Great Oaks College

What Great Oaks College does

Great Oaks College is a UK-based specialist further education college, founded in 2018 and operated by the Great Oaks Charitable Trust (company number 11074784, charity number 1188094). It serves students aged 19-25 with moderate, severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties, including autistic students and those with physical and sensory impairments, across West London and Surrey. The college delivers three differentiated two-year pathways (Engagement for Life, Life and Living, Vocational) with accredited outcomes through NOCN and OCR, and embeds Speech & Language, Occupational, and Physiotherapy services within the curriculum. Specialist physical infrastructure includes a hydrotherapy pool, dedicated sensory rooms, ceiling-mounted tracking hoists, and assistive communication technologies such as Eye Gaze systems, AAC devices (e.g., Go Talk 4), switch-based environmental controls, and TACPAC sensory communication.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) placements commissioned by local authorities, with named funders including Hounslow, Hillingdon, Richmond, Kingston, and Surrey councils. A secondary income stream comes from charitable donations routed via the Great Oaks Charitable Trust's JustGiving page, which funds specialist equipment not covered by standard EHCP funding. The go-to-market is sales-led and referral-driven: prospective students are admitted through EHCP processes coordinated with local authority SEND teams, feeder special schools, and families, with direct online applications also accepted. The college runs open days, transition events, and information sessions, and maintains organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn) plus a Mailchimp newsletter for ongoing community engagement.

The college employs approximately 25 staff across two sites — the main Windmill campus in Sunbury-on-Thames and the Triangle Centre in Hounslow — following a September 2025 relocation from prior co-located space at Oaklands School. It secured an Outstanding Ofsted rating in April 2023 and is expanding its employer-partner network (Tesco, St Mary's Convent, Mahaba Cafe, HG Walter, Park Lane Stables, SEN Farm) to support vocational work placements and post-college employment outcomes.

Name

Great Oaks College

Legal name

Great Oaks Charitable Trust

Website

https://greatoakscollege.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Great Oaks College is a UK specialist further education college, founded 2018 and run by the Great Oaks Charitable Trust, delivering accredited two-year pathways for students aged 19-25 with moderate to profound learning difficulties and autism in West London and Surrey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Further Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Junior Colleges (61121)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways) (EDAAABAK)

Keywords

• Specialist further education
• SEND further education
• Learning difficulties college
• Special educational needs
• Education health care plans

Headquarters

HQ city

Sunbury-on-Thames

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Education Funding via Local Authorities: Students are funded through their Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) by local authorities including Hounslow, Hillingdon, Richmond, Kingston, and Surrey councils
2. Charitable Donations: The Great Oaks Charitable Trust accepts donations via JustGiving to fund specialist equipment not covered by standard funding, including eye gaze devices (£8,000-£12,000), Go Talk 4 (£200), and Big Mack switches (£150)

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Great Oaks College is a specialist further education college providing educational programmes to young adults aged 19-25 with moderate, severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties, including autism. The college delivers three pathways (Vocational, Life and Living, and Engagement for Life) with embedded therapy services, specialist assistive communication technology, and purpose-built facilities including a hydrotherapy pool and sensory rooms. Students are funded through Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) by local authorities.

