What Hills Road Sixth Form College does

Hills Road Sixth Form College is a state-funded further education college located on Hills Road in Cambridge, United Kingdom (CB2 8PE). Founded in September 1974 on the site of the former Cambridgeshire High School for Boys, it has operated continuously for five decades and transitioned to governance under the newly established Hills Education Trust on 1 September 2025. The College employs approximately 250 teaching and support staff and serves as a specialist A level provider for students aged 16-18, offering over 20 A level subjects alongside the Future Ready Programme, Extended Project Qualification, and a broad Enrichment programme.

Core products and services span four operational lines. First, the A level programme delivers specialist secondary education with a stated 100% progression to higher education and 100% A*-B pass rate in 2024. Second, an Adult Education division offers over 90 part-time courses across counselling (Levels 1-4), 15 languages, art and design, ESOL, business, and recreational topics, plus a Summer School. Third, the College is a registered national exam centre welcoming external candidates for A level, GCSE, and Pearson iGCSE exams. Fourth, ancillary revenue is generated through room, theatre, and Sports & Tennis Centre hire during non-term times. Underlying technology includes digital learning platforms, VR headsets for immersive A level Geography fieldwork (funded via the Local Skills Improvement Fund), a Bring Your Own Device policy, a College System login portal, and WisePay for digital payments.

The business model is predominantly government-funded: as a state-funded sixth form college, the 16-18 A level programme is funded through per-pupil grants and therefore represents subscription-style recurring revenue. Adult Education course fees (paid in full at booking, with Direct Debit available for Level 3-4 counselling) provide transactional revenue. External exam entry fees and venue hire generate transactional fees. The College reinvests surpluses into its educational mission; it is not-for-profit and does not have external shareholders. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer across the Cambridgeshire region via the website, open days, Getting Started induction events, careers events, and community engagement, supplemented by alumni communications through LinkedIn and a dedicated alumni portal.

Name

Hills Road Sixth Form College

Legal name

Hills Road Sixth Form College

Website

https://hillsroad.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Hills Road Sixth Form College is a state-funded further education college in Cambridge, UK, delivering A level programmes to 16-18 students, part-time adult education across 90+ courses, and external exam and venue hire services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Honors & Advanced Coursework Tutoring (non-AP/IB) (EDANAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gifted, Advanced & Acceleration Centers (Honors/AP/IB Enrichment) (EDANAHAL)

Keywords

• Sixth form education
• A level programmes
• Adult education courses
• Further education college
• Examination centre services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-funded 16-18 Education: As a state-funded sixth form college, Hills Road receives government funding for students aged 16-18 undertaking A level programmes. This covers the core educational delivery for the main student body.
2. Adult Education Course Fees: Part-time Adult Education courses generate fee revenue from adult learners. Courses span counselling, languages, art and design, business, and recreational activities. Payment is made in full at booking, with Direct Debit available for Level 3 and 4 counselling courses.
3. External Exams Centre: Hills Road is a registered national exam centre welcoming external candidates for A level, GCSE, and Pearson iGCSE exams. Exam entry fees apply for external candidates and resit students.
4. Venue and Facility Hire: The College generates revenue through room hire, theatre hire, and Sports & Tennis Centre hire to external parties during non-term times.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hills Road Sixth Form College is a state-funded further education institution in Cambridge delivering specialist A level study programmes for students aged 16-18, supplemented by an extensive Adult Education division offering over 90 part-time courses across counselling, languages, art and design, ESOL, business, and recreation. The College also operates a registered national exam centre for external candidates and hires out its rooms, theatre, and Sports & Tennis Centre to external parties.

Product overview

Hills Road Sixth Form College operates as a specialist A level college for students aged 16-18, offering over 20 A level subjects complemented by the Future Ready Programme, Extended Project Qualification, and Enrichment activities. The college also provides an extensive Adult Education division offering over 90 part-time courses including counselling qualifications, 15 language courses (Ancient Greek through Ukrainian), art and design, ESOL, business, and recreational programmes. Supporting services include an Exams Centre for external candidates, Sports and Tennis Centre hire, room/theatre hire, and a Bursary Fund for financial support. The college celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024 and was rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted in 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A Level Programme Specialist A level college offering a wide range of A level courses for students aged 16-18, supported by enrichment opportunities and the Future Ready Programme, preparing students for higher education, employment, or apprenticeships.
• Adult Education Courses

