the cam academy trust

What the cam academy trust does

The CAM Academy Trust is a UK multi-academy trust and not-for-profit company limited by guarantee (company number 0749 1945) registered in England and Wales, headquartered at Sheepfold Lane, Cambourne, Cambridge. It operates a network of schools in the Cambridgeshire area, with its primary constituent institution being Comberton Village College and Sixth Form — a secondary school delivering Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, A-Level, and BTEC Level 3 provision. The trust continues the village-college model envisioned by Henry Morris, extending the trust's reach beyond statutory secondary education through an Adult Education Programme delivered across Cambourne, Comberton, and Melbourn village colleges for lifelong learning, vocational skills, and personal enrichment.

The trust's technology stack is operational rather than proprietary. It runs a cashless catering system using unique pupil account cards integrated with card readers at the till, with online top-ups processed via the ParentPay platform. Parent communications run through Go4Schools and MyChildAtSchool, while pupil wellbeing is supported via the MeeToo anonymous support app and partnerships with organisations including the UK Safer Internet Centre, CEOP, the Internet Watch Foundation, and Cambridgeshire Police's Operation Encompass for safeguarding. A new SchoolLinx digital ticketing platform is being rolled out for the 2026-27 academic year to replace paper bus passes on the trust's dedicated Sixth Form transport routes, which cover St Neots, Gransden, Melbourn, Swavesey, Royston, and Potton.

The business model is dominated by per-pupil UK government grant funding, supplemented by ancillary revenue streams: paid school meals (average pupil spend £15-£20 per week), banded Sixth Form bus transport with annual, termly, and monthly payment options, a £5 Sixth Form parking permit, and fee-paying adult education courses. Pricing for ancillary services is publicly disclosed on the school website. Governance sits with a board of trustees supported by local advisory boards at each school, with Victoria Hearn serving as Principal. The trust is a private, non-listed entity with no venture or private equity ownership and no disclosed funding rounds; expansion to date appears organic and community-rooted.

Name

the cam academy trust

Legal name

The CAM Academy Trust

Website

https://combertonvc.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: As an Academy Trust, the organization receives per-pupil government funding for statutory education services. Funding is allocated based on pupil numbers and educational needs.
2. Catering Services: Revenue from paid school meals and catering services, with an average spend of £15-20 per week for pupils having school lunches. Additional revenue from catering cards and online payment processing fees.
3. Sixth Form Transport Services: Dedicated bus routes are operated for Sixth Form students across multiple geographic areas (St Neots, Gransden, Melbourn, Swavesey, Royston). Transport is priced by distance band (A, B, C, D) with annual, termly, and monthly payment options.
4. Adult Education Programme: Community education courses for adults including vocational skills, hobbies, and professional development, offered across multiple village colleges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The CAM Academy Trust operates secondary schools and a Sixth Form in Cambridgeshire, delivering Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, and post-16 education (A-Level, BTEC Level 3) at Comberton Village College. It also operates cashless catering services, dedicated Sixth Form bus transport across the Cambridgeshire region, an adult education programme across multiple village college sites, online safety education, and student wellbeing support including the MeeToo anonymous support app.