Product overview

Great Oaks College offers further education to young adults aged 19-25 with moderate, severe, or profound and multiple learning difficulties, including students with autism. The college operates three educational pathways: Engagement for Life (for students with complex physical, sensory and cognitive needs), Life and Living (for practical independence skills), and Vocational (preparing students for employment). Within these pathways, the college provides specific courses including Vocational Training, Vocational Options, Life Skills, and Independent Living courses, each lasting two years and offering accreditation through NOCN and OCR qualifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Engagement for Life Pathway A pathway for students with complex physical, sensory and cognitive needs, offering two two-year courses focused on communication, PSHEC, ICT, environmental control, and sensory learning using specialist programmes including Makaton, Intensive Interaction, TaSSeLs Tactile Signing, and Objects of Reference.
• Life and Living Pathway A pathway offering two courses (Life Skills and Independent Living) for students developing practical skills for independence, including cooking, laundry, shopping, community access, and functional literacy and numeracy.
• Vocational Pathway A pathway for students pursuing employment, offering three courses (Vocational Options and Vocational Training) focusing on Facilities, Horticulture, Hospitality, and Catering with external work placements.
• Vocational Training Course (two years) A two-year course for students who have decided on a career path, focusing on Facilities, Horticulture, Hospitality or Catering with extended work placements and accreditation including NOCN Functional Skills.
• Vocational Options Course (two years) A two-year exploratory course allowing students to experience four career paths: Cafe and Retail, Catering, Facilities Management and Horticulture with six-week external work placements.
• Life Skills Course A course teaching basic skills in preparing drinks, snacks and meals, using local amenities, accessing community activities, and group volunteering projects with OCR and NOCN accreditation.
• Independent Living Course (two years) A two-year course developing skills in household tasks, shopping, laundry, recycling, food hygiene and community safety, with volunteering placements and accreditation through OCR and NOCN.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students successfully transition to employment, further education, supported living, and community activities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• St Mary's Convent (Chiswick)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year partnership providing meaningful work placements for students including on-site café setup, flower bed planting and care, laundry work, and grounds team duties. Some students have transitioned to paid and voluntary roles at the convent after leaving college. Students receive uniforms to foster belonging and pride.
• TescocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal work placement provider for Vocational students to develop retail skills including stock management and shop floor maintenance. Students receive travel training support to commute independently.
• Mahaba CafeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported internship placement provider. Student Zaynab particularly enjoyed working there and may continue employment journey with the café upon leaving college.
• Park Lane Stables (RDA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity providing animal care placements for students. Students help with mucking out and horse care. Horses provide calming and therapeutic effect for young people with additional needs.
• HG Walter (Butcher)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily butcher business providing work placement for student Jayce, who works alongside his dad while being supported by an employability coach to build independence and professional workplace skills.
• Syron Park Foodies FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership providing volunteering opportunities for students to develop transferable life skills through promotional activities like leafleting.
• SEN FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal farm providing animal care volunteering placements for students to develop practical, real-world work skills.
• Oaklands SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partnership within Oaklands School premises in Gresham Road, Hounslow. Students have access to shared facilities while college was in early operation. College is now relocating to dedicated premises.
• The Brain Tumour CharityminorOthersCharity supported by college community. Deputy Principal's wife Sophie Sparrow-Murr raised nearly £25,000 for the charity. College staff participated in a wellbeing walk to show support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Henshaws Specialist College: Specialist further education college in the North West for young people with special educational needs including autism and learning disabilities. Directly comparable residential/day FE model with multiple pathways.
• Livability: Livability operates specialist education and transition services for young adults with learning disabilities and autism, including further education pathways. Comparable target cohort and life-skills/employment orientation.
• Treloar's: Specialist UK further education college for students with physical disabilities, sensory impairments, and complex learning needs. Comparable to Great Oaks in providing integrated therapy within a college setting and serving PMLD learners.
• Hft (Home Farm Trust): UK charity providing education, employment, and supported living services for people with learning disabilities. Comparable focus on post-19 pathways, employment outcomes, and EHCP-funded provision.
• Together Trust: Manchester-based charity delivering specialist education, college, and transition services for children and young adults with SEND, autism, and complex needs. Comparable non-profit FE college model.
• National Star: UK specialist further education and residential college for young people with complex physical and learning disabilities, including autism. Direct peer offering multi-year SEND FE pathways with embedded therapy — highly comparable to Great Oaks' Engagement for Life and Life and Living pathways.
• Sense College: Sense's specialist further education provision for deafblind young people and those with complex disabilities. Comparable SEND FE focus with tailored pathways and embedded communication support.

Emerging players

• Ambitious about Autism: UK charity running specialist education settings and post-16 pathways for autistic students. Overlapping target cohort and pathway philosophy, with partial geographic overlap with Great Oaks' London footprint.

Others

• United Response: UK charity providing supported employment, training, and personalisation services for people with learning disabilities and autism. Adjacent to Great Oaks' vocational/employment outcome mission, functioning as a referral and outcome partner rather than a directly competing college.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Mencap Society: UK's largest learning disability charity, providing services across education, employment, housing, and advocacy. Broader portfolio, but operates employment and learning programmes comparable to Great Oaks' Vocational pathway.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/greatoakscollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/greatoakscollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-oaks-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/great.oakscollege

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Great Oaks College