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of students progressed to higher education after leaving Hills Road in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hills Education TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025The Hills Education Trust launched on 1 September 2025 for the purpose of delivering high quality progression pathways at 16 and 18. It provides governance and strategic oversight for the College's educational mission and is directly connected to Hills Road's operations.
• National PedTech PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025The National PedTech Partnership is a two-year research and development programme launched in June 2025 involving over 750 schools, 250,000 students, and 22,000 staff across the UK. It focuses on improving the use of digital technology in teaching and learning with a 'pedagogy-first' approach. Hills Road participates through Tim Hallas (Head of Digital Pedagogy) who represents post-16 education perspectives.
• The Maple GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Hills Road is a founding member of The Maple Group, a partnership of leading sixth form colleges in England formed in January 2013 to share good practice and work together on important issues for the mutual benefit of their students.
• Babraham InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Babraham Institute hosted a Sixth Form Conference where Hills Road student Amira Bakkouche won first place for her AI and biology research presentation. The partnership provides real-world research experience for biology students.
• Cambridge Judge Business SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHills Road student Nandha Sethiaseelan worked on a voice modelling project at Cambridge Judge Business School, providing real-world academic experience for the student.
• Turtle DoveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurtle Dove is a Cambridge-based social enterprise supporting young women aged 14-24 in Cambridgeshire who face barriers to education, employment, or training. Hills Road welcomed the organisation for an International Women's Day 2026 talk, aligning with the College's EDIB (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging) values.
• EppendorfminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEppendorf donated industry-standard laboratory equipment to benefit Biology students at Hills Road, enhancing practical science education.
• Flight Free SchoolsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHills Road students led filming for the Flight Free Schools campaign, a national sustainability initiative. The partnership supports the College's environmental and sustainability agenda.
• The Queen's College, University of OxfordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Queen's College Translation Exchange runs the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators, in which Hills Road students Maisie Fraser and Maggie Boyd received national recognition, connecting the College with Oxford's academic community.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Peter Symonds College: One of the largest and most consistently Ofsted-Outstanding sixth form colleges in England (Winchester). Directly comparable specialist A level model, large enrichment programme, and similar high-attainment student profile.
• Long Road Sixth Form College: Also a specialist A level sixth form college located in Cambridge. Directly comparable: same age cohort (16-18), same A level focus, same Cambridge catchment, and competing for the same local applicant pool.
• Barton Peveril Sixth Form College: A leading state-funded sixth form college in Eastleigh. Comparable specialist A level college with strong Ofsted record, broad A level subject range, and similar enrichment/community ethos to Hills Road.
• Cardinal Newman College: A high-attainment Catholic sixth form college in Preston. Comparable in the A level specialism, enrichment model, and consistently strong university progression outcomes that Hills Road highlights in its value proposition.
• Cambridge Regional College: A further education college based in Cambridge offering A levels alongside vocational pathways. Comparable in geography and mission, with a broader vocational mix that overlaps with Hills Road's Adult Education portfolio.
• The Sixth Form College, Farnborough: Specialist A level sixth form college serving north Hampshire. Comparable delivery model (full-time A level for 16-18), similar enrichment and progression focus, and analogous further-education funding profile.
• Richard Taunton Sixth Form College: Southampton-based sixth form college offering A levels and a small adult education offering. Comparable in scope, governance (similar trust structure), and reliance on state per-student funding.
• Queen Mary's College: Sixth form college in Basingstoke offering A levels and adult learning. Closely comparable state-funded sixth form with overlapping curriculum breadth and an adult education extension similar to Hills Road's.

Others

• Cambridge Assessment International Education: Adjacent ecosystem participant that administers Pearson iGCSE and related qualifications sitting at Hills Road's External Exams Centre. Relevant as a standards/infrastructure peer rather than a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• National Extension College: UK-based distance-learning provider offering A levels and GCSEs online. Adjacent competitor in the A level space, addressing students who cannot access in-person sixth form colleges like Hills Road.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hills-road-sixth-form-college
• Xx.com/hillsroadnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/HillsRoadNews

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Hills Road Sixth Form College