The People's Learning Trust

What The People's Learning Trust does

The People's Learning Trust is a non-profit Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) founded in April 2024 through the conversion of Everton Free School and Everton Football College from single-school status. It operates six academies across the Liverpool City Region, Wirral, Sefton, and Cheshire West and Chester: three mainstream primary schools (Bidston Avenue, Meadow Community, Oldfield), two alternative provision schools for pupils facing barriers in mainstream education (Everton Free School and Waterside Academy), and a post-16 football and sport-focused further education college (Everton Football College), which has grown from 40 to over 250 students. The Trust is the only MAT in the UK directly founded and supported by a Premier League football club (Everton FC), with deep ties to Everton in the Community, and reports 249 employees for FY 2024-25.

The Trust's core offering is education delivery, not technology. Its educational model emphasises trauma-informed, attachment-aware, and compassionate approaches, with a leadership team including a CEO (Steven Baker OBE) who has led three schools to Outstanding Ofsted status. The Trust's only named proprietary technology initiative is a VR knife crime prevention project funded by the Steve Morgan Foundation, combining immersive technology with insights from trauma surgeons, police, and bereaved families. Other notable programmes include the Cradle to Career initiative (delivering an average 11 months of accelerated reading progress) and a Paddle Sports Hub at Waterside Academy developed with the Canal & River Trust and University of Liverpool. Everton Football College offers progression routes from Level 2 through to honours degree programmes in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University.

The business model is government-funded rather than commercial. The Trust operates as an education charity and receives funding from the Department for Education (DfE) through the Academy Trust Handbook and national funding formula, with tuition free at the point of use. Revenue streams are inherently subscription-recurring in nature, anchored to per-pupil funding, with no private tuition fees charged. Strategic partnerships include Everton FC (founding partner), Everton in the Community (core), Steve Morgan Foundation (financial), and several universities (Oxford, Manchester, Liverpool, LJMU) plus the National Literacy Trust for research and progression pathway development. Growth is executed by recruiting additional schools that share the Trust's ethos of inclusivity, trauma-informed practice, and collaboration.

Name

The People's Learning Trust

Legal name

The People's Learning Trust

Website

https://tpltrust.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The People's Learning Trust is a UK Multi-Academy Trust operating six academies (mainstream primaries, alternative provision, and a post-16 football college) across the Liverpool City Region, Wirral, Sefton, and Cheshire West and Chester, and is the only MAT directly founded and supported by a Premier League football club (Everton FC).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Academy Trust Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Referee, Umpire & Coach Education/Certification Academies (MPAKAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Needs-Inclusive Early Learning Academies (EDACADAI), Transition-to-College/Independence Skills Tutoring for Learning Differences (EDANAFAJ)

Keywords

• Multi-academy trust
• Primary education
• Alternative provision
• Post-16 education
• School improvement

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding (DfE): The Trust receives government funding from the Department for Education (DfE) through the Academy Trust Handbook. Schools receive funding via the national funding formula. The Trust operates as a charity/Multi-Academy Trust with public funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The People's Learning Trust operates six state-funded academies delivering primary education, alternative provision, and post-16 further education with football and sport pathways across Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, and Cheshire West and Chester. It provides personalised, trauma-informed curricula, SEND support, and progression routes from Level 2 through to honours degree programmes in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University. As an education charity and Multi-Academy Trust, it is uniquely supported by Everton Football Club and Everton in the Community.

Product overview

The People's Learning Trust operates as a Multi-Academy Trust comprising five educational institutions across Liverpool City Region, Wirral, Sefton, and Cheshire West and Chester. The Trust offers a portfolio of educational services spanning mainstream primary education (Bidston Avenue Primary School, Meadow Community Primary School, Oldfield Primary School), alternative provision for pupils facing barriers to mainstream education (Waterside Academy, Everton Free School), and post-16 further education with football and sport pathways (Everton Football College). The Trust was established in April 2024 and is uniquely supported by Everton Football Club. Educational services include personalised curricula, 21st-century skill development, SEND support, outdoor education (Paddle Sports Hub), and pathways from primary through to university degrees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Everton Free School and Everton Football College
• Bidston Avenue Primary School
• Waterside Academy
• Meadow Community Primary School
• Oldfield Primary School

Quantifiable outcome

• Three schools led to Outstanding Ofsted status under current CEO leadership
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Everton Football ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024The People’s Learning Trust was founded with the support of Everton Football Club. This is the only Multi-academy Trust directly founded and supported by a Premier League football club. The partnership leverages the power of the Everton family to deliver exceptional outcomes for students and communities through education, sports, and personal development.
• Everton in the CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEverton in the Community (EitC) is the official charity of Everton Football Club, recognised as one of the UK’s top sporting charities. Their work in using sport to identify and support vulnerable people aligns perfectly with the Trust's inclusive, trauma-informed approach. EitC's work dovetails with the Trust's mission to provide the best possible educational outcomes whilst simultaneously tackling social issues.
• Canal & River TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterside Academy partners with Canal & River Trust as part of the 'Let's Paddle for Positive Change' initiative. The academy has officially adopted a stretch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal for environmental responsibility and community engagement.
• GroundsWellminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterside Academy partners with GroundsWell as part of the 'Let's Paddle for Positive Change' initiative, focusing on the positive impact of green and blue spaces on health, well-being, and learning.
• Paddle UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterside Academy is working towards affiliation with Paddle UK to develop the Paddle Sports Hub into a centre for outdoor education and positive community activity that can serve local community groups outside of school hours.
• Taicang Experimental SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBidston Avenue Primary School has developed a meaningful cultural and educational exchange partnership with Taicang Experimental School near Shanghai, China. Students collaborate, share experiences, and build friendships that transcend language and geography.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TPL_Trust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-people-s-learning-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/thepeopleslearningtrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries6 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 People's Learning Trust