Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College

What Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College does

Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College (HLNSC) is a UK further and higher education college group operating five constituent colleges across Herefordshire and North Shropshire: Herefordshire College, Holme Lacy College, Ludlow Sixth Form College, North Shropshire College, and Walford College, supplemented by Hereford University Centre, The Gateway Adult and Community Education Centre, and County Training. Formed in 2016 under the parent The 3-18 Education Trust (a nonprofit foundation), the group is led by Principal and Chief Executive David Williams. The portfolio spans A Levels and T Levels for school leavers, vocational programmes, apprenticeships, higher education (including Higher Technical Qualifications), distance learning, short courses, and free adult courses, served through seven physical sites covering approximately 145 employees.

Specialist facilities form a key differentiator: Holme Lacy College sits on a 257-hectare mixed organic farm and houses the National School of Blacksmithing (the largest training forge in Europe), the Hereford School of Farriery (one of only three UK colleges delivering the Farriery Apprenticeship), and the Low Carbon Technology Training Centre. Walford College adds a 220-hectare farm with dairy, equestrian, motor vehicle workshops, and over 80 animal species. Ludlow Sixth Form College, with heritage dating to the thirteenth century and a 1977 transition from grammar school, is ranked in the top 3.5% of UK A Level providers with a 96.3% pass rate in 2025 and 98% success rate. The group holds Ofsted Good Provider status (2022, reference 31/130710).

Revenue is generated through a mix of government further-education funding (16-18 provision and apprenticeship levy), tuition fees for adults aged 19+, Advanced Learner Loans, employer-paid apprenticeship fees, the Skills Boost programme (grants up to £12,000 to Herefordshire businesses with 50% reclaim up to £6,000), and additional course charges for materials and equipment. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via online applications (SharePoint-based portals), on-campus enrollment, and employer engagement. Technology is conventional: Microsoft SharePoint, Prospectus Plus, Elementor website, Google Analytics, Eventbrite, and industry-standard music/audio software. Strategic partnerships include the University of Worcester (exclusive progression), The New Saints FC Football Academy, the Department for Work and Pensions (Digital Skills Bootcamps), and Oldfields Garage (EV apprenticeship pathway).

Name

Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College

Legal name

Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College

Website

https://hlnsc.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College is a UK further and higher education college group operating five colleges across Herefordshire and North Shropshire. It serves school leavers, adult learners, employers, and higher education students through A Levels, vocational programmes, apprenticeships, and specialist facilities including blacksmithing, farriery, and low-carbon technology training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Junior Colleges (6112), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

Keywords

• Further education courses
• Apprenticeship training
• Vocational education
• A level programmes
• Higher education courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Hereford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Revenue from tuition fees for students aged 19 and over. Government-funded for students who enroll before their 19th birthday. Fee reductions available for eligible adults.
2. Government Funding: Government funding for eligible further education students aged 16-18. Apprenticeship training funding available with government contribution varying by age.
3. Additional Course Costs: Additional costs for materials, equipment, specialist clothing, field trips and learning resources that exceed basic funding provisions.
4. Advanced Learner Loans: Non-means-tested tuition fee loans available for certain courses, repayed after graduation based on income thresholds.
5. Skills Boost Programme: Businesses in Herefordshire can upskill employees with grants up to £12,000 and claim 50% back (up to £6,000) through Skills Boost.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College (HLNSC) is a further and higher education college group delivering A Levels, T Levels, vocational qualifications, apprenticeships, higher education courses (including HTQs), distance learning, short courses, and Skills Bootcamps across five campuses in Herefordshire and North Shropshire. It specialises in land-based education (agriculture, animal care, equestrian), heritage crafts (blacksmithing, farriery), and emerging green technology through dedicated training centres, alongside academic pathways serving school leavers, adult learners, and employer apprenticeship customers.

