What Queen Alexandra College does

Queen Alexandra College (QAC) is a registered charity (Charity No. 1065794) founded in 1997 and headquartered in Harborne, Birmingham, England, operating as a specialist further education college for people with disabilities. The organisation delivers vocational and academic programmes from Entry Level through Level 3 across art and design, performing arts, digital media, health and social care, IT, and sports, alongside Preparation for Life, LEAP Hub, Supported Internship, Access2Pathways, and Step Out programmes. Its core technology footprint is modest and accessibility-focused: a 360-degree virtual campus tour, online prospectus resources, and website colour-scheme switching for visually impaired users, with no proprietary AI or platform architecture described.

The business model is multi-stream. Primary revenue comes from UK government education funding via the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for 16-19 students and those with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP), with placements commissioned by local authorities. Secondary revenue streams include charitable donations and fundraising (including the Building Brighter Futures Appeal), grant funding from Arts Council England, National Express Foundation, and other foundations, and trading income through QAC Enterprises Limited - a wholly-owned subsidiary offering transcription services, facilities hire, Revolution Advantage Graphite Canes (distributed internationally to Jamaica), and Sight Village exhibitions held across seven UK regions. Social enterprises such as Coffee Junction, iCycle, Umberslade Nurseries, and QA Collective generate additional revenue while providing work-experience placements.

Beyond the college, QAC operates residential services enabling students to live on campus, Community Services including SPARK (LGBTQ+ group) and Independence Plus supported living, and a 30-year-old national exhibition series (Sight Village) for the visual impairment community. Regulatory standing is anchored by Ofsted Good, CQC Good, Investors in People Silver, Natspec membership, and Fair Train Bronze accreditation. The organisation is led by Principal and CEO Bev Jessop (appointed June 2018) and governed by a Board of Trustees, with no parent company, external venture backing, or public listing.

Name

Queen Alexandra College

Legal name

Queen Alexandra Charity

Website

https://qac.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Queen Alexandra College is a Birmingham-based registered charity operating a specialist further education college, residential services, community programmes, and trading subsidiary serving people with disabilities aged 16-24 with Education Health and Care Plans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialist Further Education for People with Disabilities

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Assistive Technology (AT) & AAC Services (EDAJAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Accessibility, Accommodations & Assistive Services (EDALAFAN)

Keywords

• Specialist further education
• Disability support services
• Vocational training programs
• Residential living support
• Assistive technology services

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: QAC receives ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency) funding for 16-19 students and those with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP). This includes the 16-19 Tuition Fund for students affected by coronavirus disruption.
2. Charitable Donations and Fundraising: As a registered charity (No. 1065794), QAC receives donations, fundraising proceeds, and support through various fundraising initiatives including the Building Brighter Futures Appeal for new facilities.
3. QAC Enterprises Trading: Trading subsidiary generating revenue through transcription services, facilities hire, and the Revolution Advantage Graphite Canes product line. Also includes coffee shops and retail operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Queen Alexandra College operates as a specialist further-education charity providing integrated vocational courses (Entry Level through Level 3), on-campus residential support, and community-based services for people with disabilities aged 16-24 with Education Health and Care Plans. Its wholly-owned trading subsidiary, QAC Enterprises, delivers transcription services, accessibility products such as Revolution Advantage Graphite Canes, facilities hire, and the Sight Village national exhibition series for the visual-impairment community.

Product overview

Queen Alexandra College operates as a specialist further education charity offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational and support services for people with disabilities. The core offering centers on Queen Alexandra College's vocational Further Education programs spanning vocational art and design, performing arts, digital media, health and social care, IT, and sports at multiple qualification levels from entry through Level 3. Supporting the college are Preparation for Life (PFL) programs, LEAP Hub vocational pathways, Supported Internships, and Access2Pathways transition programs. The organization extends through residential services enabling students to live on campus, Community Services providing ongoing support including SPARK LGBTQ+ programs, and QAC Enterprises—a trading subsidiary offering transcription services, Revolution Advantage Graphite Canes accessibility products, and facilities for hire. The Sight Village exhibition series represents a significant annual event program serving the visual impairment community across multiple UK locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sight Village: National exhibition for visual impairment products and services, celebrating 30 years in 2023 with events across multiple UK locations
• QAC Enterprises
• Community Services
• Independence Plus
• Coffee Junction
• Umberslade Nurseries
• iCycle
• QA Collective

