What Maiden Erlegh Trust does

Maiden Erlegh Trust is a UK multi-academy trust (MAT) operating 10 schools across Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. Its portfolio spans primary provision (Birch Hill Primary School and Nursery, Great Hollands Primary School, John Rankin Schools), secondary provision (Maiden Erlegh School, Maiden Erlegh School in Reading, Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge, River Academy), and specialist SEND/alternative provision (Hamilton School for SEMH, Oak Tree School for ASC, Cranbury College). The trust's flagship Maiden Erlegh School carries a 60-year academic tradition and serves over 1,800 students including 440 in Sixth Form. Across the network, the trust serves several thousand pupils with shared services, governance, and careers guidance delivered through the third-party Unifrog platform.

The trust operates under a charitable MAT structure with a CEO (Jonathon Peck), Trust Board, and School Advisory Boards. It is a member of the National Governance Association and the Confederation of School Trusts, and runs an affiliated Maiden Erlegh Institute for professional development. Operations are funded almost entirely by the UK Department for Education via per-pupil grants; no tuition fees are charged. The technology stack is conventional for the sector — school websites, learning platforms, and standard communications — with no proprietary software, APIs, or AI capabilities disclosed.

The trust's growth model is institutional and public-sector-led: it expands by integrating additional schools into the MAT (Great Hollands in July 2017, Birch Hill in December 2023, John Rankin Schools in January 2026) and by opening new specialist provision (Oak Tree School, September 2023). Distribution is direct through school catchment areas in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire; there is no commercial channel or productisation. Leadership changes in 2026 — including the appointment of Steve Jump as Director of Secondary Hub and an active DfE consultation on Cranbury College — signal continued structural consolidation rather than aggressive commercial expansion.

Name

Maiden Erlegh Trust

Legal name

Maiden Erlegh Trust

Website

https://maidenerleghtrust.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Maiden Erlegh Trust is a UK multi-academy trust operating 10 primary, secondary, and specialist schools across Berkshire and South Oxfordshire, serving several thousand students with government funding from the Department for Education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Earley

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, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As a multi-academy trust, Maiden Erlegh Trust receives government funding through the Department for Education to operate its schools. Funding is based on student numbers and educational outcomes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Maiden Erlegh Trust operates a network of 10 directly-run schools delivering primary, secondary and specialist (SEMH and ASC) education to children and young people in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. The trust also runs the Maiden Erlegh Institute for professional development, delivers statutory careers guidance via the Unifrog platform, and offers shared governance and central services to member schools. Services are provided free at the point of delivery, funded through Department for Education grants.

Product overview

Maiden Erlegh Trust is an educational multi-academy trust operating a network of 10 schools in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. The Trust provides primary, secondary, and specialist educational provision through its schools including Birch Hill Primary School and Nursery, Cranbury College, Great Hollands Primary School, Hamilton School (SEMH Special School), John Rankin Schools, Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge, Maiden Erlegh School, Maiden Erlegh School in Reading, Oak Tree School (ASC specialist), and River Academy. The Trust also includes Maiden Erlegh Institute for professional development. The schools operate under shared values of Aim High, Be Inclusive, and Work Together, with educational standards, careers guidance via Unifrog platform, and e-safety programs supporting students across the network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maiden Erlegh Trust School Network

Quantifiable outcome

• Maiden Erlegh School recognised in top 10% nationally for educational outcomes (SSAT Educational Outcomes Awards)

Segments2 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.

• Maiden Erlegh InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaiden Erlegh Institute is affiliated with the trust, providing educational development and training opportunities. It represents the trust's commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
• National Governance Association (NGA)minorOthersThe trust is associated with the National Governance Association, demonstrating commitment to ethical leadership and governance excellence in education.
• Confederation of School Trusts (CST)minorOthersAffiliation with CST demonstrates the trust's engagement with the broader MAT sector and commitment to educational leadership standards.
• UnifrogcoreTechnology or IntegrationUnifrog is the complete destinations platform used across all secondary schools within the trust to deliver statutory careers guidance. Students can compare university courses, explore apprenticeships, and track career planning.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Greenshaw Learning Trust: UK multi-academy trust operating a comparable mix of primary, secondary, and specialist provision across southern England. Closest in scale and structure to Maiden Erlegh Trust, making it a direct like-for-like comparator.
• Star Academies: UK MAT running primary, secondary, and specialist schools including alternative provision, with a published growth strategy. Comparable in combining mainstream and specialist provision under one trust banner.
• Reach Academy Trust: Smaller UK multi-academy trust operating a tight cluster of schools with strong outcomes focus. Comparable in mission-driven, outcomes-led approach but at smaller scale than Maiden Erlegh Trust.
• GLF Schools: Multi-academy trust operating a similar-sized network of primary and secondary schools in southern England with shared services and growth via school conversion. Highly comparable operating model and geographic proximity.

Broad incumbents

• Harris Federation: One of the largest UK MATs operating primary, secondary, and special schools across London and southern England with a strong track record of school improvement. Comparable structure but operates at a far larger scale.
• Oasis Community Learning: Large UK MAT operating primary, secondary, and alternative provision academies nationally with a community-hub operating philosophy. Closely comparable in mission and inclusion focus but at materially greater scale.
• Outwood Grange Academies Trust: Large UK MAT with a network of primary and secondary academies focused on educational improvement and shared services. Comparable model of trust-led school improvement, but materially larger and multi-region.
• United Learning: Very large UK MAT/state-school group running both academies and independent schools across England. Overlaps in operating model and shared services but operates at much greater scale and national footprint.
• Ark Schools: Larger UK MAT operating dozens of primary and secondary schools across multiple regions with an emphasis on outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Comparable governance and operating model but at materially greater scale and geographic spread.
• Academies Enterprise Trust (AET): One of the largest UK MATs with a national footprint of primary, secondary, and special academies. Comparable in operating model and inclusion of specialist provision but at substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries10 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 Maiden Erlegh Trust