The Henley College (Henley-on-Thames)

What The Henley College (Henley-on-Thames) does

The Henley College is a government-funded Further Education college located in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, operating as a single-campus sixth form college serving students aged 15-18. The institution traces its lineage to Henley Grammar School (founded 1615) and was reorganised as The Henley College in 1976. It delivers over 60 A Level subjects, BTEC vocational qualifications, and T Levels (including Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing), supplemented by a mandatory Central Enrichment Programme requiring 50 hours of activities per academic year and a Performance Sports vertical covering rugby, football, rowing (via Leander Club) and basketball (via Reading Rockets).

The college's technology stack is administrative in nature: Microsoft 365, SharePoint (with Microsoft Azure AD OAuth SSO for staff and student portals), Google Analytics, and third-party payments (ParentPay, WisePay, PayPal). Its primary proprietary surface is the "Pathways Career Information Tool" embedded in course pages, used to surface career information to prospective and current students. No API, mobile app, or AI/ML capability is in evidence. The college integrates with UCAS for university progression and uses partnerships such as Causeway Education and Buckinghamshire New University to broaden student pathways.

Commercially, The Henley College is a non-profit UK further education institution governed by a Board of Governors and led by Principal/CEO Simon Spearman. Revenue is generated primarily through ESFA Further Education funding for eligible 15-18 students, supplemented by minor ancillary charges (~£35 per year for textbooks, ~£50 for Media Studies materials) and Bursary Fund distributions. It operates as a single-site, domestic-only provider in South East England with 11-50 listed employees and no parent company, private equity, or venture capital ownership.

Name

The Henley College (Henley-on-Thames)

Legal name

The Henley College

Website

https://henleycol.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Henley College is a UK government-funded sixth form college in Henley-on-Thames offering 60+ A Level, BTEC, and T Level courses to students aged 15-18. Operating since 1615 as a non-profit Further Education institution, it is funded primarily through ESFA grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further Education (Sixth Form College)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF)

Keywords

• Further education
• Sixth form college
• A level courses
• Vocational qualifications
• BTEC programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Henley-on-Thames

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Further Education Funding: The Henley College is a government-funded Further Education college providing A Level and vocational education to students aged 15-18. Revenue comes primarily from government education funding (ESFA). The college also receives funding through various bursary schemes for student support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Henley College is a UK sixth form college delivering A Level, BTEC, and T Level qualifications to students aged 15-18 across more than 60 academic and vocational subjects. Its offering is anchored by over 60 A Level and vocational courses, an Aspire Programme for high-achieving students, a mandatory Central Enrichment Programme (minimum 50 hours annually), Performance Sports pathways (Rugby, Football, Rowing, Basketball), industrial placements for T Level students, and a Personal and Professional Development tutor scheme that delivers UCAS and careers guidance for university progression.

