What pace academy trust does

PACE Academy Trust is a UK not-for-profit multi-academy trust (MAT) that operates four primary schools across South London and Surrey: Beecholme Primary in Mitcham (Merton), Chipstead Valley Primary in Coulsdon, Keston Primary in Old Coulsdon, and New Valley Primary in Purley. The trust was established in 2014 as Chipstead Valley Academy Trust with two founding schools, was renamed PACE Academy Trust in 2017, and expanded to a peak of five schools in 2018 before closing Stanford Primary in 2023 due to low pupil numbers. Its core offering is state-funded primary education (Early Years through Key Stage 2) for pupils and families, with revenue derived from government funding administered through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). The trust's pedagogical differentiation rests on a rights-respecting curriculum framework grounded in the UNICEF Convention on the Rights of the Child and its proprietary Core Threads Framework covering Safeguarding, Equity and Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing, Communication, Global Citizenship, and Digital Literacy.

Beyond its core educational operations, PACE operates three secondary service lines that monetise the trust's leadership expertise. The Primary PGCE – Lead Partner Pathway, delivered in partnership with Roehampton University, provides school-based initial teacher training with PGCE and QTS accreditation across EYFS, KS1 and KS2, awarding 60 masters-level credits upon completion. School Improvement Support offers executive leadership advisory services to external schools, covering performance development, Ofsted preparation, and leadership programmes. Coaching Services are provided by ICF-accredited staff (including CEO Zoe Harris) to educational professionals inside and outside the trust. The trust also operates free Local Informal Partnerships offering network meetings, moderation, curriculum projects, and DSL network meetings to nearby schools, functioning as a relationship-building channel for future MAT expansion.

The trust is governed by a board of trustees with committees covering Finance and Audit, Curriculum and Outcomes, and People, alongside local governing bodies for each school. Leadership comprises CEO Zoe Harris MBE (appointed September 2021, awarded MBE early 2025), COO Jo Grinter, and CFO Linda Weight (chartered accountant, joined 2015). The trust recruits staff through dedicated careers portals, the E-teach platform, and GOV.UK teacher training portals, and distributes services through school campuses, local authority admissions systems, Roehampton University, and community lettings of school facilities. Headcount data is not disclosed in source material.

Name

pace academy trust

Legal name

PACE Academy Trust

Website

https://paceacademytrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

PACE Academy Trust is a UK not-for-profit multi-academy trust operating four state-funded primary schools across South London and Surrey (Mitcham, Coulsdon, Old Coulsdon, Purley), serving pupils and families while also delivering teacher training, school improvement support, and coaching services to the wider educational community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative/Pedagogical Model Private Schools (Project-Based, Democratic, etc.) (EDAJABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• Primary education services
• Multi-academy trust
• Teacher training programmes
• School improvement support
• Coaching for educators

Headquarters

HQ city

Coulsdon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As an academy trust, PACE receives government funding through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to operate its primary schools. This public funding model supports the core educational operations across all four schools.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PACE Academy Trust is a non-profit multi-academy trust that operates four primary schools across South London and Surrey (Merton and Croydon boroughs). Beyond running schools, the trust delivers a school-based Primary PGCE teacher training programme in partnership with Roehampton University, and provides external school improvement, executive coaching, and informal local partnership services to other schools and educators.

Product overview

PACE Academy Trust operates as a partnership of four unique primary schools (Beecholme, Chipstead Valley, Keston, and New Valley) offering educational services rather than technology products. The trust's service portfolio includes a Primary PGCE teacher training programme delivered in partnership with Roehampton University, school improvement support services for external schools, coaching services for educational leaders, and informal partnership opportunities. The trust focuses on collaborative educational delivery rather than software or technology product development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beecholme Primary School One form of entry primary school with nursery provision in Mitcham (Merton), serving a diverse community with focus on inclusion and equity.
• Chipstead Valley Primary School Three form of entry primary school in Coulsdon with enhanced learning provision for children with physical and complex medical needs, plus a popular nursery.
• Keston Primary School Two form of entry primary school with nursery and extensive grounds including an indoor swimming pool in Old Coulsdon.
• New Valley Primary School One form of entry inclusive primary school in Purley with a family-oriented community ethos.
• Primary PGCE – Lead Partner Pathway School-based initial teacher training programme delivering PGCE with QTS accreditation, in partnership with Roehampton University, awarding 60 masters credits on completion.
• School Improvement Support Executive leadership and school improvement advisory services offered to external schools, including performance development, Ofsted preparation, school improvement planning, and middle/senior leadership development programmes.
• Coaching Services Professional coaching for educational leaders at various career stages, delivered by ICF-accredited and trained coaches, available to individuals inside and outside the trust.
• Local Informal Partnerships Free collaborative network opportunities for local schools, including moderation, curriculum projects, shared resources, DSL network meetings, and reciprocal learning walks.

