Cambridge Academy of English (CAE)

English Language Educationcambridgeacademy.co.uk

Cambridge Academy of English is a Cambridge-based private English language school founded in 1975, delivering fully-inclusive residential summer courses for ages 8-20 at Stamford School, plus customised learning and group courses for international students distributed via a global ETO network.

Company typePrivate
Founded1975
HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
Headcount11–50
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) does

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) is a Cambridge-based private English language school founded in April 1975 by Ewa-Lilian Adams, operating under the corporate entity The Willow Education Limited (UK Registered Company No. 12752342). The school delivers English language education to international students across four residential summer courses at Stamford School (Children 8-12 at MH, Young Teens 12-15 at OBH, Teenage 14-17 at PHC, and Young Adults 17-20 at GYL), supplemented by Customised Learning Solutions for adult professionals and business clients (online and in-person), and Year-round and Summer Group Courses for school groups of 10-30 students. Residential courses are fully inclusive, priced at GBP 2,995-3,345 for 2-week and GBP 5,595-6,195 for 4-week programs, with 15-20 hours of lessons per week, maximum class sizes of 12-14, and a 1:6 staff:student ratio for children.

CAE operates with approximately 36 employees and is accredited by the British Council (Accreditation UK), and is a member of English UK, English UK Young Learners, English UK East, IALC, and The English Network. Distribution is split between direct website bookings (requiring a GBP 300 deposit) and a global network of Educational Tour Operators (ETOs) in 25+ countries that recruit students internationally. The school's go-to-market relies on destination appeal (Cambridge and Stamford), multi-generational alumni referrals, and content marketing via its website and Instagram (@caeconnected). Revenue is not publicly disclosed; there is no PE/VC backing, no M&A history, and no parent company, indicating a self-funded, founder-aligned owner-operator model.

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Cambridge Academy of English (CAE)
Legal name: The Willow Education Limited
Website: https://cambridgeacademy.co.uk
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1975
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 11–50 employees
Short description: Cambridge Academy of English is a Cambridge-based private English language school founded in 1975, delivering fully-inclusive residential summer courses for ages 8-20 at Stamford School, plus customised learning and group courses for international students distributed via a global ETO network.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) industry classification

Industry

Product category: English Language Education
NAICS: Language Schools (611630), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (611710)
SIC: Services-Educational Services (8200)
akta.pro primary industry: Virtual Test Prep & Online Supplemental Instruction (K–12) (EDAJADAI)
akta.pro secondary industry: English Test Preparation (IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo English Test, etc.) (EDAAACAJ)

Keywords

Residential English courses
Young learner summer programs
Language school training
Customised English learning
School group travel programmes

Where Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Cambridge
HQ country: United Kingdom
HQ region: Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Young Learner Summer Residential Courses: Full-inclusive 2-week and 4-week residential courses for children, young teens, teenagers, and young adults. Fees include tuition, accommodation, activities, sports, airport transfers, all meals, excursions, admissions and insurance. Pricing ranges from GBP 2,995 to GBP 3,345 per 2-week course.
Customised Learning Solutions: Tailor-made English courses for adult students, business professionals, and specialized groups. Can include online and/or in-person lessons.
Group Training Courses: Year-round group training courses and summer group courses for groups of 10-30 students. Fully inclusive packages with all costs covered including transfers and insurance.
Exam Fees: Additional exam costs ranging from GBP 50-200 depending on which exam is suitable, not included in course fees.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Multi-year contract	Children's Residential (8-12 years) - 2 weeks
Subscription	Multi-year contract	Children's Residential (8-12 years) - 4 weeks
Subscription	Multi-year contract	Young Teens Residential (12-15 years) - 2 weeks
Subscription	Multi-year contract	Young Teens Residential (12-15 years) - 4 weeks
Subscription	Multi-year contract	Teenage Residential (14-17 years) - 2 weeks
Subscription	Multi-year contract	Teenage Residential (14-17 years) - 4 weeks
Subscription	Multi-year contract	Young Adult Residential (17-20 years) - 2 weeks
Subscription	Multi-year contract	Young Adult Residential (17-20 years) - 4 weeks