Product overview

The CAM Academy Trust operates a network of secondary schools providing comprehensive educational services. Its primary offering is Comberton Village College, which delivers Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 curricula alongside a Sixth Form providing A-Level, BTEC Level 3, additional studies, and enrichment programmes. The Trust supports operations through cashless catering and dedicated transport services with multiple bus routes. Community engagement is facilitated through adult education programmes and super-curricular activities using Padlet for subject-specific extension resources. Student welfare tools include the anonymous MeeToo app and comprehensive online safety education covering cyberbullying and social media safety.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comberton Village College (Secondary School) Secondary school and part of The CAM Academy Trust, providing Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, and Sixth Form education with A-Level and BTEC courses for students aged 11-18 in Cambridgeshire.
• Comberton Sixth Form Post-16 education offering A-Level, BTEC Level 3, additional studies, personal development, enrichment, and super-curricular programmes for students aged 16-18.
• Cashless School Meals Service School meal provision using a cashless catering system with unique account cards and till-side card readers, enabling online top-ups via ParentPay and discreet handling of Free School Meals for eligible pupils.
• Sixth Form Bus Transport Service Dedicated bus routes serving Sixth Form students from St Neots, Gransden, Melbourn, Swavesey, Royston, and Potton, with stops grouped into four pricing bands (A-D) and annual, termly, or monthly payment options.
• Adult Education Programme Community education courses for adults covering vocational skills, hobbies, and professional development, delivered at Cambourne, Comberton, and Melbourn Village Colleges.
• Online Safety Education Programme Comprehensive online safety guidance for students and parents covering cyberbullying, social media platforms, gaming safety, radicalisation prevention, and reporting tools, integrated with partner resources from UK Safer Internet Centre, Internet Matters, CEOP, and the National Cyber Security Centre.
• Super-Curricular Programme Subject-specific enrichment activities including trips, Padlet-based reading lists, seminars, lectures, and academic competitions to extend learning beyond the standard A-Level/BTEC curriculum.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cambridgeshire County Council (Children's Social Care)coreOthersPartnership for safeguarding and child welfare. During school holidays, the safeguarding team contacts Cambridgeshire Children's Social Care for child welfare concerns. Contact: 0345 045 5203 (office hours), 01733 234 724 (out of hours).
• Cambridgeshire PolicecoreOthersPartnership through Operation Encompass to identify and provide support to pupils who have experienced domestic abuse. Police share information on domestic incidents where pupils were present.
• ParentPaycoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline payment system provider enabling parents to credit cashless catering cards 24/7 using credit/debit cards. Payments are transferred straight into the school's bank account.
• Cambridge Area Partnership (CAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium of Cambridge area secondary schools coordinating admissions for students transitioning from Year 11 to post-16 education across member schools.
• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Safeguarding PartnershipcoreOthersMulti-agency partnership providing guidance and resources for child safeguarding, including shared procedures and reporting protocols for child exploitation concerns.
• The Anaphylaxis CampaignminorOthersPartnership for allergy awareness approach in school catering. Supports nut allergy awareness and education rather than blanket bans.
• Allergy UKminorOthersPartnership for allergy awareness approach in school catering. Provides guidance on supporting students with food allergies.
• UK Safer Internet CentrecoreOthersProvides online safety resources, advice, guides, and safety tools for families and educators. Referenced as a trusted organization for online safety guidance.
• Internet MatterscoreOthersProvides age-specific online safety guidance for parents. Referenced for resources on self-harm, critical thinking, and online safety trends.
• National Cyber Security CentrecoreOthersProvides protection guidance from phishing and data theft. Referenced as a trusted resource for cyber security best practices.
• CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection)coreOthersPolice command providing guidance on online child exploitation, CEOP report button for concerns, and safety centre resources for reporting abuse.
• Internet Watch FoundationcoreOthersOrganization providing a secure tool for young people to report nude images or videos shared online, enabling removal of such content.
• UCAScoreTechnology or IntegrationUniversity admissions service providing support for Sixth Form students applying to higher education. The school provides UCAS timeline guidance, personal statement resources, and links to university information.
• University of East Anglia (UEA)minorOthersPartnership providing a Higher Education Adviser who supports UCAS applications. UEA Resources include course guidance, personal statement workbook, and student finance guide.
• Cambridgeshire County Council TransportcoreOthersCouncil provides spare seats on public transport routes for eligible students and handles subsidized travel applications for low-income households.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust: Multi-academy trust operating secondary schools across the Cambridgeshire region, including members of the Cambridge Area Partnership (CAP). Direct peer because it competes for the same Year 11 → Sixth Form transition pool within CAP and serves overlapping Cambridgeshire geographies.
• Anglian Learning: Multi-academy trust running primary and secondary schools across the East of England including Cambridgeshire. Direct peer — comparable MAT structure, comparable state-funded secondary-and-Sixth-Form delivery model, overlapping regional catchment.
• Reach Academy Trust: UK multi-academy trust operating a secondary school plus primary provision, with a strong emphasis on extended-day and community-engagement models. Comparable in scale (single large secondary plus feeder primary) and in non-academic / community-service positioning.
• STEP Academy Trust: Multi-academy trust operating multiple schools in the South East of England. Direct peer — comparable MAT governance model, similar cross-school resource sharing, and comparable focus on secondary and post-16 provision.

Broad incumbents

• United Learning: Large national multi-academy trust operating a broad portfolio of state and independent schools across England. Broader incumbent — operates at materially greater scale, but offers overlapping state secondary and Sixth Form provision and is part of the same MAT competitive set for staff and pupil recruitment.
• Harris Federation: One of the UK's largest multi-academy trusts, running primary, secondary and all-through academies across London and the South East. Broader incumbent — same operating model (MAT, state secondary focus) at much larger scale; competes for share-of-voice on parental choice and staff recruitment.
• Oasis Community Learning: National multi-academy trust with a strong community-hub and safeguarding orientation across dozens of academies. Broader incumbent — directly comparable community-hub philosophy and pastoral/safeguarding positioning, but operates at national scale rather than single-region.
• Ormiston Academies Trust: Large national multi-academy trust running secondary and primary academies across England. Broader incumbent — comparable state-secondary focus, comparable cross-school shared-services structure, but at significantly larger national scale.
• E-ACT: National multi-academy trust operating primary, secondary and all-through academies across multiple English regions. Broader incumbent — comparable MAT governance and shared-service model, broader national footprint.
• Academies Enterprise Trust: Large national multi-academy trust operating primary and secondary academies across England. Broader incumbent — directly comparable state-secondary MAT model with shared back-office functions, though at materially larger scale and national geographic spread.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/combertonvillagecollege
• Instagraminstagram.com/combertonvc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 the cam academy trust