Berkshire College of Agriculture

What Berkshire College of Agriculture does

Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA) is a further education college located on a 400-acre campus in Burchetts Green, Maidenhead, United Kingdom, operating as a member of the Windsor Forest Colleges Group alongside Windsor College, Strodes College and Slough & Langley College. The institution delivers vocational, technical, and higher education courses spanning Entry Level through university-level qualifications, with subject areas across agriculture, animal management, equine studies, horticulture, arboriculture, early years, health and social care, sport, media, performing arts, motor vehicle, and land-based engineering. It also operates a 14-16 College Provision for feeder-school pupils and a Higher Education Fair with partner universities for degree progression.

BCA's core technology is commodity educational software: Google Classroom and Google Sites for learning management, an iPay cashless catering system, and standard online enrolment and application systems. There is no proprietary technology platform; the institution is a service-delivery organisation rather than a software business. It operates specialist facilities including an Equine Centre (50+ stables, BHS-approved 'Where to Train' centre), animal education centre, agricultural land, and a Georgian mansion available for corporate hire.

Revenue is generated through four streams: tuition fees for full-time and part-time vocational and higher education courses; employer-funded apprenticeship programmes supported by government incentives; corporate facility hire of conference and meeting spaces; and working livery services at the Equine Centre (4-day and 5-day packages). Pricing for academic courses is set per programme with discretionary bursaries for households below £35,000 income, transport passes are tiered by zone (£480-£570 per term), and livery packages range from £65-£85 weekly. The college reaches students through a subsidised 18-route, 115-stop transport network from 10 mainline railway stations serving Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West London, combined with school liaison programmes, open days, and active social media presence across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

Name

Berkshire College of Agriculture

Legal name

Berkshire College of Agriculture

Website

https://bca.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Berkshire College of Agriculture is a UK further education college on a 400-acre campus in Maidenhead, delivering vocational, technical and higher education courses across land-based and care sectors to school leavers, apprentices, employers and higher education learners within the Windsor Forest Colleges Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further and Higher Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

Keywords

• Vocational education
• Further education
• Land-based training
• Apprenticeship programmes
• T Level qualifications

Headquarters

HQ city

Maidenhead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Revenue from full-time and part-time course fees for vocational, technical, and higher education programs ranging from Entry Level to university-level qualifications. Financial support available through bursaries for eligible students.
2. Apprenticeship Programs: Employer-funded apprenticeship training programs where businesses contribute to training costs and receive government incentives for hiring apprentices.
3. Corporate Facility Hire: Hiring out college facilities including conference rooms, classrooms, lecture theatre, and the Georgian mansion for corporate events, meetings, and conferences.
4. Working Livery Services: Horse livery services at the Equine Centre including 4-day and 5-day working livery packages with care, feed, and facilities access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BCA is a further education college delivering vocational, technical, and higher education courses from Entry Level through to university-level qualifications across 25+ subject areas including agriculture, animal management, equine studies, horticulture, early years, health and social care, and land-based engineering. The college provides T Levels, apprenticeships, foundation degrees validated by the University of Reading, and short vocational programmes on a 400-acre campus with specialist facilities. Supplementary income streams include corporate hire of conference facilities and an Equine Centre offering working livery and riding lessons.

