The MILL Academy

What The MILL Academy does

The MILL Academy is a charitable Multi Academy Trust (MAT), company number 8060721, established in 2015 in Witney, Oxfordshire, that delivers state-funded education across a small network of primary and secondary schools. As of the input data the trust operates at least The Henry Box School (secondary), Queen Emma's Primary, and Finstock Church of England Primary School, with results published for 2023 and 2024 (Henry Box Ofsted Good in Feb 2023; Finstock Ofsted Outstanding in Jan 2024; Queen Emma's Ofsted Good with Outstanding in Early Years and Personal Development in Apr 2024). The trust also holds accreditations including Music Mark 2023/24, the Computing Quality Mark 2023, and the History Quality Mark 2022, and was designated a Behaviour Hub Graduate in July 2024.

The trust's core platform comprises a centralized school improvement methodology described as 'upstreaming' (an evidence-informed approach distinct from 'find the fault and fix it'), supported by a professional development library of more than 200 titles, annual action research publications, and standard quality assurance routines (data analysis, documentation review, school visits, audits, and pupil/parent/staff voice). Shared central services span finance, facilities management, HR, IT support, and health and safety. Governance draws on a board combining educational practitioners with trustees from equity capital markets, organisational learning, academia, and the Church of England; the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education and Oriel College Oxford are connected via named members.

Revenue is generated through UK government per-pupil education funding allocated to academies within the trust; figures are not publicly disclosed and the organisation is non-profit, with no shareholders, venture, or private equity investors. Distribution is regional (Oxfordshire), delivered through direct school enrollment rather than commercial channels, while an outreach offering and 'Join Our Trust' pages signal an intent to grow the academy membership.

Name

The MILL Academy

Legal name

The MILL Academy

Website

https://millacademy.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The MILL Academy is an Oxfordshire-based Multi Academy Trust operating primary and secondary schools, delivering government-funded K-12 education and central school-improvement support services to its member academies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Multi academy trust
• Primary school education
• Secondary school education
• School improvement services
• Professional development education

Headquarters

HQ city

Witney

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 Education Funding: As a Multi Academy Trust, The MILL Academy receives government funding for educating students across its member schools. Education is provided free at point of use to students and families.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The MILL Academy operates as a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) providing K-12 education through its member schools (The Henry Box School, Queen Emma's Primary, and Finstock Church of England Primary School) across Oxfordshire. It delivers school improvement support, professional development, and centralized shared services (finance, facilities management, HR, IT support, health and safety) to its schools. Education is provided free at point of use, funded by UK government education grants.

Product overview

The MILL Academy is a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) providing educational services across multiple schools in Oxfordshire, UK. It is not a software product company. The organization's offerings consist of schooling and educational support services, including school improvement strategy, professional development, and central services (finance, HR, IT, facilities management) for its member schools. The schools within the Trust include The Henry Box School, Queen Emma's Primary, and Finstock Church of England Primary School.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Henry Box School

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• When the Adults ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024The Henry Box School and Queen Emma's Primary became Partner Schools with When the Adults Change. This partnership focuses on behaviour change and school improvement approaches, with schools committing to the programme's methodology for driving positive outcomes.
• Oxford Diocesan Board of Education (ODBE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerODBE is involved with 19 Multi-Academy Trusts and schools across the region. Tony Wilson serves as Director of Education for ODBE and is a Named Member/Corporate Member of The MILL Academy. ODBE supports religious education and church school relationships.
• Oriel College, OxfordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriel College appointed Wilf Stephenson as a Member of The MILL Academy. Wilf Stephenson is an Emeritus Fellow of Oriel College (formerly Treasurer) and brings educational expertise to the Trust's governance.
• John West Burnham (Author)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MILL Academy Chair (formerly Prof John West-Burnham) co-authored 'So What Now? Time for learning in your school to face the future' with Malcolm Groves, featuring The Henry Box School as a case study.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ARK (Absolute Return for Kids): Major UK MAT and education charity running schools and education programmes with a focus on disadvantage. Comparable in mission (improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils) though materially larger.
• Harris Federation: Large national MAT operating primary and secondary schools with a strong school-improvement ethos. Relevant as a scaled-up comparison for what a successful MAT operating model can become.
• Oasis Community Learning: National MAT running academies across England with a community-hub ethos. Comparable in operating model though at substantially greater scale than The MILL Academy.
• Reach2 Academy Trust: One of the largest UK primary-focused MATs with a school-improvement and shared-services model. Larger scale makes it a broad incumbent benchmark rather than a head-to-head competitor.
• Academy Transformation Trust: Mid-sized MAT focused on school improvement and turnaround of under-performing schools. Relevant comparable for The MILL Academy's stated improvement methodology.
• United Learning: Large national MAT operating both state and independent schools with centralised professional development and shared services — a useful scale-up reference for The MILL Academy's centralised model.

Direct peers

• River Learning Trust: Oxfordshire-based Multi Academy Trust operating a similar portfolio of primary and secondary schools in the same region with shared services and school-improvement focus. Closest geographic and structural peer to The MILL Academy.
• Greenshaw Learning Trust: Multi Academy Trust with a comparable footprint of primary and secondary schools, sharing a school-improvement-driven operating model and central services structure.

Regional players

• Active Learning Trust: East of England MAT operating a mixed portfolio of primary and secondary schools with shared services. Comparable in scale and operating model though regionally distinct.
• Tenax Schools Trust: Kent-based Multi Academy Trust operating primary and secondary schools with a school-improvement focus. Comparable in structure and stage of development though serving a different region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TheMILL_Academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 The MILL Academy