Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School is a state-funded Catholic secondary school in St Albans, UK, founded in 1963, serving students aged 11-18 across Year 7 through Sixth Form under the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust. It delivers GCSE and A-Level education with strong wellbeing outcomes and distinctive faith-based extracurricular programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1963
- HeadquartersSt Albans, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School does
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School (NBS) is a state-funded Catholic secondary school located on Colney Heath Lane in St Albans, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, founded in 1963 and operating under the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust (DOWAT). The school delivers education to students aged 11-18 across Year 7 through Sixth Form (Year 13), offering GCSE and A-Level curricula with UCAS and careers guidance, and is currently led by Head of School Mrs Anne Atkinson. It reported 98% parent satisfaction in The Sunday Times 2025 ranking, which named it the happiest school in Hertfordshire and one of the top secondary schools in Britain for student wellbeing.
The school's core operational technology consists of a digital learning management stack including the Sharp System (behavior and welfare management), Class Charts (student achievement tracking for parents and teachers), Access It (resource management), and the proprietary NBS Live School Radio broadcasting platform developed in partnership with broadcasting expert Russell Prue. Its product surface also includes the NBS Robotics Club, which won the 1st Place Design Award at the FIRST Tech Challenge UK qualifying rounds in 2025. Distinctive programs include the Science & Faith Symposiums, the annual HCPT Lourdes pilgrimage (Group 763, partnered since 2017 with 5,000+ participants), Duke of Edinburgh Award, and Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation for sustainability work.
NBS operates as a non-profit charitable institution under the English educational system, providing free education funded through government allocations via the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust. Revenue mechanics are therefore not commercial: the school is funded per-pupil, supplemented by ancillary income from catering, trips, and facility lettings. Its go-to-market is admissions-driven via the Hertfordshire County Council admissions process for Year 7 entry and direct applications for Sixth Form, supported by a marketing mix of school website, Twitter (@NBS_Herts), ParentMail newsletters, open evenings, and Diocese referral networks. The institution is oversubscribed and reports sustained enrollment demand as of 2024.
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School
- Legal name
- Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School
- Website
- https://nbs.herts.sch.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1963
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School is a state-funded Catholic secondary school in St Albans, UK, founded in 1963, serving students aged 11-18 across Year 7 through Sixth Form under the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust. It delivers GCSE and A-Level education with strong wellbeing outcomes and distinctive faith-based extracurricular programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Secondary Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)
Keywords
Where Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Albans
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School is a state-funded Catholic secondary school in St Albans, Hertfordshire that delivers full-time education to students aged 11-18 (Year 7 through Sixth Form), covering Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 (GCSEs), and post-16 A-Level programmes. The school combines academic curriculum with Catholic faith formation, pastoral care, and extracurricular activities including Duke of Edinburgh, robotics, sports, and the HCPT Lourdes Pilgrimage. Education is provided free of charge to enrolled students through government funding administered via the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust (DOWAT).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NBS Live: A school radio station that serves as a platform for students to share stories, experiences and perspectives through broadcasting.
- NBS Robotics Club
Products and services
- Secondary School Curriculum (Years 7-11)
- Sixth Form Education (Years 12-13)
- Catholic Faith Formation and Chaplaincy
- NBS Live School Radio
- NBS Robotics Club (FIRST Tech Challenge)
- Duke of Edinburgh Award Programme
- Eco-Schools Environmental Programme
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% parent satisfaction rate for student happiness
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- HCPT (Hospitaller Order of St. John Grande of Jerusalem)coreNBS Group 763 has participated in HCPT pilgrimages to Lourdes since 2017. The partnership involves annual Easter pilgrimages where students support disabled and disadvantaged children, with over 5,000 participants from multiple international groups.
- Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust (DOWAT)coreNBS is part of the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust network of Catholic schools. The trust provides educational oversight, Catholic education leadership, and academy status support. The school proudly displays affiliation with the Diocese of Westminster, and Cardinal Vincent Nichols has presided over school celebrations including the 60th anniversary mass.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- St Albans High School for Girls: Independent selective girls' school in St Albans offering secondary and Sixth Form education. Competes for high-achieving families in the same catchment but operates as an independent fee-paying institution.
- Verulam School: Secondary school in St Albans serving the same local catchment. Comparable on secondary education delivery but is non-faith and a different local authority competitor.
- Beaumont School: Non-faith secondary school in St Albans serving the same geographic catchment. Comparable on secondary education delivery but does not compete on Catholic identity or Diocesan affiliation.
- Sandringham School: High-performing secondary school in St Albans, Hertfordshire. Competes for the same 11-18 students in the local catchment area but operates as a non-faith community school.
Direct peers
- St Columba's College: Catholic co-educational secondary school in St Albans, serving the same local catchment with overlapping 11-18 age range and Catholic ethos. Direct competitor for Catholic families in the St Albans area.
- Cardinal Newman Catholic School: Catholic secondary school in Luton, Bedfordshire, operating under a similar faith-based model with 11-18 provision. Comparable on mission, curriculum structure, and Catholic school governance.
- St Clement Danes School: Catholic secondary school in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, also within the DOWAT network. Comparable on Catholic curriculum, diocesan oversight, and competitive positioning for faith-based families in Hertfordshire.
- St Edmund's College: Catholic independent school in Ware, Hertfordshire, offering secondary and Sixth Form education. Comparable on faith-based ethos and curriculum, with overlap in catchment for Hertfordshire Catholic families.
- John Henry Newman School: Catholic secondary school in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, part of the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust network. Closely comparable on faith-based curriculum, DOWAT governance, and secondary/Sixth Form delivery.
- Loreto College: Catholic secondary school located in St Albans, Hertfordshire, offering a faith-based curriculum at secondary and Sixth Form level. Overlaps directly with NBS on mission, geography, and student demographic.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School social profiles
Digital presenceNicholas Breakspear Catholic School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School
What does Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School do?
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School is a state-funded Catholic secondary school in St Albans, Hertfordshire that delivers full-time education to students aged 11-18 (Year 7 through Sixth Form), covering Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 (GCSEs), and post-16 A-Level programmes. The school combines academic curriculum with Catholic faith formation, pastoral care, and extracurricular activities including Duke of Edinburgh, robotics, sports, and the HCPT Lourdes Pilgrimage. Education is provided free of charge to enrolled students through government funding administered via the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust (DOWAT).
Is Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School a public or private company?
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School founded?
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School was founded in 1963. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School based?
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School is headquartered in St Albans, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School's main competitors?
Regional players on record are St Albans High School for Girls, Verulam School, Beaumont School and Sandringham School. Direct peers are St Columba's College, Cardinal Newman Catholic School, St Clement Danes School, St Edmund's College, John Henry Newman School and Loreto College.
Does Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School.
What industry is Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School in?
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School's product category is Secondary Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJABAC, Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.