Southend Adult Community College
Southend City Community College is a Southend-on-Sea City Council-operated further education provider delivering vocational, academic, and SEND programmes to 2,000+ learners annually across four campuses, funded by ESFA grants and course fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersSouthend-on-Sea, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Southend Adult Community College does
Southend City Community College (formerly Southend Adult Community College) is the official education and training provider operated by Southend-on-Sea City Council, delivering further education across Southend-on-Sea in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1987, the college operates from four physical locations — Southchurch Centre, Belfairs Centre (The Digital Academy), the Independent Living Skills Academy (ILSA), and a main college site — and supports more than 2,000 learners annually across three primary segments: young people aged 16-19, adults aged 19+, and learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The college's product portfolio spans the Southend College Pathway Programme (10 vocational pathways at Levels 1 and 2 including Childcare, Health & Social Care, Catering, Creative Media, Travel & Tourism, Art & Design, Digital & IT, Construction, and Vocational Studies with class sizes capped at 15), Community Learning courses (languages, creative arts, ICT, health and wellbeing), adult SEND programmes through ILSA, and accredited vocational qualifications (Early Years Educator Level 3, Education and Training Level 3, Teaching Assistant Level 2, Customer Service Levels 1-2, IELTS Preparation, and British Sign Language). Delivery is supported by a web-based online enrollment platform (enrol.southend-adult.ac.uk) integrated with Klarna for installment payments, and supplemented by the King's Trust Team Programme delivered in partnership with The King's Trust.
The revenue model is a hybrid of government grants and fee-based income. ESFA funding (via Southend-on-Sea City Council as the local authority) covers eligible learners and programmes, while course fees are charged for unfunded learners — often waived for those earning below £25,750 annually. Advanced Learning Loans are accepted for eligible Level 3+ qualifications, and bursary funds provide hardship support. Pricing varies materially by course level and duration (e.g., £335 for Level 3 Award in Education and Training; £5,184 for the Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator; £50–£199 for short holiday language courses). Distribution operates through self-serve online enrollment, in-person campus enrollment, and direct employer engagement for workplace training. The college is Ofsted-regulated and UK GDPR-compliant, with a headcount of 101 employees.
Southend Adult Community College firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Southend Adult Community College
- Legal name
- Southend City Community College
- Website
- https://southend-adult.ac.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Southend City Community College is a Southend-on-Sea City Council-operated further education provider delivering vocational, academic, and SEND programmes to 2,000+ learners annually across four campuses, funded by ESFA grants and course fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Southend Adult Community College industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Adult and Community Further Education
- NAICS
- Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools) (EDAAAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Language & Communication Continuing Education (EDAAAEAF), Academic English & College Readiness for Adults (EDAAACAF), College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways) (EDAAABAK), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF), Teacher Training & Professional Development for Adult ESL (TESOL/TEFL/CELTA for Adult Ed) (EDAAACAM)
Keywords
Where Southend Adult Community College is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Southend-on-Sea
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Southend Adult Community College business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Course Fees: The college generates revenue through course fees for accredited and non-accredited courses. Fees vary by course type and duration. Some courses are free for learners earning below £25,750 annually. Payment plans are available for courses not eligible for funding.
- Government-Funded Education: As Southend-on-Sea City Council's provider of education and training, the college receives funding through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for eligible learners and programmes.
- Advanced Learning Loans: The college accepts Advanced Learning Loans for eligible adult learners to fund Level 3 and higher qualifications.
- Bursary Funds: Financial support available for learners facing hardship, covering course fees, travel costs, materials, and childcare support for eligible students.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Teaching Assistant Level 2 Certificate |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Level 2 Award in Supporting Individuals with Disabilities |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Level 1 Certificate in Customer Service |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Level 2 Certificate in Customer Service |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | IELTS Preparation Course |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Level 3 Award in Education and Training |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Signature Level 1 Award in British Sign Language |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Language Courses - Holiday/Travel |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Language Courses - Regular (per term) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Southend Adult Community College product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Southend Adult Community College delivers further education and vocational training across four campus locations. The core offerings are: (1) the Southend College Pathway Programme for 16-19 year olds with ten vocational pathways (Childcare, Health & Social Care, Catering, Creative Media, Travel & Tourism, Art & Design, Digital & IT Skills, Construction, Vocational Studies) at Levels 1 and 2; (2) Community Learning Courses for adults 19+ covering languages, ICT, creative arts, wellbeing, and employability in daytime, evening, and summer formats; (3) Adult SEND Courses and the Independent Living Skills Academy (ILSA) for learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities; and (4) accredited vocational qualifications including Early Years Educator, Education and Training, Teaching Assistant, and Customer Service certificates. The college also delivers the King's Trust Team Programme in partnership with The King's Trust.
