What The HIVE College does

The HIVE College is a further education institution based in Erdington, Birmingham, serving students aged 19-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Founded in 2013 and operating as part of Education Impact Academy Trust, the college delivers four core programmes: Live @ The Hive (real-life and simulated learning activities for adult-life transition), THRIVE @ the Hive (volunteering and employment pathways), STRIVE @ The Hive (specialized support for learners with profound and multiple learning disabilities), and Traineeships (vocational work experience). Reported outcomes include 45% of Live alumni in paid employment and 34% in voluntary work following exit.

The college operates a non-profit, government-funded model with revenue derived from education and training contracts at the public sector level. Pricing is not directly applicable to students; instead, the college is funded through FE commissioning channels for eligible SEND learners. The college's go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct engagement with parents, carers, schools, and a network of local employer partners (Prontaprint, Absolute Care Homes, UK Athletics, Boldmere Computers, Kier, Serco, among others) for work placements and supported internships, alongside specialist partnerships with Midlands Mencap, Forward Carers, and Wyndley Inclusive Hub.

The college has 28 employees and operates from a single campus at Perry Common Road, Erdington, B23 7AT. It holds an Ofsted Outstanding rating and won the 2023 Natspec Innovation Award for innovative routes into employment. Distribution is regional (West Midlands), with no disclosed expansion beyond the Birmingham site, and the technology stack is centered on Office 365 and standard web infrastructure rather than proprietary platforms.

Name

The HIVE College

Legal name

Education Impact Academy Trust

Website

https://hivecollege.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The HIVE College is a government-funded further education college in Erdington, Birmingham, serving students aged 19-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities through specialized SEND programmes (Live, THRIVE, STRIVE, Traineeships) designed to support transition into adult life, employment, and volunteering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Educational Needs Further Education

NAICS

Other Schools and Instruction (6116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education Vocational & Transition Programs (18–22) (EDAKAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF)

Keywords

• Special educational needs
• Further education college
• Supported internships
• Employability programmes
• Learning disability support

Headquarters

HQ city

Erdington, Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-funded Further Education: The college operates as a further education institution providing specialized programs for students aged 19-25 with disabilities and learning needs, funded through education and training contracts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The HIVE College is a further education college in Birmingham that delivers specialist study programmes and traineeships for students aged 19-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Programmes combine real-life and simulated learning, volunteering pathways, supported internships, and tailored provision for learners with profound and multiple learning disabilities, funded primarily through public-sector education and training contracts.

Product overview

The Hive College offers a unified educational platform with four distinct programmes designed for students aged 19-25 with disabilities and different learning needs. The core portfolio consists of Live @ The Hive (real-life and simulated learning), THRIVE @ the Hive (volunteering and employment pathways), and STRIVE @ The Hive (specialized support for profound/multiple learning disabilities), supported by Traineeships. All programmes share the common goal of aiding transition into adult life through skills development, with 45% of Live programme alumni achieving paid employment and 34% engaged in voluntary work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Live @ The Hive: Learners participate in real-life and simulated learning activities to develop new skills, knowledge and behaviours.
• THRIVE @ the Hive
• STRIVE @ The Hive
• TRAINEESHIPS @ THE HIVE

Products and services

• Live @ The Hive

Quantifiable outcome

• 45% of Live students now in paid employment since leaving The Hive
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Midlands MencapcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Check and Connect programme providing ongoing support services for students. Mencap is a charity supporting people with learning disabilities, aligning with Hive's mission to support students into adult life.
• Forward CarersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing support services for families and carers of people with learning disabilities, extending the college's support network beyond campus.
• Local Birmingham EmployerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of employers including Prontaprint, Absolute Care Homes, UK Athletics, Boldmere Computers providing work placements, supported internships and employment opportunities for students.
• Wyndley Inclusive HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive hub collaboration providing additional support and resources for students with special educational needs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Derwen College: Specialist UK further education college for young adults with SEND, learning disabilities, and autism offering vocational and transition programmes. Directly comparable provision model and target demographic.
• Ruskin Mill Trust: UK specialist education provider operating colleges and provisions for young people with SEND, learning disabilities, and autism. Directly comparable further-education-for-SEND model with focus on practical and land-based learning for transition into adult life.
• Portland College: Nottinghamshire-based specialist further education college for students with SEND and complex needs, providing vocational training, independence skills, and employment pathways. Comparable FE-for-SEND structure and outcome-driven model.
• National Star College: Specialist UK further education college for young people with SEND, disabilities, and complex needs, offering transition-to-adulthood and employment pathways. Highly comparable mission, regulatory framework (Ofsted), and student demographic to The HIVE College.
• Hereward College: Coventry-based specialist further education college serving students with SEND aged 16–25 with transition, employment, and independence pathways. Closest geographic direct peer to HIVE, sharing West Midlands catchment and Ofsted-inspected FE framework.
• Royal National College for the Blind (RNCB): Specialist UK further education college for visually impaired and disabled students, offering transition, employability, and independence programmes. Comparable specialist FE model with Ofsted-rated provision and employer placement pipelines.

Emerging players

• United Response: UK charity supporting people with learning disabilities and SEND through supported employment, training, and independent living services. Comparable focus on employment outcomes for SEND learners, though operating more as a supported-employment provider than a college.

Broad incumbents

• Mencap: UK's largest charity supporting people with learning disabilities across education, employment, housing, and advocacy. HIVE is an existing partner of Midlands Mencap (Check and Connect programme); Mencap operates broader services rather than direct further education competition.
• National Autistic Society: Major UK charity for autism including specialist education services, employment programmes, and adult support. Overlaps with HIVE's SEND cohort (particularly autistic learners) but operates across a much wider service portfolio.

Others

• Natspec: UK membership association representing specialist further education colleges for learners with SEND. HIVE is a recognized member and 2023 Innovation Award winner; Natspec is an ecosystem/peer-network organization rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=JjCf4cTqc4c
• Facebookfacebook.com/wilsonstuartuniversitycollegebirminghampartnershiptrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-hive-college

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The HIVE College