SMB College Group
SMB College Group, now operating as Loughborough College Group following an August 2025 merger, is a Leicestershire-based further education college group delivering A Levels, vocational, T Levels, apprenticeships, and degree courses to 16-18 students, adult learners, and employers across multiple campuses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1909
- HeadquartersCoalville, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What SMB College Group does
SMB College Group was a further education college group based in Coalville, Leicestershire, serving 16-18 year-old students, adult learners (19+), and employers across the region. Following its August 2025 merger with Loughborough College, the entity now operates as Loughborough College Group, a multi-campus FE provider delivering academic and vocational qualifications from Level 2 through Level 6. Its product portfolio spans A Levels, BTEC and vocational diplomas, T Levels (with industry placements), Apprenticeships (Levels 2-6), Access to Higher Education, degree-level courses validated by partner universities, professional qualifications accredited by CIM, AAT, and CMI, plus Skills Bootcamps, Distance Learning, and Foundation Learning.
The business model is funded through a combination of government education funding (ESFA learner allocations, apprenticeship levy), tuition fees, and employer-sponsored training contracts. Course pricing is not publicly disclosed, and government subsidies support eligible students. Distribution operates through direct student enrolment via the college website, campus-based delivery across Loughborough, Brooksby, and Stephenson campuses, and employer partnerships for apprenticeship pathways. Marketing relies on organic social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube), open days, virtual tours, and structured school outreach programmes.
The group is executing £55 million in capital projects, most prominently the East Midlands Institute of Technology (digital and technical skills) and a Land-based Agri-tech Centre, positioning itself as a regional hub for technical and land-based education. Loughborough College holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating, the group's primary quality credential. Leadership is headed by Dawn Whitemore as CEO & Principal. The group operates as a non-profit, public-sector-style institution under a Governing Body structure with no disclosed private equity or venture capital ownership.
SMB College Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SMB College Group
- Legal name
- SMB College Group
- Website
- https://smbcollegegroup.ac.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1909
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- SMB College Group, now operating as Loughborough College Group following an August 2025 merger, is a Leicestershire-based further education college group delivering A Levels, vocational, T Levels, apprenticeships, and degree courses to 16-18 students, adult learners, and employers across multiple campuses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SMB College Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Further Education
- NAICS
- Junior Colleges (611210), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA), Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF)
Keywords
Where SMB College Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Coalville
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
SMB College Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tuition and Course Fees: Revenue from tuition fees for various educational programs including A Levels, BTECs, T Levels, Apprenticeships, and degree-level courses. Government funding support for eligible students.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
SMB College Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SMB College Group is a further education college group based in Leicestershire, UK, delivering academic and vocational qualifications from Level 2 to Level 6, including A Levels, BTECs, T Levels, Apprenticeships, Access to Higher Education, and university-level degrees validated by partner universities. Following its August 2025 merger with Loughborough College, the combined Loughborough College Group operates across multiple campuses serving school-leavers, adult learners, and employer-sponsored apprentices.
Product overview
SMB College Group, now part of Loughborough College Group following an August 2025 merger, operates as an educational institution offering a portfolio of vocational and academic courses. The product portfolio includes A Levels (two-year academic programmes), BTEC & Vocational qualifications (practical work-based diplomas), T Levels (employer-designed programmes with industry placements), Apprenticeships (work-based learning at Levels 2-6), Degree Level courses (partnered with universities), Access to Higher Education (for adult learners), and Blended Learning Professional Qualifications (accredited by CIM, AAT, CMI). Additional offerings include Skills Bootcamps, Distance Learning, Foundation Learning, and Part-Time Professional Qualifications. The institution serves secondary school graduates, adult learners, and employers across Leicestershire through multiple campuses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- A Levels Two-year academically demanding, exam-focused courses allowing students to specialise in academic subjects, typically leading to higher education, employment, or an Apprenticeship.
- BTEC & Vocational Practical vocational diplomas lasting up to two years, assessed via coursework (and in some cases exams), carrying UCAS points for progression to higher education or directly into employment or Apprenticeships.
- T Levels Two-year programmes designed in collaboration with employers, equivalent to three A Levels, combining classroom learning with an extended industry placement to blend theory and on-the-job experience.
- Apprenticeships Work-based learning programmes lasting one to four years across many sectors, offering hands-on experience, qualifications, and wages, ranging from Level 2 to Level 6.
- Degree Level (University Level) Higher education courses offered in partnership with top universities, with flexible study options, smaller class sizes, and degrees validated and awarded by the partner universities.
- Access to Higher Education One-year courses for adult learners (aged 19+) who do not yet meet formal higher education entry requirements or have been out of education, preparing them for degree-level study.
- Blended Learning Professional Qualifications Professional qualifications accredited by bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), and Chartered Management Institute (CMI), designed for career development and recognised by employers.
- Skills Bootcamps Intensive skills training programmes designed to help learners develop specific occupational skills for employment or career advancement.
