Orbital Education

What Orbital Education does

Orbital Education is a UK-based, founder-led operator of international schools, founded in 2008 by Kevin McNeany and headquartered in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. The group directly owns and operates 13 British-curriculum international schools across four continents — Europe (UK, Spain, Hungary, Slovenia, Albania), Asia (China), the Middle East (Qatar), and the Americas (Mexico, Ecuador) — educating over 7,500 students from 128 nationalities and supported by 900+ educators. The portfolio is built through an acquisition-led, brand-retained model: each acquired school keeps its local name, cultural identity, and language while Orbital's central UK team provides governance, educational leadership, and shared best-practice support.

Revenue is generated almost entirely from recurring tuition and school fees paid by international families seeking a British-based education pathway (IGCSE and onward to university), making the model a subscription-style, multi-jurisdiction consumer business rather than a software or licensing venture. The go-to-market is dual: a top-of-funnel corporate website and news presence attract prospective families, while a dedicated school-acquisitions landing page invites private school owners to sell into the group — a clearly defined enterprise field-sales motion. Recent company news (TES shortlist, MUN Budapest, IGCSE success at United School International Doha) and awards recognition (Altaris Rising Star finalist 2026) support marketing and student recruitment.

Growth is balance-sheet-funded rather than equity-funded: Orbital has secured two HSBC UK debt facilities — an initial package in January 2023 and a materially larger eight-figure deal with increased credit facilities in July 2025 — explicitly earmarked for further school acquisitions across Europe, Asia, North America, and South America, with recent deals already completed in Spain. The legal entity is Orbital Education Ltd, a private UK limited company, with no disclosed external equity investors or parent company.

Name

Orbital Education

Legal name

Orbital Education Ltd

Website

https://orbitaled.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Orbital Education is a UK-based operator of 13 British-curriculum international schools across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas, educating over 7,500 students from 128 nationalities through an acquisition-led, brand-retained portfolio model funded primarily by HSBC UK debt facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

Keywords

• International K-12 education
• British curriculum schools
• Private school group
• IGCSE international schools
• School acquisition platform

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. International School Operations: Orbital Education generates revenue through operating a portfolio of international schools. The company educates over 7,500 students across 13 schools spanning Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North and South America. Revenue is derived from tuition and school fees for educational services.
2. School Acquisitions: Orbital Education grows its portfolio by acquiring existing private schools worldwide. Following HSBC funding, the company has expanded its acquisition strategy with an eight-figure funding deal and increased credit facilities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Orbital Education owns, governs, and operates a portfolio of 13 international K-12 schools across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North and South America, delivering British-curriculum international education (including IGCSE) to over 7,500 students from 128 nationalities. The group acquires existing private schools worldwide, retains their local brand identity and cultural roots, and provides central leadership, governance, and educational best-practice support from its UK headquarters.

Product overview

Orbital Education is a global education management group operating 13 internationally acclaimed schools across four continents (Europe, Asia, Middle East, North and South America). The company operates as a platform-plus-acquired-brands model, where the central Orbital Education team provides leadership, governance, and educational expertise while maintaining each acquired school's distinct brand identity, local culture, and language. The portfolio includes schools under brands such as Britannica International School, British International School, British School, Colegio Alminar, Colegio CEDES, International Montessori School of Albania, World Academy, Magno International School, and United School International. The group educates over 7,500 students from 128 nationalities, supported by 900+ educators, and sends graduates to high-quality universities worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Baleares International College, Palma (Sa Porrassa Campus)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,500 students educated from 128 nationalities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nord Anglia Education: One of the world's largest premium international school groups operating British/international curricula globally. Directly comparable to Orbital Education in target customer (international/expats), curriculum (IGCSE/IB), and acquisition-driven growth model, but at significantly larger scale.
• Cognita Schools: Global private school group operating 100+ schools across multiple countries with a mix of British and international curricula. Directly comparable to Orbital in operating model (acquired-brand portfolio, central governance) and customer segment.
• GEMS Education: Dubai-based international K–12 operator with a large global footprint across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Closely comparable to Orbital in premium international curriculum offering and acquisition-led growth, though at much larger scale.
• International Schools Partnership (ISP): Global group of premium international schools operating across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Directly comparable to Orbital in business model (acquisition roll-up of private schools) and customer type.
• Globeducate: International education group operating premium schools across Europe, Asia, and the Americas under multiple brands. Directly comparable in portfolio-acquisition strategy and British/international curriculum delivery.
• Dukes Education: UK-headquartered group of schools operating across multiple geographies with a premium private-school positioning. Comparable to Orbital in private K–12 focus and acquisition-led expansion.
• Esol Education: International K–12 school operator with a strong footprint across the Middle East and Mediterranean offering British and IB curricula. Directly comparable to Orbital in international school focus and premium positioning.
• Bellevue Education: International private school group operating premium British-curriculum schools across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Closely comparable to Orbital in offering, geography, and target customer.

Emerging players

• British Schools Foundation: Network of British international schools across Europe, the Middle East, and South America. Comparable to Orbital in curriculum (British/IGCSE) and emerging-markets focus, though a smaller, non-profit-style operator.
• Maple Bear Global Schools: International school franchise/group with a presence across Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. Comparable to Orbital in international K–12 offering in emerging markets, though more franchise-led than Orbital's owned-and-operated model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/orbitaled
• Facebookfacebook.com/Global.Orbital.Education

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Orbital Education