St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College

What St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College does

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College is a voluntary academy Catholic secondary school and sixth form located in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1900 by Fr Arthur Hinsley (later Cardinal Hinsley), the college traces its origins to St Bede's Catholic Grammar School and operates across two physical sites: Ignis (Lower School, Cunliffe Road, BD8 7AP) and Ardor (Upper School, Highgate, BD9 4BQ), serving students aged 11-18 across Key Stages 3, 4, and Sixth Form. Its ethos is anchored in the motto 'Christus Lumen Gentium' (Christ Light of the Nations) and reinforced by a structured virtues programme (reflection, autonomy, courage, service, aspiration, self-control), a Christus Lumen Gentium Diploma, and a five-house pastoral system (St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke, St John, St Paul). The college offers GCSEs, A-Levels, BTECs, and vocational pathways including Hair and Barbering and Hospitality and Catering, and integrates students into the wider Catholic parish network through chaplaincy, retreats, and pilgrimages.

The technology stack is anchored by Microsoft Office 365 (with college-issued @sbsj.co.uk accounts, Microsoft Teams, and 2FA/MFA security), the Arbor student information management system (providing parents real-time access via web and mobile app), Adobe Creative Cloud for students in years 8-13, the Accessit library system, and an SBSJ Online Learning Hub that bundles Teams, GCSEPod, and Seneca Learning. The sixth form operates as a separate sub-brand, St Benedict's, with its own digital presence (stbenedicts.sbsj.co.uk), a student newspaper, and an encyclical newspaper. Marketing is conducted primarily through the college website (sbsj.co.uk, designed and hosted by Greenhouse School Websites), Microsoft Sway-hosted seasonal newsletters, open days, and parish-network referrals.

Revenue is derived principally from the UK government's Dedicated Schools Grant (Schools block) on a per-pupil basis, supplemented by ancillary income from catering, school trips, uniform sales, and a community facility-hire business (swimming pools, sports halls, football pitches, fitness suites, performing arts studios, and conference/meeting rooms) accessed through a dedicated hire portal. The college has no tuition fee, operates a community-led go-to-market through parish feeders, and delivers education through direct classroom instruction rather than any commercial product distribution.

Name

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College

Legal name

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College

Website

https://sbsj.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College is a state-funded Catholic secondary school and sixth form in Bradford, West Yorkshire, serving students aged 11-18 across two sites (Ignis and Ardor), funded mainly by UK government per-pupil grants plus ancillary catering, trips, and community facility hire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Secondary education services
• Catholic secondary school
• GCSE A-Level programmes
• Sixth Form education
• Vocational BTEC courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State-Funded Education: As a voluntary academy Catholic secondary school, the college receives government funding through the Schools block of the Dedicated Schools Grant based on pupil numbers. Additional income may come from school trips, catering services, and facility hire.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College is a voluntary academy Catholic secondary school and sixth form operating across two sites in Bradford, West Yorkshire. It delivers Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 secondary education, GCSEs, A-Levels, BTECs, and vocational qualifications (e.g. Hair and Barbering, Hospitality and Catering), combined with Catholic faith formation, the virtues programme, and the Christus Lumen Gentium Diploma, to students aged 11-18.

Product overview

St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College is an educational institution (Catholic secondary school/college) located in Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. It is not a technology product company. The school offers a broad academic curriculum including GCSE subjects, A-Level equivalent qualifications, Sixth Form programs, and enrichment activities. The institution operates across two sites: Ardor (Upper School, Highgate, BD9 4BQ) and Ignis (Lower School, Cunliffe Road, BD8 7AP). The school provides educational services to students rather than selling technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ignis: Lower School Site of St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College, located at Cunliffe Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD8 7AP.
• Ardor
• St Benedict's

Products and services

• Secondary School Education (Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4) Core secondary education programme for students aged 11-16 across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, delivered at the Ignis (Lower School) and Ardor (Upper School) sites, preparing students for GCSE and BTEC qualifications.
• Sixth Form Education (St Benedict's) Post-16 sixth form provision under the St Benedict's brand, delivering A-Level and equivalent Level 3 pathways for students aged 16-18.
• Vocational and BTEC Courses (Hair and Barbering, Hospitality and Catering) Vocational pathways within the Key Stage 4 and Sixth Form curriculum, including Hair and Barbering and Hospitality and Catering BTEC-style courses alongside academic GCSEs and A-Levels.
• Christus Lumen Gentium Diploma A college-specific diploma tied to the Christus Lumen Gentium character formation programme, awarded alongside academic qualifications to recognise spiritual, moral, and character development.
• SEND / Learning Support Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support service for enrolled students, delivered through dedicated SENDCos at the Ignis and Ardor campuses.
• Careers Guidance and Work-Related Programmes Careers education, information, advice and guidance for secondary and sixth form students, integrated into the curriculum and student experience.
• Facility Hire (Sports, Performing Arts, and Meeting Venues)

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ArborcoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent information management system providing real-time access to parents and students for monitoring progress, behaviour, attendance, and meal payments through web and mobile app.
• Microsoft Office 365coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides college-branded @sbsj.co.uk email accounts, Microsoft Teams for remote learning, and Office software installation for students and staff. All student accounts secured with 2FA/MFA.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• St Wilfrid's Catholic High School: A Catholic secondary school in the UK delivering faith-based secondary education and sixth form. Direct peer given the same voluntary academy model, Catholic ethos, and KS3/KS4/Sixth Form offering.
• St Aidan's Catholic Academy: Catholic secondary academy in the UK serving secondary and sixth form students. Comparable faith-based secondary education delivery model and DSG-funded revenue structure.
• Cardinal Newman Catholic School: Catholic secondary school named after a Catholic cardinal, mirroring SBSJ's cardinal-heritage brand. Comparable faith-based secondary education with similar GCSE and A-Level provision.
• All Saints Catholic High School: Catholic secondary school in the UK with similar character formation and parish-linked recruitment. Direct peer in faith-based secondary education market.
• St John Fisher Catholic High School: Catholic secondary school across the UK offering faith-based secondary education. Comparable in ethos, curriculum (GCSE/A-Level/BTEC), and DSG-funded operations.
• Corpus Christi Catholic High School: Catholic secondary school providing comprehensive secondary education with Catholic ethos. Comparable in operating model, voluntary academy status, and parish community integration.
• St Benedict's Catholic School: Catholic secondary school sharing patron saint heritage with the SBSJ Sixth Form brand (St Benedict's). Comparable in faith-based character formation and secondary education.
• Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College: Catholic sixth form college in the UK. Comparable to SBSJ's St Benedict's sixth form in faith-based post-16 provision and A-Level/BTEC curriculum.
• St Mary's Catholic Comprehensive School: Catholic comprehensive secondary school in the UK. Comparable in mission and operating model to SBSJ, providing faith-based secondary education with academic and vocational pathways.

Others

• Arbor (MIS provider): Software vendor providing the Arbor Student Information Management System used by SBSJ. Relevant as the platform-of-record for parent/student engagement and operations across many UK schools.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sbsjcc
• Xx.com/sbsjcc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sbsj

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic College