Whitchurch High school Cardiff

What Whitchurch High school Cardiff does

Whitchurch High School is a publicly-funded maintained comprehensive secondary school located in Whitchurch, Cardiff, Wales. It serves approximately 2,500 pupils aged 11-18 across two sites - the Main School and the Upper School - and offers a full secondary curriculum together with an on-site Sixth Form. The school is a Foundation School, meaning its governing body acts as the Admissions Authority, providing operational autonomy within the Welsh maintained sector framework.

Its core product is statutory secondary education, extended by several specialist provisions: the Ty Calon Centre, a county-wide Specialist Resource Base for learners with Additional Learning Needs (including autism, sensory needs and learning difficulties) with stated capacity for up to 110 pupils; a Rugby Academy that formalises sport-led differentiation; and structured Post-16 collaboration with Radyr High School that broadens A-level and equivalent subject choice. The school has also established international exchange partnerships with schools in New Zealand for the 2025-2026 academic year and holds the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Bronze Award (2025).

Revenue is derived almost entirely from public grant funding routed through Cardiff County Council and the Welsh Government under the maintained-sector funding formula, supplemented by community engagement, PTA fundraising, and partnership activity. There is no tuition-based commercial revenue stream, and the school's strategic positioning is shaped by Welsh Government policy, Estyn inspection outcomes, and local authority admissions frameworks rather than competitive market dynamics.

Name

Whitchurch High school Cardiff

Legal name

Whitchurch High School

Website

https://whitchurchhs.wales

Company type

Public

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Whitchurch High School is a publicly-funded maintained comprehensive secondary school in Cardiff, Wales, serving approximately 2,500 pupils across two sites, with an on-site Sixth Form, a specialist ALN resource base (Ty Calon Centre, capacity up to 110), and a Rugby Academy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• Comprehensive school
• Additional learning needs
• Sixth form education
• Careers guidance

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State-Funded Education: Whitchurch High School is a maintained comprehensive school funded by Cardiff County Council and the Welsh Government. Education is free for students, with funding based on pupil numbers and additional needs (SRB funding for Ty Calon Centre).
2. Staff Salaries: Cleaner positions advertised at Grade 1 SCP 2 with actual starting salary of £17,902 (30 hrs) or £8,951 (15 hrs) per year, subject to 2025/26 April Pay Award.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Whitchurch High School delivers state-funded comprehensive secondary education for nearly 2,500 pupils aged 11-18 across two sites in Cardiff, including GCSEs, A Levels, vocational qualifications, and a Sixth Form. It also operates the Ty Calon Centre, Cardiff's largest SEN Specialist Resource Base (up to 110 places), a Rugby Academy, and an inclusive Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision. Education is provided free at the point of use under a model funded by Cardiff County Council and the Welsh Government.

Product overview

Whitchurch High School is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school in Cardiff with nearly 2,500 students across Years 7-13. The school operates from two sites and provides mainstream secondary education as its core product, complemented by a Sixth Form offering A Levels and vocational qualifications, the Ty Calon Centre (a specialist resource base for students with additional learning needs supporting up to 110 students), and a Rugby Academy for elite athlete development. Additional offerings include a CWRE (Careers and Work Related Experiences) programme with Unifrog integration, comprehensive wellbeing services using the Thrive Approach, and extra-curricular enrichment activities. The school also provides digital tools including free Office 365 ProPlus access for students and a cashless catering system with biometric payment technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ty Calon Centre: SEN Specialist Resource Base (SRB) with capacity for up to 110 pupils from across Cardiff, providing specialized support for students with Additional Learning Needs on both school sites
• Whitchurch Rugby Academy

