Odyssey Education Group

What Odyssey Education Group does

Odyssey Education Group is a UK-based specialist education provider, founded in 2019, that delivers bespoke therapeutic education for neurodiverse children, principally those on the autism spectrum and with associated social, emotional, and mental health needs. The group operates two registered independent schools — Bloomsbury in central London and a campus in Wokingham, Berkshire — with a combined registered capacity of approximately 105 pupils following the consolidation away from its earlier Highgate site. Its pedagogical approach is anchored by the proprietary "Odyssey Guiding Star" framework and a multidisciplinary clinical team delivering Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, mental health support, and sensory-designed learning environments alongside specialist teaching.

The business model is anchored in UK special educational needs commissioning: the majority of pupils are placed via local-authority-funded Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) at per-pupil rates typical of specialist SEND provision, with a smaller cohort of self-funded or privately fee-paying families. Bloomsbury received an Ofsted "Good" rating in June 2024, evidencing the regulatory standing required to deliver against statutory EHCP specifications. The group is led by founders Charu Kashyap (CEO) and Shilpa Walia (School Director), with David Coulter appointed as Clinical Director in 2025. The disclosed technology stack is operational rather than product-facing (CPOMS for safeguarding, Microsoft Forms, Canva, Eventbrite, Vimeo, Google Analytics), and the group is developing "Ohana," an online education platform intended to extend its therapeutic pedagogy beyond the physical campuses. It has also engaged in stakeholder-facing activity, including the "Unauthorised Absence" awareness campaign and shortlisting for the 2025 EducationInvestor Awards (SEN Supporter of the Year).

Name

Odyssey Education Group

Legal name

Odyssey Education Services Ltd

Website

https://odysseyeducationgroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Odyssey Education Group is a UK specialist education provider founded in 2019 that runs two independent schools (Bloomsbury and Wokingham) delivering bespoke therapeutic, multidisciplinary education for neurodiverse children, primarily funded via local-authority EHCP placements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism-Specific Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Education Alternative / Nonpublic Schools (NPS) & Placements (EDAKAAAF), Autism Executive Functioning & Academic Skills Intervention (EDAKAKAI), Autism Classroom & School Program Support (Inclusion/Resource) (EDAKAKAC)

Keywords

• Special education services
• SEND provision
• Therapeutic education
• Autism schools
• Independent special schools

Headquarters

HQ city

Bracknell

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EHCP Funded Placements: The school primarily serves students with Education, Health and Care Plans funded by local authorities. Parents and local authorities pay for specialist educational placements for neurodivergent students.
2. Private/Fee-Paying Placements: Some families may self-fund placements, as evidenced by parent testimonials and references to school activities without LA funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Odyssey Education Group operates independent special schools in the UK delivering bespoke, trauma-informed, therapeutic education for neurodiverse pupils aged 7-19 with autism as a primary diagnosis and associated difficulties. The schools run with maximum class sizes of six students in purpose-built low-arousal sensory environments, integrating in-house multidisciplinary clinical therapies (Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, mental health support) with the proprietary Odyssey Guiding Star curriculum and JCQ-registered examination pathways (GCSEs, BTECs, Functional Skills). Placements are funded primarily via local authority EHCP commissions, with some self-funded private placements.

Product overview

Odyssey Education Group operates as a multi-site independent school network for neurodiverse students. The portfolio comprises three physical schools: Odyssey House School Bloomsbury (registered for 45 pupils, London) and Odyssey House School Wokingham (registered for 60 pupils, Berkshire), both serving pupils aged 7–18 with autism and associated difficulties. The schools share a unified therapeutic curriculum framework called the Odyssey Guiding Star, supported by in-house multidisciplinary teams offering OT, SaLT, and mental-health services. Additional offerings include examination centre services (JCQ registered), enrichment clubs, and the forthcoming Ohana online education pathway. All schools follow a bespoke, trauma-informed approach with maximum class sizes of 6 students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Odyssey Guiding Star: Seven-pointed educational framework guiding the curriculum and student development approach

Products and services

• Odyssey House School – Bloomsbury Registered independent special school in central London (Russell Square) for neurodiverse pupils aged 7-19 with autism and associated difficulties. Delivers bespoke, holistic, trauma-informed education with maximum class sizes of six students in specialist classrooms within a Grade II listed, low-sensory building, and offers JCQ-registered GCSE, BTEC, Entry Level and Functional Skills qualifications.
• Odyssey House School – Wokingham Registered independent special school in Wokingham, Berkshire for neurodiverse pupils aged 7-18. Set in a modern air-conditioned building on over 1.5 acres with specialist classrooms, state-of-the-art facilities, and a low-arousal sensory environment for up to 60 pupils.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students achieving grade 8s and 9s in GCSEs despite years of educational gaps
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• EducationInvestor AwardsminorOthers · 1 January 2025Odyssey Education Group was shortlisted as a finalist for the SEN Supporter of the Year category in the EducationInvestor Awards 2025. This recognition highlights the organization's contribution to special educational needs provision.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hesley Group: Specialist education and care provider for autistic children and adults across the UK. Highly comparable on autism-focused residential and day school delivery, EHCP commissioning model, and integrated clinical-educational teams.
• Ambitious about Autism: UK charity operating specialist schools and post-16 provision (TreeHouse School, Ambitious College) for autistic pupils in London. Most directly comparable to Odyssey on autism-specific educational mission, small-class setting, and London footprint.
• Kedleston Group: Mid-sized UK specialist provider operating schools and homes for children with autism, SEMH, and complex needs. Comparable on autism-specific educational delivery, EHCP-funded placements, and multi-site clinical staffing model, though broader in scope.

Broad incumbents

• Priory Group: Large UK provider of specialist education, residential care, and mental health services, including SEND schools. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering EHCP-funded specialist placements across multiple UK regions, though far larger and diversified across health and care.
• National Autistic Society: UK charity that operates specialist schools and residential services for autistic people alongside advocacy and information work. Comparable on autism-specific educational provision (e.g., schools and outreach), though its mission is much broader.
• Witherslack Group: UK's largest specialist SEND school and care provider (private-equity backed), running dozens of schools including autism-specific and SEMH sites. Comparable as a scaled direct provider of EHCP-funded specialist placements, but operates across a far broader portfolio and geography.
• Cambian Group (CareTech): Large UK specialist education and behavioural health provider (now part of CareTech), with extensive autism and SEND school portfolio. Comparable as a broad incumbent in EHCP-funded specialist placements, but far larger and more diversified.

Emerging players

• Options for Autism: UK charity running specialist education and post-16 provision for autistic students. Comparable on autism-specific educational mission and EHCP-aligned delivery, though smaller in scale than Odyssey's group operating model.
• The Mendip School: Independent specialist school in Somerset catering to pupils with autism and associated difficulties, offering small classes and therapeutic approaches. Comparable on autism-focused curriculum and small-class delivery, though single-site and regional.

Regional players

• Sunfield School: Long-established autism-specialist day and residential school in Worcestershire serving pupils aged 6-19. Comparable on autism-only mission and therapeutic Waldorf-inspired approach, but operates from a single regional site rather than a multi-site group.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Odyssey Education Group