Product overview

Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College (HLNSC) is a further and higher education institution operating as a group of five distinct colleges plus additional educational centres. The five colleges—Herefordshire College, Holme Lacy College, Ludlow Sixth Form College, North Shropshire College, and Walford College—alongside Hereford University Centre, The Gateway Adult and Community Education Centre, and County Training, collectively offer a comprehensive portfolio of educational programmes. These include Full-Time/A Level/T Level courses, Higher Education courses (including HTQs), Apprenticeships, Distance Learning, Short Courses, and Free Courses for Adults. The colleges differentiate through specialised facilities such as Holme Lacy's National School of Blacksmithing and Low Carbon Technology Training Centre, North Shropshire College's professional teaching restaurant and salons, and Walford College's working farm and equestrian centre. Recent additions include FL Studio in Music Technology provision and Digital Skills Bootcamps in partnership with DWP.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• County Training: Apprenticeship training services part of HLNSC
• The Gateway Adult and Community Education Centre
• Hereford University Centre
• TNS Football Academy
• Low Carbon Technology Training Centre
• National School of Blacksmithing

Products and services

• Full-Time A Level, T Level and Combination Courses Full-time academic and vocational courses for school leavers including A Levels, T Levels, and combination courses across multiple subject areas. Offered across the five colleges with specialist subjects and 100% pass rates in Psychology, Biology, and Geography A Levels at Ludlow.
• Higher Education Courses (HTQ and MAP) University-level qualifications including Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQ) and Modular Acceleration Programme (MAP), delivered through Hereford University Centre with flexible one-day-per-week attendance options for adult learners.
• Apprenticeships (HLNSC and County Training) Work-based earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship programmes across various industries and skill areas, delivered across Herefordshire and Shropshire through County Training for employers and individuals.
• Distance Learning Courses Flexible online courses allowing learners to study from home with remote access to learning materials, assessments, and tutor support.
• Short Courses Compact, focused courses providing targeted skills and qualifications in specific subject areas for adult learners seeking quick skill acquisition.
• Free Courses for Adults Government-funded courses available at no cost to eligible adult learners seeking to improve their skills and employability.
• Digital Skills Bootcamp A two-week intensive programme providing hands-on introduction to the IT industry including cyber security, networking basics, and configuration, run at Herefordshire College in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
• Skills Bootcamps Short, flexible skills programmes available in Digital, Leadership and Management, Early Years, Health, and other areas, designed to provide practical skills and clear pathways into employment or further study.
• Herefordshire College Main college campus offering a wide range of education and training options from foundation studies to degree level courses, apprenticeships, and work-based training, located in Hereford.
• Holme Lacy College Set on a 257-hectare mixed organic farm with animal care and equestrian centres, home to the National School of Blacksmithing (with the largest training forge in Europe) and the Low Carbon Technology Training Centre. Located in Holme Lacy.
• Ludlow Sixth Form College Ranked in the top 3.5% of UK A Level providers with 96.3% A Level pass rate and 98% success rate, offering small class sizes. Heritage dates back to thirteenth century grammar school, transitioning to sixth form in 1977. Located at Castle Square Campus.
• North Shropshire College Offers top-of-the-range facilities including professional teaching restaurant (Scholars), hair and beauty salons (Salon QB), science labs, plumbing and electrical workshops. Located at Shrewsbury Road, Oswestry. Hosts the TNS Football Academy partnership with The New Saints FC.
• Walford College Set on a 220-hectare farm with fully equipped dairy, large equestrian centre, motor vehicle workshops and over 80 species of domestic and exotic animals. Located at Baschurch.
• County Training (Apprenticeship Delivery) Apprenticeship and work-based training services delivered across Herefordshire and Shropshire as the employer-facing arm of HLNSC.
• The Gateway Adult and Community Education Centre Primary HLNSC location in Shrewsbury for delivering a wide array of community learning courses to adult learners.
• Hereford University Centre Higher education provision within the HLNSC group offering university-level courses locally, including Higher Technical Qualifications and Modular Acceleration Programme degrees.