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) delivers British Council-accredited English language education through fully-inclusive residential summer courses at Stamford School for young learners (ages 8-17) and young adults (ages 17-20), as well as customised learning solutions for adults, business professionals, and law students (available online or in-person), and group training courses for school groups of 10-30 students. Course fees bundle tuition, accommodation, activities, meals, airport transfers, excursions and insurance, with published rates of GBP 2,995-6,195 per residential course and additional exam fees of GBP 50-200.

Product overview

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) is a portfolio of English language education products built around a core of accredited classroom-based instruction. The offering consists of Young Learner residential summer courses (Children's 8-12, Young Teens 12-15, Teenage 14-17, and Young Adults 17-20) held at partner boarding schools, Customised Learning Solutions for adult professionals, and Group Training courses for school groups. All Young Learner courses are fully-inclusive packages bundling tuition, accommodation, activities, sports, airport transfers, meals, excursions, admissions and insurance. The company positions itself as accredited by the British Council and a member of English UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Young Learner English Courses (8-17 years) Fully-inclusive residential English language courses for children and teenagers aged 8-17, delivered at Stamford School. Bundled package covering tuition, accommodation, activities, sports, airport transfers, all meals, excursions, admissions and insurance.
Children's Residential Course (8-12) - MH @ Stamford School Fully-inclusive residential summer course for children aged 8-12, featuring small classes of 8-12 students, 15-20 hours of lessons per week, and extensive sports and activity programmes. Maximum 24 children per course with 1:6 staff-student ratio.
Young Teens Residential Course (12-15) - OBH @ Stamford School Fully-inclusive residential summer course for young teens aged 12-15, offering 15 hours of lessons per week with level-based project work and international mix of students. Maximum class size of 12.
Teenage Residential Course (14-17) - PHC @ Stamford School Fully-inclusive residential summer course for teenagers aged 14-17, featuring 20 hours of lessons per week, academic electives, afternoon activities, and regular excursions to London and Cambridge. Maximum class size 12.
Young Adult Residential Course (17-20) - GYL @ Stamford School Fully-inclusive residential leadership and English language course for young adults aged 17-20, focused on developing leadership skills alongside English proficiency.
Customised Learning Solutions Tailor-made English language courses for adult students, business professionals, and law students, available via online and/or in-person lessons. Designed to suit individual learning needs and scheduling.
Young Learner Summer Group Courses Group English courses for young learners aged 8-17, accommodating groups of 10-30 students with fully-inclusive packages, maximum class size of 14, and 15 hours of lessons per week. Includes all costs including transfers and insurance.
Year-round Group Training Courses Year-round group English language training courses at Cambridge, designed for groups seeking customisable learning solutions outside the summer season.

Quantifiable outcome

Students achieve English proficiency levels enabling university admission in UK (e.g., high IELTS scores for Coventry, Cardiff Universities)
+2 more outcomes

Companies that use Cambridge Academy of English (CAE)

