Youths Choice @ Global Academy

What Youths Choice @ Global Academy does

Global Academy is a UK secondary school and sixth form institution registered in England & Wales (company number 08713518), with its main campus at The Old Vinyl Factory in Hayes and a registered office at 30 Leicester Square, London. The school specializes in media and entertainment education, recruiting students into Year 10 (GCSE), Year 12 (Sixth Form/A-Level equivalent), and Year 14 (Professional Diploma) programs through direct admissions via its website portal. Industry sponsorship comes from Global (the media company behind Classic FM and Heart) and University of the Arts London, providing academic and professional credibility within the UK creative industries.

Youths Choice is the student-led multi-platform media brand operated within Global Academy. It comprises radio stations (Youths Choice Radio and Youths Choice Anthems), digital publications (The Loop Blog and The Loop Magazine), a portfolio of podcasts (The Loop, MyBnk, and The Bootroom), and active social media channels on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter under the @YouthsChoiceGA handle. The radio platform is powered by MusicDatak music research software, which combines automated algorithms with human insight to support playlist curation and music data analysis. Students develop practical skills in radio broadcasting, podcasting, journalism, music analysis, and social media content production through these channels.

The institution operates as a UK Academy receiving government per-pupil funding for educational delivery, with revenue supporting operational costs, facilities, and student programs including the Youths Choice media initiatives. Ancillary commercial services have been introduced, including podcast studio hire and venue hire at the Hayes campus, and a separate G:Ventures entity is listed in the institution's navigation. No external pricing, public listing, or commercial revenue model is disclosed.

Name

Youths Choice @ Global Academy

Legal name

Global Academy

Website

https://youthschoice.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Global Academy is a UK secondary school and sixth form in London specializing in media and entertainment education, where Youths Choice operates as a student-led multi-platform media brand across radio, podcasts, blogs, magazines, and social media.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Subject-Specific Short Courses & Academies (e.g., STEM, Business, Arts) (EDAIAIAC)

Keywords

• Secondary school education
• Sixth form college
• Media education
• Student radio station
• Arts further education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hayes

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Educational Funding: As a UK secondary school and sixth form, Global Academy receives government funding for education delivery. Revenue supports operational costs, facilities, and student programs including Youths Choice media initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Youths Choice @ Global Academy is a UK secondary school and sixth form that delivers mainstream academic education alongside specialist media and entertainment industry training. Through partnerships with Global and University of the Arts London, students produce industry-style media outputs including radio stations (Youths Choice Radio, Youths Choice Anthems), The Loop Blog, The Loop Magazine, and podcasts such as The Loop, MyBnk, and The Bootroom.

Product overview

Youths Choice is a student-led multi-platform media brand operated by Global Academy. It consists of radio stations (Youths Choice Radio and Youths Choice Anthems), digital publications (The Loop Blog and The Loop Magazine), podcasts (The Loop, MyBnk, The Bootroom), and social media channels (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter). The ecosystem is powered by MusicDatak music research software for industry-leading music data insights. Students gain real-world media industry experience by creating and publishing content across these interconnected platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Youths Choice: Student-led radio station and brand featuring music playlists, podcasts, and social media content. Students develop skills in music analysis and utilize industry-leading insights from MusicDatak.
• The Loop Blog
• The Loop Magazine
• Youths Choice Anthems

Products and services

• Secondary School Education UK secondary school academic provision for students, integrated with a specialist media and entertainment curriculum delivered through partnerships with Global and University of the Arts London.
• Sixth Form Education Sixth-form education for post-16 students that combines academic study with a media and entertainment specialism, preparing students for creative-arts higher education through the University of the Arts London partnership.
• Youths Choice Radio Student-operated radio station that gives academy students hands-on broadcast experience, using MusicDatak music research software for chart and editorial support.
• Youths Choice Anthems Student-led radio or anthem-style programming produced alongside Youths Choice Radio as part of the academy's media output.
• The Loop Blog Student-run blog producing music-industry-focused editorial and commentary as part of the academy's media training.
• The Loop Magazine Student-produced magazine extending The Loop Blog's editorial content into a print-style long-form publication.
• The Loop Podcast Student-produced podcast providing audio editorial and interview content tied to the academy's media activities.
• MyBnk Podcast Student-produced podcast covering MyBnk-related financial education themes as part of the academy's media output.
• The Bootroom Podcast Student-produced sports podcast contributing to the academy's wider student media output.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• MusicDatakcoreTechnology or IntegrationMusicDatak provides Youths Choice with music research software combining automated algorithms and human insights. Students gain access to actionable and emotionally resonant music data to develop skills in analyzing industry-leading insights, shaping playlists and station output to better connect with the student audience.
• Global (Media Company)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal (owner of radio brands including Classic FM and Heart) serves as the industry sponsor for Global Academy and Youths Choice, providing industry credibility, potential mentorship, and connection to the broader media industry.
• University of the Arts LondonflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of the Arts London (UAL) serves as the university sponsor, providing academic credibility, potential pathways for students, and connection to higher education in creative industries.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts: Historic London performing-arts and media specialist school offering full-time secondary education. Comparable to Global Academy in target audience (secondary-age students aiming at creative careers) and specialist training model.
• BRIT School: The UK's most prominent free specialist secondary school for performing arts and creative media, located in Croydon. It is the closest direct peer to Global Academy in terms of being a state-funded UK secondary institution focused on creative industries, recruiting via application/audition and offering industry-connected training.
• Sylvia Young Theatre School: London-based independent specialist secondary school for performing arts and media, operating as a fee-paying school. Directly comparable to Global Academy as a London specialist creative secondary institution with strong industry placement track records.
• Tring Park School for the Performing Arts: UK independent specialist secondary school for performing arts with boarding, comparable in operating model (independent specialist secondary school with industry partnerships) although stronger in dance/music than media.
• Elstree UTC: University Technical College specialising in creative and digital media for 14-19 year olds in Hertfordshire. Direct peer as a UK specialist secondary institution focused on media/creative industries with employer-led curriculum design.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA): Premier UK dramatic-arts training institution with secondary-level short courses and youth programmes. Comparable as an established creative-arts training brand with deep industry relationships, although primarily higher-education focused.
• East 15 Acting School: UK higher-education drama school (part of the University of Essex) producing graduates for theatre, TV, film and radio. Comparable in media/creative-arts training model and industry placement focus, at undergraduate level.
• SAE Institute: Global creative-media education provider offering diplomas and degrees in audio, film, animation and games. Relevant as a broader incumbent in media-production education with comparable technology stack and industry-employer pipelines.
• Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA): Higher-education institution co-founded by Paul McCartney focused on performing arts and music technology. Relevant comparable for Global Academy's Year 14 Professional Diploma pathway and for the type of industry-connected creative curriculum model the school aspires to feed into.
• BIMM University: UK higher-education group with specialist music, film, and performing arts degrees and multiple campuses. Comparable as a music/media-focused education provider with industry partnerships, though at higher-education rather than secondary level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/youthschoicega
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEvIXF6NpQIc2TXfjxiq18w
• Facebookfacebook.com/YouthsChoiceGA
• Instagraminstagram.com/youthschoicega
• TikToktiktok.com/@youthschoicega?lang=GB
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youthschoice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Youths Choice @ Global Academy