Quantifiable outcome

• CEO Zoe Harris awarded MBE in early 2025 for services to education
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Roehampton UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACE Academy Trust works in partnership with Roehampton University to provide bespoke, school-based teacher training with PGCE and QTS accreditation. The Primary PGCE – Lead Partner Pathway is led by Chipstead Valley Primary School, with placements across multiple trust schools covering EYFS, KS1 and KS2 phases. Trainees receive 60 masters credits upon completion.
• Confederation of School Trusts (CST)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe trust references Confederation of School Trusts as a resource provider, directing schools considering MAT partnership to CST factsheets about the joining process and considerations. CST is the national organisation for school trusts in England.
• International Coaching Federation (ICF)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoe Harris is an accredited coach with the ICF, providing professional credibility for the trust's coaching services offered to educational professionals across settings inside and outside the trust.
• Local Schools NetworksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACE Academy Trust offers local informal partnerships with schools for network meetings, moderation, curriculum projects, shared resources, DSL network meetings, and reciprocal learning walks at no charge. This supports school improvement across the local education community.
• Department for Education (DfE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeacher training applications are processed through DfE platforms (Apply and Find). The trust's School Direct programme operates under DfE frameworks and guidelines for initial teacher training.
• UNICEF UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACE Academy Trust's curriculum and practices are firmly rooted in the UNICEF Convention on the Rights of the Child. This rights-respecting approach underpins everything the trust does, ensuring children's voices are heard, their wellbeing is prioritised, and their best interests are placed at the heart of decision-making.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Harris Federation: Largest primary and secondary MAT in the UK with a national footprint, running both primary and secondary academies. Comparable because it shares the multi-academy trust operating model, government per-pupil funding base, and teacher training infrastructure that PACE relies on.
• Oasis Academy Trust: National multi-academy trust operating primary, secondary, and all-through academies across England. Comparable as a values-led MAT with a similar hub-and-spoke structure serving state-funded school communities.
• United Learning: Large non-profit MAT and independent schools group operating across England. Comparable as a multi-academy trust with shared central services, teacher development pathways, and a focus on school improvement support.
• ARK Schools: National education charity running a network of primary and secondary academies. Comparable as a values-driven, non-profit MAT with central school improvement functions and a focus on serving disadvantaged communities.
• Academies Enterprise Trust (AET): One of the largest MATs in England operating primary, secondary, and special schools. Comparable as a non-profit trust running government-funded academies with shared back-office and school improvement services.

Direct peers

• REAch2 Academy Trust: Primary-focused multi-academy trust operating dozens of primaries across England. Comparable because it targets a similar primary-only scope, similar school sizes, and offers comparable school improvement and ITT services.
• GLF Schools: Multi-academy trust with a significant primary footprint in South East England, including Surrey and South London. Comparable as a regionally clustered primary MAT competing for the same pupil population and partner schools.
• TKAT (The Kemnal Academies Trust): Large primary-and-secondary MAT with a strong South East England footprint. Comparable because it serves a similar mix of urban and suburban primary schools under one trust structure with shared services.
• Inspire Partnership Academy Trust: Small multi-academy trust operating a handful of primary schools in the South of England. Comparable as a similarly sized primary MAT pursuing collaborative school improvement and shared central services.

Regional players

• LDBS (London Diocesan Board for Schools) Academies Trust: London-based MAT operating Church of England primary and secondary schools across multiple boroughs including South London. Comparable as a primary-focused regional MAT with similar governance and admissions routes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/paceschooltrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pace-academy-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries4 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 pace academy trust