Quantifiable outcome

• Ofsted rated Good; Care Quality Commission rated Good
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• NatspeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQAC is a member of Natspec, the membership organization for specialist colleges. The partnership provides access to national networks, best practice sharing, conferences, and collaborative initiatives including the Natspec Games and Student Voice Parliament.
• Sight Village ExhibitionsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerQAC operates Sight Village, a major exhibition for assistive technology and services for people with visual impairments. The exhibition runs across multiple UK locations including Birmingham, London, Leeds, Exeter, Glasgow, North Wales, and Central regions, celebrating its 30th anniversary.
• Deafblind UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeafblind UK sponsors Sight Village exhibitions, supporting the events that showcase assistive technology and services for people with visual impairments.
• HSBCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHSBC has employed QAC Supported Interns following successful work placement programs. The bank has received recognition awards nominated by QAC for its commitment to employing people with disabilities.
• Care Quality CommissioncoreOthersCQC inspection and rating of Good for residential support services provided by QAC, demonstrating regulatory compliance and quality assurance.
• OfstedcoreOthersOfsted inspection resulting in Good rating for Queen Alexandra College educational provision.
• Umberslade NurseriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership providing horticultural and gardening services, with community workshops for people with dementia. Supported by Morrisons Foundation, John Lewis Partnership, and Great Little Garden.
• CleanTECminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCleanTEC partners with QAC to deliver life skills training for students, providing practical learning opportunities.
• Birmingham Community LotteryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerQAC joined Birmingham Community Lottery to support fundraising efforts and community engagement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People): The largest UK charity for people with sight loss, providing education, rehabilitation, accessibility products, and advocacy. Comparable to QAC on the visual-impairment education and assistive-tech distribution side, but operates at national scale across many service lines rather than at one FE college.
• Sense: UK charity supporting people who are deafblind or have sensory impairments, with education, residential, and community services. Comparable to QAC for its integrated SEND support and community outreach, including SPARK-equivalent inclusion work, but at national scale.
• Mencap: The UK's largest learning disability charity, offering education, supported employment, residential, and advocacy services. Comparable to QAC on disability education, supported internships, and family/carer engagement, though operating at national scale rather than as a single college.
• Leonard Cheshire: Major UK disability charity providing supported living, education, and employability programmes. Comparable to QAC's residential and employment pathway offerings (Independence Plus, Supported Internships), though with broader disability remit beyond specialist FE.

Direct peers

• National Star College: Specialist further education college in Gloucestershire for young people with physical disabilities, complex needs, and acquired brain injuries. Directly comparable to QAC as a Natspec member serving EHCP-funded 16-24 learners with therapies, residential, and supported internships.
• Henshaws Specialist College: Specialist college and charity in North West England supporting people with disabilities including visual impairment, learning disability, and autism across education, residential, and employment services. Overlaps with QAC on disability FE, specialist AT, and supported employment pathways.
• Beaumont College: A specialist further education college in Lancaster for students with severe and complex learning difficulties and disabilities. Shares the Natspec membership, EHCP referral model, and integrated therapy/residential offer that defines QAC.
• Royal National College for the Blind (RNCB): A specialist further education college in Hereford for vision-impaired students aged 16+, offering academic, vocational, and independence skills training. Operates as a UK charity with comparable student profile, EHCP-funded placements, and assistive-tech focus as QAC.

Others

• Natspec: UK membership association for specialist colleges serving students with learning difficulties and disabilities, of which QAC is a member. Comparable to QAC as the sector's umbrella body coordinating best-practice, Natspec Games, and Student Voice Parliament.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/QAC_Official

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 Queen Alexandra College