Customer profile

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

IALC (Auckland Workshop)coreOthers · 1 April 2025CAE participated in the prestigious IALC Workshop in Auckland, New Zealand in April 2025, coinciding with CAE's 50th anniversary.
Stamford SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStamford School is the venue for CAE's summer residential courses. Founded in 1532, this private boarding school in Stamford, Lincolnshire provides facilities for CAE's Children's, Young Teens, Teenage, and Young Adult courses. CAE has priority use of the historic school and extensive grounds during summer months.
Together (Argentina)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducational Tour Operator representing CAE in Argentina. Located at Avda. Cordoba 435, Buenos Aires. Has represented CAE for several years.
InterLatina Cultural Exchange SRL (Argentina)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducational Tour Operator in Buenos Aires representing CAE. Specializes in cultural exchange programs.
EFA Sprachreisen GmbH (Austria)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLanguage travel agency representing CAE in Austria. Located in Feldkirch-Tisis.
Languages & Travel (Belgium)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLanguage travel agency representing CAE in Belgium. Located in Brussels.
CP4 Cursos no Exterior (Brazil)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducational tour operator representing CAE in Brazil, specializing in overseas courses.
Integral Educational Programs (Bulgaria)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducational agency representing CAE in Sofia, Bulgaria.
GoStudy (Chile)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducation agency representing CAE in Chile, located in Santiago.
ISA Education Service (China)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducation service representing CAE in China. Located in Beijing.
UK Education Garden Ltd. (China/UK)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducation company with offices in Cambridge, UK and serving Asia Pacific region. Represents CAE in China.
English UKcoreOthersNational association for English language teaching in the UK. CAE is a member. Provides student emergency support fund protection for CAE students.
International Association of Language Centres (IALC)coreOthersGlobal association of language centres. CAE is a member and participates in IALC workshops.
Addenbrookes Charitable TrustminorOthersCharitable trust. CAE Honorary Principal John Barnett donates proceeds from his Windy B children's book series to the Addenbrookes Charitable Trust.
The English Network (TEN)minorOthersGlobal network of English language schools. CAE is a member.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

British Study Centres: British Study Centres is a UK-based English language school group offering adult and junior courses in multiple UK cities. Comparable business model serving international students seeking English immersion.
Kaplan International Languages: Kaplan International Languages offers English courses in the UK and globally, including young learner and adult programs at premium prices. Directly comparable business model targeting international students with similar value proposition.
LSI (Language Studies International): LSI operates English language schools in the UK and internationally, offering adult and junior courses. Direct competitor for international students, particularly in Cambridge where both schools are located.
International House London: International House London offers English language courses and teacher training in the UK, with similar accreditation and international student focus. Part of the broader International House network.
St Giles International: St Giles International operates English language schools in the UK (London, Brighton, Cambridge) and internationally. Direct competitor for adult and junior English courses, with similar Cambridge presence and target customer base.
Bell English: Bell English is a UK-based language school offering young learner residential courses, teacher training, and adult English programs at boarding schools. Highly comparable in customer segments and summer residential model.
EC English Language Centres: EC operates year-round and summer English language schools globally, including UK centres, with similar young learner and adult course portfolios and British Council accreditation. Direct competitor for international students seeking English immersion in the UK.
Eurocentres: Eurocentres operates English language schools across Europe including the UK, with similar young learner summer programs and adult courses. Comparable positioning as a European-based English language school targeting international students.
Regent Language School: Regent Language School is a UK-based English language school in multiple cities including Cambridge. Comparable business model with adult courses and teacher training programs.

Broad incumbents

EF Education First: EF Education First is a global incumbent in language education, with study abroad programs including in the UK. While much larger and broader in scope, EF competes for the same international student segment with much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance2 records

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Cambridge Academy of English (CAE)

What does Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) do?

Is Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) a public or private company?

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.

When was Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) founded?

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) was founded in 1975. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) based?

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.

How does Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Young Learner Summer Residential Courses are the primary driver. The others are customised Learning Solutions, group Training Courses and exam Fees.

Who are Cambridge Academy of English (CAE)'s main competitors?

Direct peers on record are British Study Centres, Kaplan International Languages, LSI (Language Studies International), International House London, St Giles International, Bell English, EC English Language Centres, Eurocentres and Regent Language School. EF Education First is listed as a broad incumbent.

Does Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) have an API?

No public API is recorded for Cambridge Academy of English (CAE).

What industry is Cambridge Academy of English (CAE) in?

Cambridge Academy of English (CAE)'s product category is English Language Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJADAI, Virtual Test Prep & Online Supplemental Instruction (K–12), with a secondary code of EDAAACAJ, English Test Preparation (IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo English Test, etc.). Its NAICS code is 611630 and its SIC code is 8200.