What Burnley College does

Burnley College is a UK further education institution headquartered in Burnley, Lancashire, serving the Lancashire region with a multi-level educational portfolio spanning school leavers, apprentices, university students, and adult learners. The college operates through distinct product divisions: a Sixth Form Centre delivering 42 A Level subjects, vocational study in 17 areas, and seven T Levels; Themis, its apprenticeship arm providing employer-facing work-based training; BCUC (Burnley College University Courses) offering foundation degrees, HNC/HND, and top-up degrees via university partnerships with the University of Central Lancashire and University of Bolton; and Adult Learning programmes including Access courses, ESOL, online learning, and ELCAS-approved courses for military leavers. Ancillary operations include Fitness Evolution, a beauty training salon, and BC Juniors Dance Academy for ages 3-11.

The underlying technology is traditional educational delivery — physical campus facilities, an online learning platform for adult learners, and curriculum co-designed with employers through the Lancashire and Cumbria Institute of Technology consortium. Documented operational performance includes a 99.6% A Level pass rate, 98.7% T Level pass rate, and 98.8% vocational pass rate, with an Ofsted 'Good' rating under the 2025 Education Inspection Framework and QAA Membership. The college holds multiple accreditations including Investors in Diversity Bronze, Rainbow Flag Award, Mental Health Charter, and OCR Ambassador Centre status, and operates with 251-500 employees.

The business model is primarily government-funded through ESFA further education allocations and apprenticeship levy income, supplemented by student fees for adult learners and employer contributions for apprenticeship training. Distribution is direct via on-campus enrollment, an online application portal, and field sales to employers through Themis. Customer concentration is inherently low given the diversified learner base and government revenue dependence. The college reports no parent company, no external funding rounds, and is governed by a Board of Governors under Principal and CEO Jason Faulkner.

Name

Burnley College

Legal name

Burnley College

Website

https://burnley.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Burnley College is a UK further education college in Burnley, Lancashire, delivering A Levels, T Levels, vocational qualifications, apprenticeships (via Themis), and university courses (via BCUC) to school leavers, adult learners, apprentices, and local employers across Lancashire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further and Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Further education college
• Vocational training programs
• Apprenticeship services
• Higher education courses
• A level programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Burnley College is a further and higher education institution in Burnley, Lancashire, delivering A Level, T Level, vocational, apprenticeship, and university-level (BCUC) qualifications. It operates the Themis apprenticeship arm for employer-led work-based training and offers adult learning, access courses, and industry-aligned technical education through the Lancashire and Cumbria Institute of Technology partnership.

Product overview

Burnley College is a further and higher education institution offering a multi-brand portfolio of educational products and services. The core offerings include the Sixth Form Centre (A Levels, T Levels, and vocational programs), Themis Apprenticeships (work-based training), BCUC university-level courses (foundation degrees, HNC/HND, and degree top-ups), Adult Learning (access courses, online learning, professional qualifications), and the Lancashire and Cumbria Institute of Technology (technical education). Additional services include BC Juniors Dance Academy for children and a Beauty Services training salon. The institution operates across school leavers, adult learners, and business customers seeking workforce development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Themis: The apprenticeship training arm of Burnley College, providing expert training and recruiting apprentices for businesses.
• BCUC

