London Diocesan Board for Schools

What London Diocesan Board for Schools does

London Diocesan Board for Schools (LDBS) is the statutory education body for the Church of England in London, operating since 1836 under the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 2021. It is a registered charity (number 313000) and company limited by guarantee (number 00198131), functionally integrated with the Diocese of London and governed by a Board chaired by the Bishop of Stepney. LDBS serves a defined portfolio of 154-155 Church of England schools across 18 local authority areas, collectively educating over 55,000 pupils, with a central team of 38 employees headquartered at 36 Causton Street, London.

The organisation delivers a dual-tier service model: a core service (school improvement, governance, HR, operations, Christian distinctiveness, RE curriculum, and communications) provided to every Church of England school in London at no additional cost, alongside fee-based premium services that schools may purchase. Specialised commercial programmes include Teaching London SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training with Outstanding Ofsted status and 98% graduate employment), National Professional Qualification (NPQ) programmes delivered in partnership with the National Society for Education, and A-rated Skilled Worker visa sponsorship for overseas-trained teachers. The product surface also encompasses The Platform (Global Majority Heritage leadership development, launched November 2025), a Primary RE Syllabus covering six religions across Early Years to Year 6, video-based CPD resources, a members-only content portal, and policy/template libraries. Supporting technology is functional rather than differentiated: a login-protected website, downloadable curriculum documents, and video training content, with no AI/ML capabilities evidenced.

LDBS monetises primarily through diocesan funding for the core mandate, school-paid premium service subscriptions, SCITT trainee and partnership fees with placement schools, NPQ programme fees paid by participants and partner institutions, and Certificate of Sponsorship charges for visa services. Its customer base is entirely UK-based and concentrated on the London Church of England school segment, with no geographic expansion or productisation beyond this remit evidenced in the data.

Name

London Diocesan Board for Schools

Legal name

London Diocesan Board for Schools

Website

https://ldbs.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1836

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

London Diocesan Board for Schools (LDBS) is the statutory education body for the Church of England in London, supporting 154-155 schools and 55,000+ pupils with operations, governance, RE curriculum, teacher training (SCITT), NPQ leadership programmes, and overseas teacher visa sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diocesan Education Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Compliance, Risk & Audit Support Services (EHS, Title IX/Clery Support, Policy Admin) (EDAEALAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Admissions, Enrollment & Registrar Operations (Application Processing, Records) (EDAEALAB)

Keywords

• Diocesan education services
• School governance support
• Teacher training programmes
• Religious education curriculum
• Church school improvement

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Core Services to Schools: LDBS provides a core service to every Church of England school in London at no additional cost, funded through the diocese. Additional support services can be purchased for a fee by schools.
2. SCITT Teacher Training: Teaching London SCITT provides Initial Teacher Training leading to Qualified Teacher Status with PGCE, generating revenue from trainee fees and placement partnerships with schools.
3. NPQ Programme Delivery: National Professional Qualification training programmes delivered in partnership with National Society for Education, available to school leaders and aspiring headteachers
4. Visa Sponsorship Services: LDBS operates as an 'A rated' sponsor for Skilled Worker visas, assisting schools with overseas-trained teacher recruitment and visa sponsorship, charging for Certificate of Sponsorship services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LDBS provides comprehensive educational support services to Church of England schools across London, including operations (finance, buildings, data protection), people and culture (HR, recruitment, appraisal), school improvement (leadership development, NPQs, safeguarding), Christian distinctiveness (RE curriculum, SIAMS preparation, spiritual flourishing), governance (admissions, exclusions), and RE training resources. It also delivers paid programmes including Teaching London SCITT teacher training, NPQ qualifications, governor training, and overseas teacher visa sponsorship.

