The Primary First Trust

What The Primary First Trust does

The Primary First Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) operating 11 primary schools across Bexley, Gravesham and Medway in Kent, United Kingdom. Founded in October 2013 at the Barnehurst Federation of Schools in Bexley, the trust is registered as a company limited by guarantee and an exempt charity, with its headquarters at The White House, Clifton Marine Parade, Gravesend. It is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by William Harwood and led operationally by Chief Executive Officer Lorna Hamilton. Schools join the trust through a structured 6-9 month conversion process starting with an informal conversation with the CEO and moving through due diligence and stakeholder consultation.

The trust's core operating model combines direct school operation with shared central services. A central team provides expertise in Education, Finance, HR, Estates Management, Compliance, Marketing, Governance, and Administration, while each member school retains its individual identity and headteacher-led autonomy. The educational framework — branded "Primary First Education" — rests on three pillars: Knowledge (Know the world), Personal Development (Know yourself), and Connectivity (Know how it all fits together). School improvement is governed by a 6-weekly review cycle, and the trust reports that all member schools have achieved an Ofsted rating of "Good with Outstanding Features" or above. Specialist offerings include the Apple Distinguished School programme at Wayfield Primary (1:1 iPad scheme), the ECTs Programme for newly qualified teachers, the Associates Programme for talent development, and PFT+ enrichment activities.

The trust is funded primarily through government per-pupil allocations routed via the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) under the national funding formula. A secondary revenue stream consists of consultancy services sold to external schools and trusts, including First For Wellbeing (a Community Interest Company offering staff, pupil, and community wellbeing consultancy) and IT consultancy services. Membership organisations such as Supporting Education Group, YPO, Blue Apple Education, and Teach First are linked to the trust via MATNetworks Kent Regional Network events hosted or chaired by the trust.

Name

The Primary First Trust

Legal name

The Primary First Trust Limited

Website

https://theprimaryfirsttrust.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Primary First Trust is a non-profit Multi-Academy Trust operating 11 primary schools across Bexley, Gravesham and Medway in Kent, UK. Founded in 2013, it provides government-funded primary education, central back-office services, and consultancy including wellbeing and IT services to external schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Gravesend

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Academy Funding: As a Multi-Academy Trust, the organization receives government funding through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for the operation of its academy schools. Schools convert from maintained status to academy status, receiving per-pupil funding through the national funding formula.
2. Consultancy Services: The trust offers consultancy services including wellbeing programs, IT services, and school improvement support to external schools and trusts beyond the Primary First network.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Primary First Trust operates as a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) running 11 primary schools across Bexley, Gravesham and Medway in Kent, UK. It delivers primary education to pupils and, in parallel, provides centralised school-improvement, HR, Finance, IT, Estates and Marketing support services to its member academies, plus external education consultancy offerings such as First For Wellbeing and IT consultancy.

Product overview

The Primary First Trust is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) operating 11 primary schools across Bexley, Gravesham and Medway in the UK. Founded in October 2013, it provides a comprehensive educational service encompassing core school improvement and development support, Central Trust Services (HR, Finance, IT, Estates, Marketing), and specialist programmes including First For Wellbeing consultancy, IT consultancy, and the Apple Distinguished School technology programme. The trust also offers CPD and training through its ECTs Programme, Associates Programme, and PFT+ activities. Schools retain their individual identity while benefiting from shared expertise, economies of scale, and collaborative networks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• First For Wellbeing: A Community Interest Company providing consultancy services for wellbeing in education, supporting organisations, practitioners and peer champions with positive psychology and coaching approaches.
• Creating Outstanding Outcomes
• Growing Mentally Healthy Schools

Products and services

• Primary Education (11 primary schools) State-funded primary education delivered through eleven primary schools located across Bexley, Gravesham and Medway, serving pupils and their families in Kent and South East London.
• School Improvement and Development Framework Centralised school-improvement support delivered to the Trust's member academies under the Primary First Education Framework, structured around six-weekly review cycles with senior leaders.
• Central Trust Services (HR, Finance, IT, Estates, Marketing) Shared back-office services provided by a central team to the Trust's member schools, covering HR, Finance, IT, Estates and Marketing functions that small standalone primaries could not efficiently maintain on their own.
• First For Wellbeing Consultancy service offered by The Primary First Trust in the area of wellbeing, available to schools and education organisations beyond the Trust's own primaries.
• IT Consultancy Specialist IT consultancy services for schools and education sector clients, drawing on the Trust's expertise in educational technology including its Apple Distinguished School experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• All schools that have joined the trust have attained Ofsted rating of 'Good with Outstanding Features', or above
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Teach FirstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeach First is an educational charity and partnership that supports the trust in training and developing teachers, particularly through employment-based routes for high quality graduates.
• Apple Distinguished SchoolscoreTechnology or IntegrationWayfield Primary School is designated as an Apple Distinguished School, implementing a 1:1 iPad ecosystem with every child having access to their own device for digital learning.
• MATNetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Lorna Hamilton chairs MATNetworks Kent Regional Network events, bringing together school leaders, trusts, and partners for collaboration and knowledge sharing on education topics.
• Supporting Education GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional partner for MATNetworks Kent events, supporting the organization of educational networking events.
• YPOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for MATNetworks Kent Regional Network events.
• NELI - Nuffield Early Language InterventionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for MATNetworks Kent Regional Network events.
• Blue Apple EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent partner and thought leader partner, providing expertise in marketing, branding and admissions for schools.
• EFSImminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for MATNetworks Kent Regional Network events.
• TeachScribeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for MATNetworks Kent Regional Network events.
• ApplicaaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner for MATNetworks Kent Regional Network events.
• First For WellbeingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst For Wellbeing is a Community Interest Company (CIC) offering consultancy services for staff wellbeing, pupil wellbeing, and community wellbeing. Grown organically from recognized success within the trust.
• Anna Freud CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization recognized for work in mental health and wellbeing in education, one of several charities and organizations leading change in wellbeing.
• Education SupportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity partner recognized for supporting wellbeing work in education alongside the Anna Freud Centre and National Children's Bureau.
• National Children's BureauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCB partnered with Optimus Education to co-write the Wellbeing Award for Schools, and Lessness Heath was first nationally to receive this award.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-primary-first-trust
• Xtwitter.com/Primary1stTrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 The Primary First Trust