Sara Jones

What Sara Jones does

Centre of Excellence (legal entity: Centre of Excellence Online Limited) is a privately held UK-based online learning platform headquartered in Cheadle, Cheshire. The company offers more than 1,000 self-paced diploma courses across 32 categories, spanning wellness, therapy, psychology, life coaching, business, fitness, animal care, hobby crafts, and emerging areas such as AI and corporate wellbeing. Course delivery combines video content, PDF materials, and interactive modules delivered through a cloud-based web platform and dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications. All courses are accredited by recognised bodies including CPD, ILM, City & Guilds, Quality Licence Scheme, and CMA, enabling learners to accumulate continuing professional development points and obtain practitioner credentials.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model. Individual diploma courses are sold as one-time perpetual licenses, typically at £127 for standard courses and £129–£299 for accredited qualifications, with entry-level courses from £29 and discounted bundles available. The Grow Access All Membership provides recurring revenue at £16 per month billed annually, granting unlimited access to the full course and audio library alongside member-exclusive benefits. Ancillary revenue is generated from PDF course materials, branded stationery, gift cards, and a referral programme paying £5 eGift Cards per successful conversion. Go-to-market is primarily product-led and direct-to-consumer, supplemented by a dedicated CoE for Business portal for enterprise and corporate wellness clients.

The platform serves a global base of more than 2 million learners, supported by an 80,000-member online study group, 2.2M Facebook likes, and social presence on YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Wholly-owned subsidiaries Hypnotherapy Centre Of Excellence and NLP Centre Of Excellence extend the brand into adjacent complementary therapy verticals. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, no public revenue figures, and no named leadership in the source material.

Name

Sara Jones

Legal name

Centre of Excellence Online Limited

Website

https://centreofexcellence.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Centre of Excellence is a privately held UK online learning platform offering 1,000+ accredited diploma courses across 32 categories to more than 2 million global learners, monetising through one-time course sales, a £16/month subscription, and corporate wellness contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Education / E-Learning

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD)

Keywords

• Online diploma courses
• Distance learning
• CPD accredited courses
• Professional development
• E-learning platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Course Sales: One-time purchase model for individual diploma courses. Prices range from £127 for standard courses to £129-£299 for accredited qualifications. Course access is perpetual once purchased.
2. Grow Subscription Membership: Monthly subscription at £16.00 billed annually, providing unlimited access to all courses and audio content plus member-exclusive benefits.
3. Course Bundles: Bundled course packages offering savings compared to individual purchases. Examples include Ultimate Pilates Bundle and Scale Up programs.
4. PDF Course Materials: Digital downloadable course materials sold separately, watermarked with purchaser information.
5. Gift Cards: E-gift cards available for course purchases as gifting option.
6. Referral Program: Affiliate referrals earn £5 eGift Cards when referred friends complete purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Centre of Excellence operates a cloud-based e-learning platform offering over 1,000 self-paced online diploma courses across 32 categories including wellness, therapy, business, psychology, animal care, and personal development. Courses are accredited by bodies such as CPD, ILM, City & Guilds, CMA, and QLS, with revenue generated through individual course sales, subscription memberships (Grow Access All at £16/month), course bundles, and corporate training solutions.

Product overview

Centre of Excellence operates a platform-plus-subscription model offering over 1,000 online diploma courses across 32 categories. The core offering comprises self-paced diploma courses (including Business, Marketing & PR, Psychology, Life Coaching, CBT, Fitness & Well-Being, Animal Care, and AI Courses), supplemented by the Grow Access All Membership subscription for unlimited course access. Additional products include Audio Courses, Course Bundles at discounted prices, Business Masterclasses, and Free Courses for new users. The platform also sells ancillary products including Stationery (tarot-themed notebooks at £9.59), Course Products and Gifts, and Gift Cards. Engagement is supported through the Refer a Friend Programme (earning £5 eGift Cards), the annual CoE Awards Programme, and the Changing Lives Foundation charitable initiative. Mobile apps for iOS and Android enable mobile learning. All courses offer CPD accreditation, with many also endorsed by QLS, ILM, City & Guilds, and CMA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Diploma Courses Self-paced online diploma courses across 32 subject categories with video content, downloadable materials, and CPD accreditation. Courses include modules, assessments, and certification upon completion. Standard diploma courses priced at £127.00.
• Grow Access All Membership Monthly subscription membership offering unlimited access to the full library of courses and audio courses, plus entry to Member Hub and exclusive member-only discounts. Priced at £16.00 per month billed annually.
• Audio Courses Self-help audio book courses available for listening, complementing the written course content.
• Course Bundles Pre-packaged combinations of multiple related courses offered at discounted prices compared to purchasing individually. Examples include Ultimate Pilates Bundle and Scale Up programs.
• Business Masterclasses Advanced business-focused programmes covering topics such as scaling businesses with AI, coaching business growth, and business mastery.
• Free Courses Complimentary diploma courses such as 'Improve Your Memory' available to new registered users as a freemium acquisition tool.
• Stationery Products Branded notebooks and stationery items including tarot-themed A5 notebooks (The Sun Vintage Tarot, The Moon Vintage Tarot, The Star Vintage Tarot, The Sun Celestial) sold at £9.59 each.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards available for purchase, allowing recipients to enrol in courses of their choice.
• Corporate Wellness Courses (CoE for Business) Courses focused on workplace wellness, stress management, and employee well-being for business clients, delivered through the dedicated CoE for Business portal.
• AI Courses Courses covering artificial intelligence applications for business, including AI tools for small business owners and scaling businesses with AI.