Product overview

The Henley College is a sixth-form college offering a comprehensive educational portfolio structured as a unified college experience combining academic and vocational pathways. The core offerings include over 60 A Level subjects (such as English Literature, Media Studies, and Politics), BTEC and T Level vocational courses (including Applied IT and Engineering), and the Extended Project Qualification. Specialist programmes include Performance Sports (Rugby, Football, Rowing), the Aspire Programme for ambitious students, and a mandatory Central Enrichment Programme requiring 50 hours of activities annually. The college integrates UCAS and careers guidance through Personal and Professional Development tutors, and provides industrial placements as part of vocational programmes. The institution has a history spanning over 400 years and is located in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A Level Courses A portfolio of more than 60 A Level subjects offered to students aged 15-18, including traditional academic subjects such as English Literature, Politics, Media Studies, and Film. Students can take diverse subject combinations, including courses not available at local school sixth forms, preparing them for university progression.
• Vocational Courses (BTEC and Applied) BTEC and other vocational qualifications including Applied IT (AAQ), Applied Law, Applied Psychology, and Health & Social Care, assessed through coursework and exam combinations. Designed for students seeking applied learning pathways alongside or instead of A Levels.
• T Level Courses Technical qualifications including T Level Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing, with mandatory industry placements as part of the curriculum, providing students with workplace experience alongside technical study.
• English Literature A Level Pearson Edexcel A Level in English Literature assessed 20% coursework and 80% exam, covering drama, poetry, and prose from the 10th century to the present day over 2 years. Intended for students aged 16-18 preparing for university progression in humanities.
• Media Studies A Level OCR A Level in Media Studies assessed 30% coursework and 70% exam, combining theoretical and practical studies covering ownership, construction, broadcast, critical theory and effects on society. Students produce practical projects including music magazines and film trailers.
• IT (Applied AAQ) Applied IT qualification assessed 50% coursework and 50% exam, covering IT Systems, Programming, Social Media, Cyber Security, and optional units in Website Development, Games Development, and Mobile App Development. Delivered in a £1 million refurbished purpose-built facility.
• Extended Project Qualification Pearson Edexcel qualification developing transferable skills in planning, research, analysis and evaluation, assessed 100% by project. Students produce dissertations, artefacts, investigations, or performances on topics of personal interest.
• Aspire Programme Programme for ambitious students to aim high and achieve more, including enrichment activities, creative writing competitions, and additional academic support.
• Performance Sports Programme Specialist sports programmes including Performance Rugby (Boys and Girls), Performance Football, and partnerships with Leander Club (rowing) and Reading Rockets (basketball). Includes international tournament participation such as Portugal Youth Rugby Festival.
• Central Enrichment Programme Mandatory enrichment programme requiring at least 50 hours per academic year, including sports clubs, film club, British Sign Language, law society, creative writing, driver theory, and other activities to develop skills beyond academic subjects.
• Industrial Placements Work experience placements integrated into T Level and vocational courses, providing students with industry experience and career preparation.
• UCAS and Careers Advice Guidance and support for university applications, including Russell Group university destinations, and careers progression advice as part of the Personal and Professional Development Programme.
• Personal and Professional Development Programme Tutor programme providing monitoring and support for student progress, helping develop vital skills for next steps after college including university, employment, or apprenticeship.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95.8% overall A Level pass rate for 2022
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Leander ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing rowing opportunities and development for students, supporting the college's performance sports programme with elite-level training facilities.
• Reading RocketscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlayer Development Partnership with Reading Rockets basketball club, providing development pathways for student athletes in basketball.
• Causeway EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational programme through which students can access highly competitive work experience placements at prestigious employers, including city law firms.
• Buckinghamshire New UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing university visits and taster sessions for students, including visits to facilities like the human performance laboratory.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• St Brendan's Sixth Form College: Bristol-based UK sixth form college offering A Level and vocational programmes with a comparable Further Education mission and 16-18 student demographic.
• Hills Road Sixth Form College: Large, high-performing UK sixth form college in Cambridge offering a broad A Level and vocational portfolio with strong university progression outcomes — directly comparable to The Henley College in scope, mission, and student demographic.
• Greenhead College: UK sixth form college in Huddersfield with a strong academic reputation and high university progression rates — directly comparable as a specialist post-16 institution serving a regional catchment.
• Barton Peveril Sixth Form College: Major UK sixth form college in Eastleigh offering a wide A Level and BTEC portfolio with a strong Ofsted profile — comparable in curriculum mix and 16-18 student focus.
• Long Road Sixth Form College: Cambridge-based UK sixth form college offering a wide A Level and vocational portfolio — comparable in curriculum breadth, student demographic, and further education funding model.
• Woodhouse College: London-based sixth form college offering A Level and vocational pathways to 16-18 year olds — comparable in curriculum mix, with a similarly strong university progression focus.
• Peter Symonds College: One of the largest UK sixth form colleges, based in Winchester, offering extensive A Level and vocational courses with a strong Russell Group progression track record — a close functional and scale analog.
• Richard Taunton Sixth Form College: Southampton-based UK sixth form college offering A Level and BTEC courses to 16-18 year olds — directly comparable in mission, demographic, and Ofsted-tracked FE delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thehenleycollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-henley-college
• Xx.com/henleycol

Compliance2 records

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 The Henley College (Henley-on-Thames)