Bishop Douglass School

What Bishop Douglass School does

Bishop Douglass Catholic School is a state-funded Catholic secondary academy serving approximately 11–18 year olds (Years 7–13) at a single campus in East Finchley, London N2 0SQ. The school is a member of the Cardinal Hume Academies Trust within the Diocese of Westminster and operates under a per-pupil government funding model administered through the trust, with supplementary income from catering (approximately £2.86 per meal deal), branded uniform sales via Uniform4Kids, PTA fundraising, and facilities lettings. Core products are the secondary education programme (Years 7–11) and Sixth Form provision (A Level and BTEC), supported by a differentiated Pathways Program offering bespoke tracks for Oxbridge, Medicine, Nursing, Law, Engineering, and Sports candidates, alongside out-of-hours learning (Saturday classes, after-school Prep, and Homework Club).

The underlying technology stack is built on standard, off-the-shelf educational tools rather than proprietary or AI-driven systems: Microsoft 365 provides staff and student email and Office applications; ParentPay handles online payments; Satchel One (Show My Homework) manages homework; Epraise drives student rewards and engagement; Lexia PowerUp delivers computer-based literacy practice; and a biometric cashless payment system underpins canteen transactions. The school's website is hosted by Greenhouse School Websites and uses Google Analytics for traffic analysis. There is no public API, no mobile app, and no disclosed AI/ML capability.

Customers are segmented into three primary groups: Secondary School Students (Years 7–11), Sixth Form Students (Years 12–13), and Parents/Families. The go-to-market is essentially event-driven and community-led — annual open evenings, personalised tours, primary-school feeder transition programmes, and word-of-mouth from existing families and alumni drive admissions. The school does not charge tuition; competition is for pupil places rather than revenue per pupil, with reputational assets (top 3% nationally for Progress 8, 99% GCSE pass rate, 88% university progression) serving as the primary admissions differentiator.

Name

Bishop Douglass School

Legal name

Bishop Douglass Catholic School

Website

https://bishopdouglass.barnet.sch.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bishop Douglass Catholic School is a state-funded Catholic secondary academy in East Finchley, London, serving pupils aged 11–18 across Years 7–13 under the Cardinal Hume Academies Trust, with a top 3% nationally ranked Progress 8 score and a differentiated Pathways Program for Oxbridge, Medicine, Nursing, Law, Engineering, and Sports candidates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

East Finchley, London

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. Government Academy Funding: State-funded academy receiving per-pupil government funding through the Cardinal Hume Academies Trust. Core operational funding comes from the Department for Education via local authority funding formulas.
2. Catering and Meal Services: School canteen provides meals at approximately £2.86 for a meal deal. Revenue from food services funded through ParentPay or cashless account system.
3. Uniform Sales: Sales of branded uniform items (blazers, ties, kilts, PE kit) through approved supplier Uniform4Kids. Items with school embroidery/logo are purchased from the designated supplier.
4. PTA Fundraising and Events: Parent Teacher Association organizes events (Christmas Movie Night, International Summer Fair, Coffee Mornings) to raise funds for the school and strengthen community ties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bishop Douglass Catholic School is a state-funded Catholic secondary academy delivering mainstream education from Year 7 through Sixth Form in East Finchley, London, following the national curriculum to GCSE, A-Level, and BTEC qualifications. Its distinctive Pathways Program provides specialised university preparation for Oxbridge, Medicine, Nursing, Law, Engineering, and Sports, including mentoring, interview practice, UCAS support, and work experience placements. The school operates as an academy within the Cardinal Hume Academies Trust under the Diocese of Westminster, reporting top 3% national ranking for student progress.