Products and services

• Mainstream Secondary Education Comprehensive secondary education for nearly 2,500 pupils aged 11-18 across Years 7-13, delivered across two sites in Whitchurch, Cardiff: a lower school for Years 7-9 off Manor Way and an upper school for Years 10-13 in Whitchurch village. The curriculum is broad, balanced, and differentiated across six Areas of Learning and Experience with literacy, numeracy, digital competence, and a Welsh dimension integrated throughout. Education is free at the point of use, funded by Cardiff County Council and the Welsh Government.
• Sixth Form Large Sixth Form offering A Levels and Level 3 vocational qualifications for students aged 16-19 (Years 12-13), with a strong track record of high standards and progression to university (including Russell Group institutions) or further education/apprenticeship pathways. The school partners with Radyr High School as part of the Local Area Curriculum to widen subject choices.
• Ty Calon Centre (SEN Specialist Resource Base) Cardiff's largest SEN Specialist Resource Base with capacity for up to 110 students with Statements of Additional Learning Needs, drawn from across Cardiff. Placements are agreed by a Case Advisory Panel following the Individual Development Plan (IDP) process, with a transition programme starting in the Year 6 Summer Term. Operates on both school sites, providing specialist equipment, qualified teachers, and Teaching Assistant support.
• Whitchurch Rugby Academy Senior Rugby Academy that identifies and develops talented young athletes aged 15-19 through an elite, high-performance development programme. Includes international exchanges with schools in New Zealand and partnerships with WRU Schools & Colleges Rugby League.
• Careers and Work Related Experiences (CWRE) Programme Careers education programme equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for the world of work, including Individual Learning Pathway Plans (ILPP) and integrated use of the Unifrog platform. Works with Careers Wales and includes a SEREN Academy programme supporting high-achieving students.
• Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Support Support for students with additional learning needs through a graduated response approach, Teaching Assistant support, and intervention programmes including Volunteer Reading Programme, STAIRS, Lexia, and numeracy catch-up. Provided through mainstream classrooms with specialist TA support and managed by a dedicated ALN Manager.
• Health and Wellbeing Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Strong Sixth Form progression: most Year 11 students continue to Sixth Form and progress to university or further education/apprenticeship
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• Wairarapa College and Nelson College (New Zealand)notableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025International exchange programme with two New Zealand schools. Students join Whitchurch High School for the 2025-2026 academic year, immersing in the education system while contributing to school life and competing in WRU Schools & Colleges Rugby League.
• Welsh Blood ServicenotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Whitchurch High School has partnered with Welsh Blood Service for blood donation days since 2019 (paused 2020-2021, resumed 2022). Fifth annual event held in 2025. Each donation can help up to three people in need across Wales.
• Radyr High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhitchurch High School works closely with Radyr High School as part of the wider Post 16 education Local Area Curriculum. Schools have common timetable times so students can widen curriculum choices including more vocational courses. This partnership allows students access to subjects not available at their own school.
• WRU Schools & Colleges Rugby LeaguenotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership allowing international students from New Zealand to compete in Welsh Rugby Union Schools & Colleges Rugby League while on exchange. Also relevant to Whitchurch Rugby Academy programme.
• Cardiff County CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCardiff Council administers all admissions for the SEN Specialist Resource Base (SRB) in partnership with the school. The school participates in coordinated admissions process administered by the Council for Year 7 entry. Council also provides school funding.
• SEREN AcademynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEREN students from Whitchurch High School participate in civic engagement activities including visits to Cardiff University and Cardiff County Hall debates, part of the Seren Academy programme supporting high-achieving students.
• Careers WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool works with Careers Wales to provide career information, advice and guidance. Students can access Careers Wales portal for job information including pay, entry requirements, future demand, and more through QR-coded resources.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• St Teilo's Church in Wales High School: Faith-based Cardiff secondary school with similar comprehensive provision, sixth form, and ALN support; competes with Whitchurch for the same Cardiff catchment families.
• Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School: Cardiff-based secondary school offering GCSE, A Level and vocational qualifications in a faith-school setting; comparable academic profile and competitive admissions dynamic in the Cardiff market.
• Cardiff High School: Large Cardiff maintained English-medium comprehensive secondary school serving a similar 11-18 age range with strong academic and extra-curricular provision; directly comparable as a Cardiff competitor for Year 7 admissions.
• Cathays High School: Cardiff secondary school sharing the maintained comprehensive model with Whitchurch; comparable in admissions dynamics, curriculum breadth and sixth form provision.
• Corpus Christi High School: Cardiff faith-based secondary school offering mainstream academic and vocational pathways; comparable in scale, age range and curriculum mix to Whitchurch.
• Radyr High School: Co-located Cardiff comprehensive secondary school and explicit strategic partner of Whitchurch via common Post-16 timetable alignment; comparable maintained comprehensive model, age range and curriculum.
• Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf: Large Welsh-medium comprehensive secondary school in Cardiff serving the same 11-18 age range; directly comparable comprehensive model with shared curriculum and examination pathways.
• Eastern High: Cardiff maintained comprehensive secondary school serving a similar 11-18 age range; directly comparable in curriculum, scale and Local Authority funding model.

Regional players

• Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr: Welsh-medium comprehensive secondary school in the Swansea Bay region; comparable Welsh-maintained comprehensive model and curriculum pathway to Whitchurch but operating in a different catchment.
• Olchfa School: Large Welsh maintained comprehensive secondary school in Swansea offering an analogous 11-18 model with strong sixth form and ALN provision; comparable as a Welsh-maintained peer outside Cardiff.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whitchurch High school Cardiff