Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.8 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £71.0bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Academies dominate secondary education, in turn boosting industry concentration
- The Academies Act 2010 enabled all local-authority maintained schools in England to apply to become academies, providing them with more control over the curriculum, staff wages and budgets. Additionally, between February 2019 and January 2025, schools could receive a grant from the government worth up to £25,000 to spend on converting to an academy. This strong backing has seen the number of academies flourish in the industry.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Schools will fill less classroom seats
- Surging birth rates in the 2000s created a student enrolment surge that has moved through the education system. However, the birth rate has been falling fairly consistently since 2012-13, reducing primary enrolments and will start to hit secondary enrolments over the coming five years. With public funding largely influenced by pupil numbers, this presents a threat to revenue.
Biggest companies in the General Secondary Education in the UK
| Company | Market Share (%)
2026 | Revenue (£m)
2026 |
|---|---|---|
United Learning Trust | 448.5 | |
Lift Schools | 169.1 | |
Delta Academies Trust | 145.9 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Maintained schools, Special schools and Privately funded schools. Maintained schools is the largest segment of the General Secondary Education in the UK.
Trends and Insights
The majority of secondary schools are academies
- Academies are independent of local education authorities, receiving funding directly from the DfE and run by not-for-profit academy trusts. This model is only accepted in England. Some grammar schools are run as academies. They have the power to set their own curriculum, term times and control over staff wages. Some academies are supported by sponsors such as businesses, universities, faith groups or voluntary groups.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
The industry covers education at the secondary level. Secondary schools typically include years seven to 11 and may also include years 12 and 13, which are commonly known as sixth form. All-through schools, which combine primary and secondary education, are also included. The majority of secondary schools, such as grammar schools, non-selective comprehensive schools and academies, are state-funded, but the industry also includes privately funded independent schools.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom include Academies, Local authority maintained schools, Independent schools, Special schools, Faith schools, Free schools and Referral units.Companies
Companies covered in the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom include United Learning Trust, Lift Schools and Delta Academies Trust.Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom include independent school, maintained school, academy and ofsted.Industry Code
SIC 85.31 - General Secondary Education in the UK
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Government funding is underpinning growth. The government is pumping more money into schools and education in the UK, benefitting the industry.
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
The majority of secondary school pupils attend academies. The DfE funds academies but are independent of the LA, meaning they can set their own curricula, hours and wages.
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
The South East is full of schools. The region is home to a high number of privately funded schools, which is suitable for the region with the second-highest disposable income...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
The industry is highly fragmented. Because of the nature of the industry, no single secondary school provider accounts for more than 1% of revenue.
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
There are no major companies in the industry. Secondary schools are designed to serve local communities, so are distributed regionally in line with the UK population. This me...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of United Learning Trust's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Lift Schools's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Delta Academies Trust's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for United Learning Trust, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Lift Schools, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Delta Academies Trust, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Public-sector funding for pre-tertiary education influences performance. When there is more money pumped into secondary schools, they have more means to pay for things like r...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Most schools are not-for-profit. The majority of schools are supported by the government and therefore do not operate for profit; this keeps profit levels low. Wages and othe...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2019-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2019-2023)
- Assets (2019-2023)
- Liabilities (2019-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
The market size of the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom is £71.0bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 2,100 businesses in the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 3.6 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom?
The General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom?
The General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 1.8 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom are United Learning Trust, Lift Schools and Delta Academies Trust
What does the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom include?
Academies and Local authority maintained schools are part of the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom is United Learning Trust.
How competitive is the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is low and increasing in the General Secondary Education industry in the United Kingdom.
Methodology
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Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the UK include:
- Office for National Statistics
- Office for Budget Responsibility
- Bank of England
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
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