What St Ambrose College does

St Ambrose College is a state-funded Catholic grammar school for boys aged 11-18, located on Hale Road in Hale Barns, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. Founded in 1942 when the De La Salle Brothers re-established their school after evacuating Guernsey during WWII, the college has been operated under the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers charism since 1945 and is now part of the Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust. It serves over 1,000 students, including more than 280 in the Sixth Form, admitted through a selective Year 7 entrance examination covering Verbal Reasoning, Maths, and English papers. The institution is one of twelve Edmund Rice schools in England and maintains ties to an international network spanning 30 countries, the Diocese of Shrewsbury, and the United Nations via Edmund Rice International in Geneva.

The academic offer spans a broad Key Stage 3 curriculum (Years 7-9) covering English, Mathematics, Science, Religious Education, modern languages, humanities, arts, computing, design technology, music, drama, physical education and PSHE; a two-year GCSE programme with mandatory English, Mathematics and Religious Education plus options; and a Sixth Form A-Level programme offering more than 25 subjects with optional EPQ or Core Maths. Enrichment includes a full Duke of Edinburgh Award suite, music and drama productions, sports (rugby, cricket, athletics, water polo, football, basketball, badminton, tennis, golf, cross-country), chaplaincy with weekly Mass and retreats, the Edmund Rice International Group Youth Ambassador programme, and a Careers Programme featuring a dedicated adviser, 1-2-1 appointments, and an annual Careers Conference with 50+ industry contributors. The technology stack is built entirely on third-party education platforms: Class Charts for homework planning, MyChildAtSchool (Bromcom) for the parent portal, ParentPay for cashless catering, School Cloud for remote parents' evenings, and GL Assessment for entrance examinations. Transport is provided via Transport for Greater Manchester Bee Network bus routes 761-769.

The business model is state-funded and non-commercial: as an academy within Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, St Ambrose receives government per-pupil funding, charges no tuition fees, and supplements income via facility lettings managed by Vivify (sports hall, swimming pool, 4G pitch) and charitable activity through the SACAA alumni association and Edmund Rice Development (which channels funds to St Ambrose Academy in Sierra Leone). Customer segments are vertically defined — Catholic boys aged 11-18 and their parents — with acquisition driven by open mornings (e.g., Saturday 28 June 2025, Saturday 27 June 2026), an online prospectus, and selective entrance examinations. Outcomes are publicly disclosed: OFSTED 'Good' (February 2026), Diocesan 'Outstanding' (December 2021), Attainment 8 of 76.18 (2025), 75.9% of GCSEs at grades 9-7, 96.6% GCSE passes at grade 5+ in English and Maths, and 52% of A-Level grades at A*-A.

Name

St Ambrose College

Legal name

Saint Ambrose College

Website

https://st-ambrosecollege.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Short description

St Ambrose College is a state-funded Catholic grammar school for boys aged 11-18 in Hale Barns, Altrincham, UK. It serves 1,000+ students via selective entrance examinations, delivering KS3, GCSE and A-Level programmes within the Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust and Edmund Rice Schools Network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Grammar School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

Keywords

• Secondary grammar school
• Selective boys education
• Catholic school education
• GCSE A-Level programmes
• Sixth form education

Headquarters

HQ city

Altrincham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Funding: As a state-funded grammar school, St Ambrose College receives government funding through the Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust. There are no tuition fees charged to students.
2. Facility Lettings: Lettings at Saint Ambrose College are managed by Vivify, generating revenue from hiring out school facilities including the sports hall, swimming pool, and other venues.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

St Ambrose College is a Catholic, state-funded selective grammar school for boys aged 11-18, delivering secondary education across Key Stage 3, GCSE, and A-Level programmes alongside pastoral, chaplaincy, careers, and extracurricular provision. There are no tuition fees; the school is funded through the Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust and supplemented by facility lettings. Admissions are competitive, based on entrance examinations in Verbal Reasoning, Mathematics, and English.

Product overview

St Ambrose College is a Catholic grammar school offering a comprehensive educational programme from Years 7-13. The core academic provision spans Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) with a broad curriculum including Languages, Humanities, Sciences, Arts and Computing; GCSE Programme (Years 10-11) with mandatory core subjects plus option choices; and A-Level Programme (Sixth Form) with over 25 subjects. The school complements academic study with extensive enrichment activities including Sports (rugby, cricket, athletics, swimming, water polo), Music (clubs and productions), Drama, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and Chaplaincy services including retreats and the Edmund Rice International Group. Admissions services handle selective entry for Year 7 and Sixth Form, while the Careers Programme provides guidance through dedicated advisers and industry partnerships. The school operates various digital platforms including Class Charts for homework, MyChildAtSchool for parent communications, and School Cloud for parents' evenings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Key Stage 3 Curriculum Broad secondary curriculum for Years 7-9 covering English, Mathematics, Science, RE, Languages (French/Spanish), Humanities, Arts, Computing, DT, Music, Drama, PE and PSHE, for boys aged 11-14 admitted through the Year 7 entrance examination.
• GCSE Programme Two-year GCSE programme for Years 10-11 covering mandatory subjects (English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Religious Education) plus optional subjects including Sciences, Languages, Humanities and Creative Arts, for boys in the school's GCSE years.
• A-Level Programme Sixth Form A-Level programme offering over 25 subjects including Art, Sciences, Humanities, Languages, Business and Computing. Most students study three A-Levels with the option for four, plus EPQ or Core Maths, for boys in Years 12-13.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme Full suite of Duke of Edinburgh awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold) delivered as an extracurricular enrichment activity for students across year groups.
• Music Programme
• Drama Programme
• Sports Programme
• Year 7 Admissions
• Sixth Form Admissions
• Chaplaincy Services
• Edmund Rice International Group
• Careers Programme
• Clubs and Societies
• Trips and Visits
• School Facility Lettings