Product overview

Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA) is a vocational and higher education college offering a portfolio of career-focused technical and practical courses. The college provides T Level programs (Agriculture, Animal Care, Early Years, Health & Care), apprenticeships, foundation degrees, and landbased training across disciplines including agriculture, animal management, equine studies, horticulture, and more. The institution operates a 400-acre campus with specialist facilities including an Equine Centre, animal education centre, and corporate hire venues. BCA functions as a single unified educational institution with multiple course offerings rather than a platform-plus-modules software architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• T Level Qualifications in Agriculture A two-year Level 3 programme covering core agricultural knowledge and Livestock Production specialist content, including skills for working with cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry. Designed for post-GCSE school leavers seeking careers in agriculture.
• T Level in Animal Care and Management Level 3 qualification covering animal biology, behaviour, nutrition, enclosure design, welfare, and ethics, assessed through exams, synoptic assignments, and an industry placement. For students seeking careers in animal care and management sectors.
• T Level Qualification in Early Years Level 3 qualification providing knowledge, skills, and behaviours for employment or higher-level training in the education and childcare sector, with two occupational specialisms: Early Years Educator and Assisting Teaching.
• T Level Health & Care - Supporting the Adult Nursing Team NCFE Level 3 qualification preparing students for work, apprenticeships, or higher education in health and social care, including nursing, midwifery, social work, and paramedic science pathways.
• Equine Centre Services Equestrian facility with over 50 horse stabling capacity, British Horse Society approved as a 'Where to Train' centre up to BHSAI, offering working livery packages and riding lessons to horse owners and equestrian clients.
• Corporate Facility Hire Conference and meeting space hire in a Georgian mansion setting, offering rooms including the William East Room (capacity 130), Jacob Banks Room (capacity 120), Conference Hall (capacity 250), and Lecture Theatre (capacity 69+) for corporate events, meetings, and conferences.
• Apprenticeships Apprenticeship programmes across land-based sectors including agriculture, horticulture, animal management, and agricultural engineering, with industry-standard workshop training. Delivered in partnership with hundreds of UK employers through the Windsor Forest Colleges Group.
• Landbased Training Practical skills programmes covering forestry, landscaping, estate management, and turf management, providing clear pathways into outdoor careers or further study.
• Foundation Degree in Children's Development and Learning Higher education foundation degree validated by the University of Reading, designed for early years and education practitioners, delivered through lectures, tutorials, seminars, and work-based learning.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% pass rate in Social Science and Education (29% above national average)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Apprenticeship Week Employer PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Annual event celebrating National Apprenticeship Week with employer partners including John O'Connor, Stanley Black and Decker, Jobs in Arb, North Hants Golf Club, BBC, We are Landbased, Elite Landscapes, HortWeek, Lantra, BALI, Frilford Heath Golf Club and Krinkels. Employers engage with prospective apprentices to explore apprenticeship pathways.
• Krinkels UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2026Partnership between Windsor Forest Colleges Group Apprenticeships Team and Krinkels UK to provide apprentices with hands-on experience in grounds maintenance, sports & leisure facilities, education, public spaces, arboriculture and more. Krinkels delivers high-quality services across multiple sectors and the partnership aims to inspire and support the next generation of professionals.
• Garden on a RollminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGarden on a Roll delivered a hands-on workshop at BCA for horticulture apprentices and full-time students, providing valuable insight into professional landscaping techniques and industry expectations.
• North Hants Golf ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerApprenticeship Greenkeeping students enjoyed educational visit to North Hants Golf Club hosted by Master Greenkeeper Sam Evans, gaining insight into modern turf management including bunker maintenance, fertilisation programmes, ecology, irrigation systems, and machinery operations.
• Higher Education Fair University PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversities and organisations participating in BCA's Higher Education Fair including Bath Spa University, Bournemouth University, Buckinghamshire New University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Hartpury University, Oxford Brookes University, Royal Agricultural Society of England, Royal Holloway, University of Reading, and others to support student progression to higher education.
• University of ReadingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher Education validating partner for Foundation Degrees including Children's Development and Learning. The University validates BCA's higher education programmes, allowing students to earn university-recognised qualifications at the college.
• ZSL Whipsnade ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZSL Whipsnade Zoo provided Quilliam, a young male porcupine, to join BCA Zoo's resident porcupine Denzil for social enrichment and natural behaviour encouragement.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Writtle University College: Essex-based land-based HE institution offering agriculture, animal science, horticulture, sport and equine undergraduate and postgraduate degrees; mirrors BCA's Foundation Degree / HE-within-FE positioning.
• Plumpton College: UK land-based further education college in East Sussex offering agriculture, animal management, horticulture, equine and related vocational and apprenticeship programmes — the closest direct geographic and curricular peer to BCA's land-based focus.
• Myerscough College: North West England land-based FE and HE college covering agriculture, animal care, sport, horticulture and arboriculture with strong apprenticeship offer; direct curricular peer despite different geography.
• Reaseheath College: Cheshire land-based college with agriculture, animal management, horticulture, sport and equine specialisms plus HE pathways; operates on a comparable campus scale and apprenticeship model.
• Capel Manor College: Greater London land-based FE college specialising in animal management, horticulture, arboriculture and landscape design; closest Greater London-area peer competing for similar South East catchment.
• Moulton College: Northamptonshire FE college with agriculture, animal welfare, sport and land-based vocational pathways; comparable institutional size and curriculum mix to BCA.
• Hadlow College: Kent-based land-based college offering agriculture, animal management, equine, horticulture and land-based engineering; comparable in scale, curriculum breadth, and apprenticeship-driven employer engagement.
• Hartpury University: Gloucestershire specialist land-based institution with agriculture, animal, equine and sport provision across FE, HE and apprenticeship; competes for HE progression of land-based students similar to BCA.
• Bishop Burton College (part of Hull College Group): East Yorkshire land-based FE college offering agriculture, animal management, sport, horticulture and land-based engineering; comparable scale, curriculum portfolio and apprenticeship-heavy revenue model.
• Sparsholt College (part of Andover and Sparsholt College Group): Southern England land-based FE college with strong agriculture, animal management, horticulture, sport and arboriculture provision plus extensive campus estate; operates similar apprenticeship and T Level programmes to BCA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xyoutube.com/channel/UCCFMzp5KV0lxhtUGwHiokTg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCFMzp5KV0lxhtUGwHiokTg
• Facebookfacebook.com/@berkshirecollege
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/berkshire-college-of-agriculture
• Instagraminstagram.com/bca_college
• TikToktiktok.com/@windsorforestcolleges

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Berkshire College of Agriculture