Product overview

London Diocesan Board for Schools (LDBS) provides a unified platform of educational support services for Church of England schools across London, serving 154-155 schools and over 55,000 pupils. The core offering consists of operational support services (finance, HR, buildings, data protection), school improvement programs (leadership development, NPQs, curriculum support), and Christian distinctiveness guidance (RE syllabus, SIAMS preparation, spiritual flourishing). Key product modules include the Primary RE Syllabus (comprehensive curriculum with downloadable units), RE Resources and training materials, Teaching London SCITT (teacher training with Outstanding Ofsted status), NPQ professional qualifications programs, The Platform (GMH leadership development), and comprehensive policy/template libraries. Additional services cover governor training, overseas teacher visa sponsorship, and admissions support. The organization operates as a centralized diocesan resource rather than a modular SaaS product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LDBS Core Services Comprehensive support services for Church of England schools across London, including Operations (Finance, Buildings and Property, Data Protection), People and Culture (HR, Recruitment, Conflict Resolution, Headteacher Appraisal), School Improvement (Leadership Development, NPQs, Global Majority Leadership Development, Safeguarding, Curriculum Support, Grants), Christian Distinctiveness (Spiritual Flourishing, RE, SIAMS), Governance (Admissions, Exclusion Support, Partnerships, School Sustainability), and Communications support. Provided to all 154-155 Church of England schools in London at no additional cost.
• Primary RE Syllabus Comprehensive Religious Education curriculum for primary schools covering Christianity across all year groups, with World Faith units for Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhi, Buddhism, and Islam. Includes detailed unit plans, learning objectives, and downloadable resources organised by term for Early Years through Year 6.
• RE Resources (In Conversation Training) CPD training resource for RE leads featuring videos and guides on adapting planning for diverse learners, teaching Biblical text analysis, and incorporating student voice in assessment. Includes practical examples from All Souls Church of England Primary School. Available through member-only login portal.
• RE Supporting Documents Collection of downloadable documents for RE teaching including assessment frameworks, core concepts grids, Easter knowledge progression, monitoring toolkits, RE policy templates, moderation guides, and subject leader resources in MS Word format.
• Teaching London SCITT School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) enabling graduates to work toward Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) with a PGCE. Partners with LDBS to train outstanding teachers, maintaining Outstanding Ofsted status with 98% of graduates gaining employment (majority in trained schools).
• NPQ Programmes National Professional Qualification programmes including NPQH for headteachers, NPQSENCO for SENDCOs, and NPQSL for senior leaders. Delivered in partnership with the National Society for Education and LDBS for school leadership development.
• The Platform (Global Majority Heritage Leadership Programme) Support programme for Global Majority Heritage (GMH) educators to develop in their current roles and progress into leadership positions. Includes mentorship pairings and facilitated networking events.
• Governor Training and Recruitment Online training and support for LDBS foundation governors and academy trustees, covering governance responsibilities, Christian ethos, and strategic school leadership. Includes recruitment, appointment processing, and ongoing training of school governors.
• Policies and Templates Library Comprehensive library of downloadable policies, templates, and forms for schools including DBS guidance, HR contracts, admission advice, safeguarding documents, RE guidance, and governance materials organised by category.
• Overseas Teacher Support and Visa Sponsorship Visa sponsorship service for overseas-trained teachers including Skilled Worker visas, Tier 5 Youth Mobility sponsorship, and QTS application guidance. LDBS holds A-rated sponsor status for Skilled Worker visas and charges for Certificate of Sponsorship services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of teacher training graduates gain employment in schools
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• EduthingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 May 2026Sponsored the Wisdom in a Wired World Conference on 4 June 2026. Eduthing participated in panel sessions on Children's Use of Social Media and Getting Started with AI.
• National Literacy TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Partnership with Christ Church CE Primary School, Camden for library launch. The Queen attended as Patron of the National Literacy Trust for the first library opening in National Year of Reading 2026.
• Wonderhood StudiosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 December 2025Partnered with Soho Parish Primary School on branding and marketing campaign that won a Design and Media Award (DMA).
• The PlatformcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 November 2025Programme supporting Global Majority Heritage (GMH) educators in Church of England schools, helping them progress into leadership positions. Includes mentorship pairing and facilitated support.
• Grow Education Partners LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppointed as Data Protection Officer for LDBS. David Coy serves as the DPO responsible for data protection matters. This partnership ensures LDBS meets its obligations under data protection legislation.
• National Society for EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership delivering NPQ (National Professional Qualification) programmes including NPQH, NPQSL, and NPQSENCO. LDBS offers these programmes in partnership with NSE for school leadership development.
• Teaching London SCITTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeaching London SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training) operates in partnership with LDBS, providing initial teacher training leading to QTS and PGCE with Outstanding Ofsted status.
• Chapter OneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReading partnership bringing volunteers to St Alban's CE Primary School for story workshops and reading support activities.
• Diocese of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLDBS is an integral part of the Diocese of London, fulfilling statutory duties placed on the Diocese in respect of education under the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 2021.
• Premier League Primary StarsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgramme at St John's Upper Holloway CE Primary School featuring Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri for sports engagement.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Diocese of York Education Department: A peer diocesan education team providing the same support functions (school improvement, RE syllabus, governance, SIAMS prep) as LDBS but for the much larger Diocese of York geography in northern England.

Direct peers

• Catholic Education Service: The national education office of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, providing parallel diocesan-level support, RE/RE curriculum, governance, and inspection preparation for Catholic schools in England and Wales. Closest faith-based analogue to LDBS's role.
• National Society for Education: Established partner and provider of NPQ programmes with LDBS; an Anglican education organisation offering training, CPD, and curriculum resources to Church schools and educators nationally. Comparable on faith-school professional development and policy advocacy.
• Archdiocese of Southwark Schools Commission: Catholic diocesan schools commission covering South London and surrounding boroughs, providing parallel services to Catholic schools. Comparable structure as a faith-based regional education body offering school improvement, RE, governance support.
• Church of England Education Office: The national body supporting Church of England schools, exercising parallel functions to LDBS but at a national rather than diocesan level. Operates the SIAMS inspection framework and national education policy advocacy relevant to every CofE school LDBS serves.
• Diocese of Manchester Board of Education: A peer diocesan education board supporting Church of England schools in the Manchester area, with the same statutory role under the Diocesan Boards of Education Measure 2021. Comparable model: school improvement, RE curriculum, governance, and SIAMS preparation for member CofE schools.

Broad incumbents

• Harris Federation: A large multi-academy trust operating primaries and secondaries across London and southern England, including Church of England schools. Overlaps with LDBS in providing school improvement, governance, and professional development, but on a much larger trust-run scale.
• Oasis Community Learning: A national multi-academy trust operating Church of England schools among its academies, providing centralised school improvement, HR, and operations support. Comparable as a multi-school education services platform at significant scale.

Emerging players

• Teach London (Teaching London SCITT): The SCITT school-centred initial teacher training programme operated in partnership with LDBS, delivering QTS/PGCE routes in London with Outstanding Ofsted status. Comparable as a teacher training provider within LDBS's portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/london-diocesan-board-for-schools-the-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 London Diocesan Board for Schools