust.
• Dixons Academies Trust: Multi-academy trust operating a focused portfolio of secondary schools with strong academic outcomes and centralised curriculum design. Comparable central-trust operating model with emphasis on shared curriculum and CPD to Southport Learning Trust.
• Star Academies: Multi-academy trust operating a portfolio of secondary schools, including faith-based schools. Comparable central-trust governance and school improvement model to Southport Learning Trust.

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: Large national multi-academy trust combining state and independent schools under a unified operating model. Significantly larger than Southport Learning Trust but operates the same central-trust-with-local-schools structure.
• Ark (formerly Ark Academies): Large education charity operating a multi-academy trust of schools with a strong focus on curriculum design and CPD programmes. Comparable central-curriculum and CPD infrastructure to Southport Learning Trust's Voice 21 and Ambition Institute approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SouthportLTrust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=southport+learning+trust
• Facebookfacebook.com/stanleyhighsouthport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southport-learning-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries9 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 Southport Learning Trust