Products and services

• Sixth Form Centre Post-GCSE education programs including 42 A Level subjects, vocational studies in 17 key areas, and seven industry-related T Levels for school leavers aged 16-18.
• Themis Apprenticeships Apprenticeship training programs connecting employers with apprentices across various industries, providing work-based learning and qualifications including degree apprenticeships.
• BCUC (Burnley College University Courses) Higher education programs including foundation degrees, HNC/HND qualifications, and top-up degrees in partnership with universities, offering Level 4-6 qualifications.
• Adult Learning Continuing education courses for adults including access courses, online learning, ELCAS-approved courses, ESOL, and hobby/leisure courses for career progression or personal development.
• Lancashire and Cumbria Institute of Technology (IoT) Technical education partnership delivering industry-aligned technical education with industry-standard facilities in partnership with colleges, universities, and employers.
• BC Juniors Dance Academy Dance program for children aged 3-11 offering instruction in street dance, ballet, and other styles.
• Beauty Services Training salon offering beauty treatments performed by learners, providing practical experience and serving the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.6% A Level pass rate
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Velocity CompositescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVelocity Composites, a supplier of composite material kits for aerospace manufacturers, partners with Burnley College for workforce development. Velocity Composites invests in workforce development through partnerships with educational institutions like Burnley College and T-Level programs to address the skilled engineering shortage in UK manufacturing. The partnership provides training opportunities for students and helps maintain employment within the UK aerospace sector.
• Lancashire and Cumbria Institute of Technology (IoT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lancashire and Cumbria Institute of Technology is a partnership of leading colleges, universities and employers working together to deliver high-quality technical education aligned to industry needs. Burnley College is part of this partnership which co-designs curriculum with employers, ensuring courses are relevant and focused on skills required for jobs of today and the future.
• Burnley Football Club U21s Women's AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBurnley Football Club and Fitness Evolution at Burnley College have teamed up to offer a programme for young women in their pursuit of football excellence. The partnership provides sports training and development opportunities through Fitness Evolution facilities.
• Sale Sharks Women's U21s Rugby ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSale Sharks Women and Fitness Evolution at Burnley College have partnered to offer a programme for young women in their pursuit of rugby excellence. The partnership provides sports training through college facilities.
• University PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBurnley College (BCUC) offers university-level courses through partnerships with universities. The college provides degree programs and top-up degrees including partnerships with University of Central Lancashire and University of Bolton for various degree programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lifetime Training: UK-wide apprenticeship provider delivering funded apprenticeship programmes across multiple sectors; directly comparable to Burnley's Themis apprenticeship business and a competitive benchmark.
• Hopwood Hall College: Greater Manchester further education college delivering A Levels, vocational qualifications, T Levels and apprenticeships; comparable size and curriculum structure to Burnley, with overlapping recruitment geography in the North West.
• New College Durham: North East England FE college with a similar portfolio of A Levels, T Levels, vocational qualifications, apprenticeships and higher education; a useful scale and operating-model benchmark outside Lancashire.
• Babington: UK apprenticeship and professional training provider serving employers and learners; overlaps directly with Themis in apprenticeship recruitment and delivery.
• Accrington and Rossendale College: East Lancashire FE college delivering A Levels, vocational study, apprenticeships and adult learning within ~10 miles of Burnley; directly competes for the same school-leaver and employer-apprenticeship pool.
• Blackburn College: Lancashire FE college with a comparable product mix including A Levels, T Levels, vocational pathways and university-level courses (University Centre at Blackburn College), operating in the same regional labour market.
• Lancaster and Morecambe College: Lancashire-based FE college offering A Levels, vocational courses and apprenticeships with higher-education progression routes; comparable institutional profile and mission to Burnley College.
• Nelson and Colne College: Further education college in Nelson, Lancashire, offering A Levels, vocational qualifications, T Levels and apprenticeships to the same East Lancashire 16-18 and adult learner catchment as Burnley College.
• Riverside College (Halton): North West FE college offering vocational pathways, apprenticeships and adult learning; comparable to Burnley's Themis/BCUC-adjacent provision and useful for apprenticeship revenue benchmarking.

Others

• University of Central Lancashire (UCLan): Lancashire university partner of BCUC, validating Burnley's degree-level provision; useful comparable for HE quality and progression outcomes rather than a direct competitor in FE/apprenticeships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/burnleycollege
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/burnleycollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/burnleycollege
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/burnley-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/burnleycollege
• TikToktiktok.com/@burnleycollegeofficial

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 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 Burnley College