Product overview

Bishop Douglass Catholic School is a mainstream Catholic secondary academy offering a unified educational service from Years 7 through Sixth Form. The core educational programme comprises secondary education (Years 7-11) and Sixth Form provision, both grounded in Catholic values. A distinctive element is the Pathways Program—a suite of specialised sub-products including Oxbridge, Medicine, Nursing, Law, Engineering, and Sports tracks—that provides targeted university preparation, career guidance, mentoring, and work experience opportunities. Supporting services include extended learning through out-of-hours classes, study clubs, and Prep sessions. The school operates as part of the Cardinal Hume Academies Trust.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary Education Programme (Years 7-11) Comprehensive Catholic secondary education from Year 7 through Year 11 following the national curriculum and leading to GCSE qualifications. Ranked in the top 3% nationally for progress (2023 GCSE results) with Progress 8 of +0.79, 99% GCSE pass rate, and an Attainment 8 score of 52.4. Designed for students aged 11-16.
• Sixth Form Provision Post-16 education offering A-Level and BTEC qualifications for students aged 16-18 with a 99% A-Level pass rate and 50% of grades at A*-B. Includes A Level value added of +0.36, 97% student retention, and 88% of Year 13 progressing to university (91% to first choice).
• Pathways Program Bespoke programme within the Sixth Form offering specialised university preparation tracks including mentoring, interview preparation, UCAS support, work experience, and university visits. Available to all Sixth Form students targeting competitive university destinations.
• Oxbridge Program Specialised preparation programme for Oxbridge applicants within the Pathways Program, including mentoring, interview practice, expert UCAS support, university visits, and extra-curricular development tailored to Oxbridge admissions.
• Medicine Program Career pathway within the Pathways Program for students targeting medicine, including educational visits, work experience assistance, UCAS support, UCAT interview preparation, and subject intervention.
• Nursing Program Specialised pathway within the Pathways Program for nursing careers, including expert UCAS support, work experience placement assistance, educational trips, guaranteed interview guidance for university nursing courses, and interview coaching.
• Law Program Preparation programme within the Pathways Program for law careers, including expert UCAS guidance, LNAT interview preparation, alumni forum, careers guidance, course intervention support, and apprenticeship assistance.
• Engineering Program University interview preparation and practice programme within the Pathways Program for engineering aspirants, supporting applications to engineering courses at competitive universities.
• Sports Program Sports pathway within the Pathways Program providing support in obtaining coaching badges, qualifications, and work experience opportunities for students pursuing sports-related careers.
• Out of Hours Learning Extended learning programme including Saturday morning classes for Years 10-13 (9:30am-12:30pm), after-school study clubs, 'Prep' homework support sessions from 3:15pm to 6:00pm Mon-Thu (with free light meal at 5:30pm), and Homework Club 3:15-5:00pm.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 3% of schools nationally for Progress 8 (2023)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cardinal Hume Academies TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBishop Douglass is an academy within the Cardinal Hume Academies Trust, a Catholic multi-academy trust. The trust provides governance, support, and shared services. Registered office at St George's Catholic School, Maida Vale, London.
• Bertha Earth FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental partnership involving collaborative projects with students including year-long environmental workshops and residential trip to Wales with Jamie's Farm.
• Jamie’s FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for residential trips to Wales combining environmental education with farm experiences, supporting student development and environmental awareness.
• Uniform4KidsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved uniform supplier located at 1103/05 Finchley Rd, Temple Fortune, London NW11 0QB. Supplies required items including ties, blazers, kilts, and PE kit with school embroidery.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School: Catholic co-educational secondary school in Ealing, West London, within the Diocese of Westminster. Direct peer: same diocesan Catholic framework, comparable comprehensive-plus-academic positioning, and similar provision of a Sixth Form alongside Years 7-11, competing across London for Catholic and aspirational families.
• St Gregory's Catholic Science College: Catholic co-educational secondary school in Harrow, North-West London, in the same diocesan family. Direct peer: Catholic ethos, comprehensive intake, comparable STEM/science specialism branding, and competes for the broader pool of Catholic families across North and West London.
• St Thomas More Catholic School: North London Catholic co-educational secondary school located in Wood Green, within the same Diocese of Westminster and a short distance from Bishop Douglass. Direct peer: same diocesan family, similar Catholic ethos, overlapping Barnet/Haringey catchment, and competes directly for the same cohort of Catholic families in North London.
• Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School: West London Catholic boys' secondary school known for elite academic results and Oxbridge progression. Direct peer: same Catholic ethos, similar selective-leaning intake, comparable Pathways-style preparation for Russell Group and Oxbridge admissions, and competing for the same pool of ambitious Catholic families in London.
• La Sainte Union Catholic School: Catholic co-educational secondary school in Highgate, North London, also within the Diocese of Westminster. Direct peer: same feeder geography, Catholic ethos, and comparable Year 7-13 offering including a Sixth Form, competing for admissions in the same North London market.

Regional players

• John Henry Newman Catholic School: Catholic co-educational secondary school in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, named after the same cardinal as the parent trust (Cardinal Hume). Regional peer: Catholic ethos, comprehensive intake, and similar Sixth Form provision, but serves a Home Counties rather than London catchment.
• St Mary's Catholic School (Bishop's Stortford): Catholic co-educational secondary school outside London but with a strong reputation for academic outcomes and university progression. Regional peer: comparable Catholic ethos, similar Pathways-style Oxbridge/Medicine preparation, but operates in a different geography and draws from a non-London catchment.

Broad incumbents

• Haberdashers' Aske's School for Boys: Selective independent school in nearby Barnet, drawing from the same North London talent pool. Broad incumbent: not Catholic and fee-charging, but competes for the same high-attainment families who would otherwise consider Bishop Douglass, and offers comparable academic stretch and elite university destinations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bishop-douglass-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/bdfinchley

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Bishop Douglass School