Quantifiable outcome

• 96.6% GCSE passes at grade 5+ in English and mathematics
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaint Ambrose College is part of the Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, which manages policies and procedures for the school and other member institutions.
• Edmund Rice Schools NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of twelve Edmund Rice schools in England with strong ties to the network nationally and internationally. St Ambrose College participates in the Edmund Rice International Group and Edmund Rice Development initiatives.
• Diocese of ShrewsburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Shrewsbury, which conducts denominational inspections. Most recent inspection rated the school as 'Outstanding'.
• VivifyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLettings at Saint Ambrose College are managed by Vivify. They handle facility bookings, lost property for lettings events, and venue management.
• Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorResponsibility for school bus services rests with TfGM. Multiple bus routes serve the college including Bee Network services 761-769. School bus timetables are provided and staff supervise students at end of day.
• Edmund Rice International (ERI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork's Non-Governmental Organisation based in Geneva promoting advocacy, human rights, and social justice. Students participate as Youth Ambassadors, attend training in Geneva, and support ERI-approved campaigns.
• Edmund Rice DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment organisation based in Dublin working with communities in India, Bolivia, Peru, Philippines, and Africa. Funds from St Ambrose support St Ambrose Academy in Sierra Leone. Minimum 90% of donations go directly to projects.
• Edmund Rice Education beyond borders (EREBB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of Edmund Rice schools in 30 countries. Provides leadership certificates awarded by Marino Institute of Education in Dublin and EREBB European Coordination Team.
• Marino Institute of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBased in Dublin, awards the EREBB Leadership Certificate (4 modules) to staff at Edmund Rice schools.
• The Sutton TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports applications to universities in the USA. School has had significant success with applications via this programme.
• Leeds Beckett UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnering with school on Anti-racist School Award, focusing on governance, leadership, school environment, professional learning, curriculum, pedagogy, and community partnerships.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Loreto Grammar School: Catholic girls' grammar school in Altrincham, operating under the same Laetare Catholic Multi-Academy Trust as St Ambrose. Directly comparable in selective Catholic ethos, state funding model, and exam-driven positioning, though serving the girls' segment of the same demographic.
• St Bede's College, Manchester: Catholic independent school in Manchester with a similar Edmund Rice / Christian Brothers heritage and emphasis on holistic, faith-based education. Comparable in Catholic identity and target demographic, though operating on a fee-paying independent model rather than state-funded.
• Sale Grammar School: Selective co-educational grammar school serving the Trafford / Altrincham area. Directly comparable as a high-attainment selective state school competing for the same Year 7 applicant pool in the immediate catchment.
• William Hulme's Grammar School (Academy): Selective all-through academy in Manchester with a Christian foundation, operating a state-funded selective model in the same regional market. Comparable in selective admissions, faith-based ethos, and Greater Manchester catchment.
• Xaverian College: Catholic sixth form college in Manchester offering A-Level programmes, sharing the Laetare MAT connection and Catholic ethos. Comparable in the post-16 phase as a destination and competitor for Sixth Form applicants from the same catchment.
• Altrincham Grammar School for Boys: Selective boys' grammar school located in the same Altrincham catchment, directly competing for the same high-attaining Year 7 applicants in the Greater Manchester area. Both schools are selective state-funded institutions with similar intake models and comparable academic outcomes.
• The Blue Coat School, Oldham: Catholic grammar school in Greater Manchester with a similar selective, faith-based, state-funded model. Directly comparable in intake criteria, demographic focus, and academic positioning within the regional Catholic grammar ecosystem.

Regional players

• St Ambrose Barlow RC High School: Catholic secondary school in Swinton, Greater Manchester, sharing a Catholic ethos and Edmund Rice heritage. Operates as a non-selective Catholic secondary rather than a grammar, so it competes for a different segment of the same faith-based demographic.
• De La Salle College, Salford: Catholic secondary school in Salford with roots in the De La Salle Brothers — the same religious order that originally founded St Ambrose College. Comparable in Catholic identity and heritage, though operating as a non-selective modern secondary in a different demographic area.

Broad incumbents

• Manchester Grammar School: One of the UK's most prestigious independent boys' schools, located in Manchester. Comparable in selective boys' education and high-attainment academic positioning, though operating on a fee-paying model with a much larger endowment and broader national reputation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/StAmbroseColl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saint-ambrose-college

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 St Ambrose College