Who Owns King's InterHigh?

The history of King's InterHigh begins with the founding of InterHigh in 2004 as one of the United Kingdom's first online secondary schools. InterHigh was established to provide flexible, accredited British secondary education to students who could not attend traditional schools due to health conditions, geographic location, family circumstances, or other reasons. The school offered GCSE and A-Level qualifications through a fully online platform, allowing students to study from home or any location with internet access.

InterHigh grew steadily during the 2000s and 2010s, as broadband internet connectivity expanded and online learning platforms improved. The school developed a reputation for providing high-quality British secondary education in a flexible, supportive online environment. InterHigh's student body included students in the United Kingdom as well as international students seeking British qualifications from overseas.

In 2016, InterHigh was acquired by Wey Education PLC, a UK company that listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange (AIM: WEY) to fund its expansion in online education. Under Wey Education's ownership, InterHigh continued to grow its enrollment and expand its program offerings. Wey Education also operated Academy21, an online school focused on providing alternative provision education for students who were unable to attend mainstream schools.

King's College Online was a separate online school within Inspired Education Group's portfolio, offering British secondary education qualifications to students globally. Inspired Education Group had been expanding its premium private schools portfolio since its founding in 2013, acquiring schools across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

In May 2021, Inspired Education Group acquired Wey Education PLC, bringing InterHigh and Academy21 into the Inspired portfolio. The acquisition was valued at approximately 23 million pounds. The acquisition marked Inspired's strategic move into online education, complementing its existing portfolio of physical premium private schools.

In November 2021, Inspired merged InterHigh and King's College Online to create King's InterHigh, a combined online school brand that brought together the student bodies, faculty, and platforms of both schools. The merger created a larger, more comprehensive online school with enhanced resources and a broader program offering.

King's InterHigh received accreditation under the UK Department for Education's Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS), which was established to quality-assure online schools operating in the UK. The OEAS accreditation confirms that King's InterHigh meets the standards required for a quality online school, providing assurance to students and families about the school's educational quality.

The school has expanded its age range to serve students from age 7 (Year 3) through age 19 (Year 13), covering primary and secondary education. King's InterHigh offers the UK national curriculum, including Key Stage 2 (primary), Key Stage 3 (lower secondary), GCSE and IGCSE qualifications (upper secondary), and A-Level qualifications (sixth form). The school's qualifications are recognized by universities and employers in the United Kingdom and internationally.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the adoption of online learning globally, King's InterHigh has benefited from increased awareness and acceptance of online education as a viable alternative to traditional schooling. The pandemic demonstrated that high-quality education could be delivered effectively online, reducing the stigma previously associated with online schooling and expanding the potential market for King's InterHigh's services.