Buxton & Leek College

What Buxton & Leek College does

Buxton & Leek College, now operating as University of Derby, Buxton Campus (UOD - Buxton), is a UK further and higher education institution headquartered in Buxton, Derbyshire, with 251-500 employees. It was absorbed into the University of Derby and rebranded under the parent institution's name, while retaining its identity as a regional campus delivering vocational and academic courses. The institution serves four primary customer segments: school leavers aged 16-18 (full-time courses, T-Levels, GCSE resits), adults (online and part-time short courses, Maths & English, Access to HE), apprentices (workplace-based training across sectors), and employers (recruitment, upskilling, and workforce development). It also delivers university-level qualifications such as part-time degrees and professional courses through the University of Derby academic infrastructure.

The core product set spans full-time vocational courses, T-Levels, apprenticeships, adult short courses, and university-level qualifications, supported by industry-standard practical training facilities including Salon Inspire (a publicly accessible hair and beauty training salon), Harpurs Bistro (a student-run training restaurant), and a Football Academy in partnership with Buxton Football Club. Technology investment is minimal — the principal digital asset is a virtual campus tour of the Buxton facilities, with no proprietary AI, no API exposure, and no mobile app. Marketing is conducted through a dedicated website (buxton.derby.ac.uk), social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram), open events, taster days, schools liaison outreach, and a digital prospectus.

The business model is predominantly public-sector-subsidised further education: tuition and course fees are supplemented by government funding for 16-18 provision, apprenticeship levy income for the apprenticeship stream, Advanced Learner Loans for adult learners, and employer contracts for workforce training. Pricing varies by course type and is not publicly disclosed. The institution holds an Ofsted "Good" rating, a TES Award for Outstanding GCSE Resits provision, the Matrix Quality Standard for information, advice and guidance, and Investors in Diversity accreditation. As a campus of a public university, Buxton & Leek College operates under the University of Derby's governance and copyright, with no independent funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

Buxton & Leek College

Legal name

Buxton & Leek College

Website

https://blc.ac.uk

Company type

Public

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Buxton & Leek College is a UK further and higher education institution, now operating as the University of Derby's Buxton Campus, serving school leavers, adults, apprentices, and regional employers through vocational courses, T-Levels, apprenticeships, and university-level qualifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

Keywords

• Further education courses
• Vocational training programmes
• Apprenticeship schemes
• Adult learning courses
• T-Level qualifications

Headquarters

HQ city

Buxton

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, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: Revenue from full-time courses, part-time courses, apprenticeships, and university-level qualifications. Fee structures vary by program type with financial support options including bursaries, advanced learner loans, and free meals for eligible students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Buxton & Leek College is a further and higher education college operating as the Buxton Campus of the University of Derby. It sells full-time and part-time courses, T-Levels, apprenticeships, adult short and online courses, Access to Higher Education diplomas and university-level qualifications to school leavers, adults, apprentices and employers in Derbyshire, England. Practical training is delivered in industry-standard facilities including a commercial training kitchen (Harpurs Bistro), a hair and beauty training salon (Salon Inspire), and a Football Academy at Buxton Football Club.

Product overview

Buxton & Leek College (operating as University of Derby, Buxton Campus) is an educational institution providing a unified portfolio of further and higher education programmes. The core offerings span full-time courses for school leavers (including T-Levels), apprenticeships, adult education (short courses, part-time courses, Maths & English), and university-level qualifications delivered in partnership with University of Derby. Supporting services include industry placements, work experience, financial support/bursaries, and practical training facilities (Harpurs Bistro restaurant and Salon Inspire hair & beauty salon) where students gain real-world skills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full-Time Courses for School Leavers A wide range of full-time study programmes and courses for students aged 16-18, including vocational qualifications, T-Levels, study programmes, and GCSE resits, available across multiple subject areas.
• Apprenticeships Apprenticeship programmes combining on-the-job training with classroom study, offering vacancies across multiple sectors and accessible to any age, including higher apprenticeships.
• Adult Courses Courses for adult learners including online courses, adult short courses, part-time courses, and Maths & English qualifications to progress careers or learn new skills.
• University Level Courses Higher education qualifications including Access to Higher Education diplomas, part-time degrees, and professional courses, delivered as part of the University of Derby.
• T-Levels Technical education qualifications combining classroom learning with industry placements, designed for students aged 16-18 to develop occupation-specific skills.
• Harpurs Bistro Training restaurant operated by hospitality students providing real industry experience, with food and beverage service open to the public.
• Salon Inspire Hair and beauty training salon where students gain practical experience, open to the public for hair and beauty treatments.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of DerbycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuxton & Leek College operates as the Buxton Campus of University of Derby. This partnership provides academic credibility, progression pathways for students, and institutional infrastructure. Students have access to University-level courses and can progress through further education into higher education.
• Buxton Football ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to host Football Academy at Buxton Football Club facilities. Students in football programs train and receive education at the club facilities, providing practical sports training experience.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• New College Nottingham (ncn): New College Nottingham (now part of Nottingham College) is an urban FE college delivering the same mix of vocational, apprenticeship and adult learning programs as UOD-Buxton, serving an overlapping East Midlands demographic.
• Chesterfield College: Chesterfield College is a nearby East Midlands FE college serving a comparable demographic with school-leaver, adult, apprenticeship and T-Level provision, and overlaps with Buxton's recruitment catchment.
• Reaseheath College: Reaseheath is a specialist land-based and vocational FE college offering apprenticeships, T-Levels and commercial training facilities (kitchens, salons, animal centres), directly comparable in facility-led model.
• Burton and South Derbyshire College: Burton and South Derbyshire College is a regional FE college in the same county, offering vocational and apprenticeship programs that directly compete with UOD-Buxton for school leavers and adult learners.
• Loughborough College: Loughborough College is an East Midlands FE college offering further education, apprenticeships, Access to HE and university-level courses through partner universities — a near-identical operating model to UOD-Buxton.
• North Staffordshire College Group (NSCG): NSCG is explicitly referenced in the company's data as a partner/connection for Leek-based courses, and operates the same FE/apprenticeship model across Staffordshire, making it a direct regional peer.
• Derby College: Derby College is the closest regional further education competitor, located in Derby and offering a similar portfolio of vocational courses, T-Levels, apprenticeships and adult learning for the same Derbyshire catchment.

Broad incumbents

• Activate Learning: Activate Learning is a multi-campus FE college group operating across southern England with the same FE/apprenticeship/adult-learning portfolio; it represents a scaled, group-level incumbent in the UK further education sector.
• University of Derby: University of Derby is the parent institution and a broader incumbent UK university offering degree pathways that the Buxton campus feeds into; it sets the academic and governance framework within which UOD-Buxton operates.

Regional players

• Macclesfield College: Macclesfield College is a nearby Cheshire FE college with similar further education and apprenticeship offerings; it competes for the same North Staffordshire / Peak District catchment as Buxton.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BuxtonLeek
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buxton-&-leek-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/derbyunibuxton
• Xx.com/BuxtonLeek

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Buxton & Leek College