What Cotham School does

Cotham School is a state-funded secondary school located on Cotham Lawn Road in the Cotham area of Bristol, United Kingdom. It serves students aged 11-18 across Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9), Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11), and Key Stage 5 (Sixth Form), typically drawn from Bristol and surrounding areas. The school delivers a creative and academic curriculum across KS3 and KS4, with GCSE and A Level examination outcomes described as amongst the very best in the City of Bristol. Sixth form education is delivered in partnership through the North Bristol Post 16 Centre (NBP16C) consortium with other local schools, and the school offers A-Level programmes alongside career-focused pathways.

The school's core service offering includes the KS3, KS4, and KS5 curricula, CEIAG (Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance), Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support, enrichment and extracurricular activities, and a dedicated safeguarding and wellbeing function that includes a Mental Health Lead and year-group designated safeguarding leads. The school is led by Headteacher Joanne Butler, supported by a Senior Leadership Team and a Safeguarding Governor. Admissions are managed through Bristol City Council, the relevant local authority.

The school's technology stack comprises standard educational and administrative platforms: Study Bugs for student absence and late reporting, Home Access Plus (HAP) for remote student access to school resources, and WisePay for online payments including school meals and catering. The school communicates with parents and carers through weekly email mailings and maintains a presence on Facebook and Twitter/X. As a state-funded educational institution, Cotham School generates no commercial revenue; its funding flows through the UK government and local authority education funding mechanisms, and there is no external venture capital, private equity, or institutional investment ownership.

Name

Cotham School

Legal name

Cotham School

Website

https://cotham.bristol.sch.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cotham School is a state-funded secondary school in Bristol, UK, serving students aged 11-18 through KS3, KS4, and KS5 curricula, with GCSE and A Level preparation and a sixth form delivered via the North Bristol Post 16 consortium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

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, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cotham School is a state-funded secondary school in Bristol delivering full-time education to students aged 11–18 across Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9), Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11, including GCSE preparation), and Key Stage 5/Sixth Form (Years 12–13, including A Levels delivered via the North Bristol Post 16 Centre consortium). The school also provides wraparound services including CEIAG careers guidance, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) inclusion support, safeguarding and mental health provision, enrichment and extra-curricular activities, and home learning support.

Product overview

Cotham School is a secondary school in Bristol offering a unified educational service spanning Key Stages 3, 4, and 5, including a sixth form provision through the North Bristol Post 16 Centre consortium. The school provides a creative and academic curriculum, GCSE and A Level examination programmes, enrichment activities, and special educational needs support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Key Stage 3 Curriculum (KS3) A comprehensive curriculum for Years 7–9 covering core academic subjects with creative and enrichment components, delivered on-site at Cotham School in Bristol to enrolled students aged 11–14.
• Key Stage 4 Curriculum (KS4) A GCSE examination preparation curriculum for Years 10–11 with pathway options and CEIAG careers guidance, delivered to students aged 14–16 enrolled at Cotham School.
• Key Stage 5 (Sixth Form) Curriculum (KS5) A Level and post-16 education for students aged 16–18, delivered to enrolled Cotham School students through the North Bristol Post 16 Centre consortium alongside other local schools.
• North Bristol Post 16 Centre (NBP16C) Collaborative sixth form provision between Cotham School and other local schools, offering A Levels, post-16 study, careers and enrichment support, and access to a Post 16 Hub (nbp16c.org.uk).
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Inclusion Support Inclusion services providing specialised support for students with special educational needs and disabilities across all year groups at Cotham School.
• CEIAG (Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance) A careers programme supporting students with future planning, university applications, and employment pathways, delivered as part of the school's curriculum and enrichment offer.
• Safeguarding and Wellbeing Services Child protection, mental health support, and student wellbeing services, including a designated Mental Health Lead, per-year-group Safeguarding Leads, online safety resources, and a Safeguarding Governor.
• Enrichment and Extra-curricular Activities After-school clubs, educational trips and visits, and enrichment programmes beyond the standard curriculum, available to students enrolled at Cotham School.

Quantifiable outcome

• GCSE and A Level examination record amongst the very best in the City of Bristol

Segments2 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

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Bristol Post 16 Centre (NBP16C)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCotham School is part of the North Bristol Post 16 Consortium, providing sixth form education in partnership with other local schools. The NBP16C website is www.nbp16c.org.uk. Students can access the Post 16 Hub and receive careers and enrichment support through this consortium arrangement.
• Bristol City CouncilcoreOthers
• Stoke Lodge Playing FieldsminorOthers

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Badminton School: Independent girls' day school in Bristol with secondary and sixth-form provision. Comparable on Bristol geography, age range, and academic orientation, with the independent model differentiating it from Cotham.
• Clifton College: Major independent day and boarding school in Bristol with full KS3–KS5 and Sixth Form offering. Comparable in academic positioning and Bristol location, and competes for the same high-attaining cohort, though operates on a fee-paying rather than state-funded model.
• Queen Elizabeth's Hospital (QEH): Independent boys' school in Bristol covering KS3–KS5 with a strong academic record. Comparable on academic positioning and Bristol catchment competition, differing in single-sex and fee-paying model.

Direct peers

• Redland Green School: State-funded secondary school located in the Redland area of Bristol serving KS3–KS4 pupils. Closest like-for-like peer by funding model, geography, and curriculum stage, making it the most directly comparable state secondary competitor for Bristol catchment families.
• Bristol Grammar School: Long-established independent secondary school in Bristol serving pupils through to Sixth Form, with comparable KS3–KS5 academic curriculum and similar GCSE/A Level positioning. Directly comparable peer given shared city, age range, and academic orientation, with the key distinction being Cotham's state-funded model.
• Fairfield High School: State secondary school in Bristol offering KS3–KS4 provision to local catchment families. Directly comparable on funding model, geography, and age range, competing for the same Bristol secondary applications.
• St Bede's Catholic College: Catholic voluntary-aided secondary school in Bristol delivering KS3–KS5 including a sixth form, with parallel careers, enrichment, and SEND provision. Comparable peer in city, age range, and full KS3–KS5 pathway.

Regional players

• North Bristol Post 16 Centre (NBP16C): Consortium of Bristol-area schools (including Cotham) delivering shared sixth form and A Level provision. Highly relevant as Cotham's direct delivery partner for KS5; functionally adjacent peer for sixth-form competitive dynamics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cothamschool
• Facebookfacebook.com/cothams
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cothamschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Cotham School