- Distance Learning Flexible online learning options allowing students to study remotely, designed for those who cannot attend in-person classes.
- Foundation Learning Entry-level courses for learners developing essential skills for life and work.
- Part-Time and Professional Qualifications Flexible part-time study options for professionals looking to upskill or reskill while working.
Companies that use SMB College Group
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SMB College Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
SMB College Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Top Universities (Degree Validation Partners)corePartnership with top universities to validate and award degree-level qualifications. Students receive degree certificates directly from validating universities while studying at college facilities.
- East Midlands Institute of TechnologyflagshipPart of £55 million investment project. Institute focused on digital and technical skills for the East Midlands region.
- Land-based Agri-tech CentrecorePart of £55 million investment project. Specialized center for agricultural technology and land-based education.
- NFL AcademyflagshipSpecialized academy for American football training and education, operated in partnership with the NFL.
- Step Into HealthminorProgram supporting armed forces personnel and veterans with career transition and education opportunities.
- Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)coreProfessional body accreditation for marketing qualifications, providing recognized credentials for students.
- Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT)coreProfessional body accreditation for accounting qualifications, providing recognized credentials for students.
- Chartered Management Institute (CMI)coreProfessional body accreditation for management qualifications, providing recognized credentials for students.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SMB College Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Barnsley College: General FE college in South Yorkshire with a similar mix of A Levels, vocational qualifications, T Levels, Apprenticeships, and Access to HE plus university partnerships. Comparable scale, mission, and revenue mix.
- Plumpton College: Specialist land-based FE college in Sussex offering agricultural, animal, and land-based education plus apprenticeships and degree pathways. Directly comparable to SMB/Loughborough College Group's land-based and agri-tech specialty and broader vocational/apprenticeship model.
- Reaseheath College: Specialist land-based and technical college in Cheshire with a strong land-based / agricultural technology portfolio that closely mirrors SMB's Land-based Agri-tech Centre proposition. Comparable on specialist facilities, employer engagement, and degree-level land-based pathways.
- Trafford College: Greater Manchester-based general FE college offering academic, vocational, apprenticeship, and higher education programs with a multi-campus footprint. Comparable in scale, product breadth, and reliance on government and employer funding streams.
- New College Stamford: General further education college in Lincolnshire offering A Levels, vocational qualifications, apprenticeships, and higher education pathways. Comparable scale, mission, and product mix, serving a similar rural/semi-urban East Midlands learner base.
- Hugh Baird College: Merseyside-based general FE college with a comparable A Level, vocational, apprenticeship, and university-level portfolio and similar scale. Used as a benchmark for UK FE college operations, employer engagement, and post-16 funding economics.
- Gateshead College: UK FE college of comparable size with a broad academic and vocational portfolio including T Levels, Apprenticeships, Access to HE, and higher education partnerships. Useful benchmark for FE college scale economics, employer engagement, and post-merger operating model.
- North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC): General FE college covering South Leicestershire and North Warwickshire with a similar A Level, vocational, apprenticeship, and Access to HE portfolio. Overlaps geographically and competes for the same employer and learner pools across the Leicestershire region.
- City of Sunderland College: Large UK general FE college delivering A Levels, vocational programs, Apprenticeships, T Levels and higher education. Similar multi-campus structure, sector exposure, and reliance on government and apprenticeship funding as SMB College Group.
- Leicester College: Large general further education college in Leicester city, directly comparable to Loughborough College Group in mission, scale, and portfolio (A Levels, BTECs, Apprenticeships, Access to HE, vocational). Operates in the same Leicestershire catchment and competes head-to-head for 16-18 and adult learners.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SMB College Group social profiles
Digital presenceSMB College Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
SMB College Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SMB College Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
SMB College Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
SMB College Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SMB College Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SMB College Group
What does SMB College Group do?
SMB College Group is a further education college group based in Leicestershire, UK, delivering academic and vocational qualifications from Level 2 to Level 6, including A Levels, BTECs, T Levels, Apprenticeships, Access to Higher Education, and university-level degrees validated by partner universities. Following its August 2025 merger with Loughborough College, the combined Loughborough College Group operates across multiple campuses serving school-leavers, adult learners, and employer-sponsored apprentices.
Is SMB College Group a public or private company?
SMB College Group is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently closed.
When was SMB College Group founded?
SMB College Group was founded in 1909. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is SMB College Group based?
SMB College Group is headquartered in Coalville, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does SMB College Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: tuition and Course Fees.
Who are SMB College Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Barnsley College, Plumpton College, Reaseheath College, Trafford College, New College Stamford, Hugh Baird College, Gateshead College, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC), City of Sunderland College and Leicester College.
Does SMB College Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for SMB College Group.
What industry is SMB College Group in?
SMB College Group's product category is Further Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHADAE, Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce), with a secondary code of EDAHAHAA, Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs). Its NAICS code is 611210 and its SIC code is 8200.