Quantifiable outcome

• 47,800 students enrolled in CBT course alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre of Excellence is an ILM-approved centre delivering management development programmes and qualifications. ILM is a division of City & Guilds and the UK's largest awarding body for leadership and management qualifications. Students gaining ILM-approved course credentials join 70,000 people who register for ILM qualifications annually.
• CPD Certification ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial CPD accreditation partner. All Centre of Excellence courses are independently scrutinised to meet global CPD requirements, standards and benchmarks. Students earn CPD points and receive accredited certificates upon completion.
• Quality Licence SchemecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndorsement of courses under Quality Licence Scheme, part of Skills and Education Group. Involves robust quality audits by external auditors. Learning outcomes benchmarked at Level 3 or 4 against Ofqual descriptors.
• Complementary Medical Association (CMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCourse accreditation and professional membership benefits. CMA is internationally recognised as elite force in professional, ethical complementary medicine. Graduates can gain membership with benefits including insurance, referrals, and media opportunities.
• City & GuildscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for accredited qualifications. ILM is a division of City & Guilds. Courses such as City & Guilds Level 2 Award in Supporting Wellbeing and Mental Health offered.
• NOCN Approved CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOCN accreditation for approved courses, expanding recognized qualification offerings.
• ASDANminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation partner providing additional course recognition and credentialing options.
• Totum (Student Discount Card)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerStudent discount card partnership providing members with various retail discounts. Paid course purchasers are eligible to sign up for Totum membership.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Large online learning platform offering courses, Specializations and accredited certificates from universities and companies; competes for the same professional development and CPD-style buyer, but with stronger university credentials and a broader institutional catalog.
• LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn's subscription-based video learning library focused on business, technology and creative skills, distributed through the LinkedIn professional network. Overlaps with Centre of Excellence's business, marketing and professional development courses, and competes for the same self-improving professional buyer.

Regional players

• Reed Courses: UK-based online course aggregator offering CPD-accredited professional development and personal enrichment courses, including many wellness and therapy options. Closely comparable in geographic focus, CPD positioning and adult learner audience.
• Stonebridge Associated Colleges: UK distance learning college offering accredited and CPD-endorsed courses across complementary therapies, counselling, animal care and personal development. Direct competitor in the UK-accredited online learning niche, with a similar CPD/QLS positioning.
• FutureLearn: UK-headquartered online course platform offering short courses, expert tracks and accredited programs from British and international institutions. Comparable as a UK-anchored online learning destination targeting adult learners, though more university-partnered in flavour.
• Open Study College: UK-based distance learning provider offering self-paced accredited and CPD courses across business, counselling, animal care and wellness — direct overlap in subject areas, accreditation profile and online self-paced delivery model.

Emerging players

• Teachable: Platform enabling creators and experts to build, market and sell online courses and coaching, with CPD certificate support. Comparable in online course delivery mechanics, certificate generation and D2C monetisation, though Teachable serves creators rather than running its own catalog.

Direct peers

• MasterClass: Premium subscription platform for high-production video courses across wellness, business, lifestyle and creative pursuits — directly comparable in subject breadth, video-led delivery and target adult learner demographic.
• Udemy: Global online course marketplace offering self-paced video courses across business, wellness, personal development and hobby categories with perpetual licenses and frequent promotions. Closely comparable in product, audience and pricing to Centre of Excellence.
• Skillshare: Subscription-based online learning community focused on creative, lifestyle and personal development classes, with a comparable model of broad category coverage, mobile-first delivery, and community features.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Online_Courses
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8xnaoaZ3IaHtAR4cMemvsA
• Facebookfacebook.com/centreofexcellenceonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-of-excellence-online-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/centreofexcellence.co
• Pinterestuk.pinterest.com/coecourses

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 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 Sara Jones