• Low Carbon Technology Training Centre (LCTTC) Cutting-edge training facility at Holme Lacy College dedicated to renewable technology and low-carbon technologies, including sustainable construction and green technologies training for apprentices and adult learners.
• National School of Blacksmithing Prestigious blacksmithing training programme and facility at Holme Lacy College, home to the largest training forge in Europe.
• Hereford School of Farriery One of only three colleges in the UK delivering the Farriery Apprenticeship training programme, based at Holme Lacy College.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96.3% A Level pass rate at Ludlow Sixth Form College (2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Foundation of Ludlow CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Foundation of Ludlow College maintains a special and unique relationship with Ludlow Sixth Form College. Students continue to benefit from the Foundation's support and sponsorship in many different ways. The Foundation's trustees participate in alumni events and support college initiatives.
• Oldfields GaragecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-award-winning garage in Leominster that employs Herefordshire College motor vehicle apprentices. The garage invested in EV training and has capability to MOT, service and repair hybrid or electric vehicles. Apprentice Owen Lloyd achieved youngest EV qualification through this partnership.
• The New Saints FC (TNS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional football club partnership with North Shropshire College for the TNS Football Academy. Students complete Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science while playing for TNS. Partnership has produced multiple scholarship winners for US universities and national competition victories.
• University of WorcestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive progression partnership offering HLNSC students guaranteed conditional offers for various undergraduate degrees with reduced entry requirements (8 UCAS tariff points below published offer). Degrees include Business Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Criminology, Policing, Medicine, and more.
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDWP refers participants to Herefordshire College's Digital Skills Bootcamp. DWP Employment Team supports Skills Bootcamps that give people practical skills and clear pathways into employment or further study.
• County TrainingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPart of HLNSC group, County Training delivers apprenticeship training across Herefordshire and Shropshire. Operates from multiple locations serving as the group's employer-facing apprenticeship delivery arm.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hugh Baird College: Merseyside FE college offering A Levels, vocational training, apprenticeships, and HE — comparable multi-disciplinary FE operating model with similar breadth to HLNSC.
• New College Durham: North East England FE college offering A Levels, vocational courses, apprenticeships, and higher education — broadly comparable in curriculum mix and target audience, though operating in a different region.
• Plumpton College: Specialist land-based FE college in East Sussex focused on agriculture, horticulture, animal care, and equine — comparable to HLNSC for land-based programme portfolio and apprenticeship delivery.
• Hartpury College: Gloucestershire-based FE and higher education college with land-based, equine, agriculture, and sport specializations — directly overlaps with HLNSC's Holme Lacy and Walford land-based and equine offering.
• Myerscough College: Lancashire land-based FE college covering agriculture, horticulture, animal studies, sport, and arboriculture — closely comparable land-based curriculum mix and apprenticeship model.
• Weston College: Weston-super-Mare FE college with technical, vocational, apprenticeship and higher education programmes, including specialist facilities — comparable general FE operating model.
• Reaseheath College: UK land-based and vocational further education college in Cheshire offering agriculture, animal management, horticulture, and a broad FE curriculum — the closest direct peer given HLNSC's land-based specializations at Holme Lacy and Walford campuses.
• Bridgwater & Taunton College: Multi-campus FE college in Somerset offering A Levels, vocational training, apprenticeships, and higher education across diverse sectors — comparable to HLNSC's general FE/vocational breadth.
• Exeter College: Large Devon-based FE college with broad academic, vocational, apprenticeship, and HE provision — comparable multi-product FE model though with different geographic reach.

Regional players

• Kendal College: Cumbria-based FE college covering A Levels, vocational programmes, apprenticeships, and adult learning — comparable rural-region FE model but not a direct competitor geographically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HLNSCcollege
• Instagraminstagram.com/hlnsc_college
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/hlnsc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College