Affinity Workforce buys Mattracker in first move beyond staffing
What's the deal? Affinity Workforce SolutionsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired MattrackerDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the Leeds-based education training platform behind Training ToolzDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The deal, announced in September 2026 for an undisclosed sum, marks Affinity's first expansion beyond recruitment and staffing.
What changes? The acquisition brings Training SchoolzDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and CandidateGoDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → into the group. Training Schoolz has been rebranded as Affinity ElevateDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a platform helping schools and multi-academy trusts manage staff training, professional development, and compliance.
What's the endgame? Affinity wants to serve schools beyond hiring. It has also launched Affinity Elevate 360Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a trust-wide version giving multi-academy trusts oversight of training and compliance across multiple schools. CandidateGo will continue as a separate product, offering online training and compliance tools for education recruitment agencies.
Why now? The deal builds on Affinity's existing training offer. Its Affinity AcademyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → platform supported 894 candidates who completed courses during the last academic year.
"This acquisition is a natural next step for us," said Esme Bianchi-Barry, chief executive officer of Affinity WorkforceDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → Solutions. "We've spent years helping schools and trusts find the right people, and now we can help them keep those people trained, compliant and supported once they're in post."
Affinity's 2026 candidate satisfaction survey found that 77% of supply teachers surveyed would remain in education even if they left supply roles. The company also made The Sunday Times Best Places to Work list for a third consecutive year in 2026, recording an average happiness score of 86% in the Medium Organisation category.
The signal: Recruitment firms are moving up the value chain, turning one-off placements into longer relationships built on training and compliance. For Affinity, retaining trained staff — not just supplying them — is the next battleground in education staffing.
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