Product overview
Southend City Community College (formerly Southend Adult Community College) is Southend-on-Sea City Council's education and training provider operating a multi-product portfolio across four locations. The core offering consists of: (1) the Southend College Pathway Programme for 16–19 year olds providing 10 vocational pathways (Childcare, Health & Social Care, Catering, Creative Media, Travel & Tourism, Art & Design, Digital & IT Skills, Construction, and Vocational Studies) at Levels 1 and 2, with small group learning capped at 15 students; (2) Community Learning Courses for adults aged 19+ spanning languages, creative arts, ICT, music, jewellery, health and wellbeing, and employability, available as daytime, evening, and summer school formats; (3) Adult SEND Courses including 19–25 and 25+ SEND provision for learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, delivered through the Independent Living Skills Academy (ILSA); and (4) accredited vocational qualifications (Early Years Educator Level 3, Education and Training Level 3, Teaching Assistant Level 2, Customer Service Levels 1–2, and IELTS Preparation). All programmes are supplemented by the King's Trust Team Programme delivered in partnership with The King's Trust. The college integrates Klarna for payment plan functionality on course fees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Southend College Pathway Programme
Companies that use Southend Adult Community College
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Southend Adult Community College technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Southend Adult Community College partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- The King's TrustcoreThe college works in partnership with The King's Trust to deliver the Team Programme, a 12-week programme helping young people build confidence, develop new skills, and take positive steps towards education, employment or training. The partnership includes end-of-programme celebrations and ongoing recruitment of learners for the programme.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Southend Adult Community College competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- The Skills Network: Online and blended adult learning provider offering funded Level 1-2 qualifications including customer service, digital skills, and vocational pathways — an emerging substitute targeting the same funded adult learner pool.
Broad incumbents
- The Open University: National distance-learning higher education institution offering adult upskilling and accredited qualifications; serves as a substitute rather than direct competitor for fee-paying adult learners in Southend-on-Sea.
- Activate Learning: Multi-campus FE group operating across Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Surrey with adult community learning, vocational pathways, and SEND provision — comparable at group level on operating model and funding mix, though broader in scope.
Regional players
- Barking & Dagenham College: London/Essex border FE college offering similar vocational Level 1-2 pathways, ESOL, SEND provision, and adult community learning — a useful comparator on operating model and funding mix.
- PROCAT (Prospects College of Advanced Technology): Regional further education provider serving Essex and surrounding areas with technical and vocational pathways; comparable as a council-adjacent FE provider competing for similar adult learner funding pools.
Direct peers
- Croydon Adult Learning and Training (CALAT): Local authority-operated adult community education service in Croydon offering part-time adult courses, ESOL, employability, and SEND provision — directly comparable as a council-run adult community college.
- Seevic College (USP College): FE college in the same Southend-on-Sea catchment that is explicitly named as a progression partner for Pathways Programme learners, competing for the same 16-19 and adult vocational market.
- South Essex College (Southend Campus): Larger FE college operating a Southend campus directly competing for post-16 learners in the same borough, including adult learners and SEND cohorts, with broader Level 3+ provision and recognised as one of the named progression destinations (SEC).
- ACL Essex (Adult Community Learning Essex): Essex County Council's adult community learning service operating in the same county as Southend, offering part-time adult courses, ESOL, and community learning programmes — directly comparable council-run adult education provider.
- City of Westminster Adult Education Service: Local authority-operated adult community education service offering part-time adult courses, ESOL, SEND provision, and community learning — directly comparable on operating model, funding mix, and mission.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Southend Adult Community College social profiles
Digital presenceSouthend Adult Community College compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Southend Adult Community College financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Southend Adult Community College leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Southend Adult Community College funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Southend Adult Community College 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 Southend Adult Community College
What does Southend Adult Community College do?
Southend Adult Community College delivers further education and vocational training across four campus locations. The core offerings are: (1) the Southend College Pathway Programme for 16-19 year olds with ten vocational pathways (Childcare, Health & Social Care, Catering, Creative Media, Travel & Tourism, Art & Design, Digital & IT Skills, Construction, Vocational Studies) at Levels 1 and 2; (2) Community Learning Courses for adults 19+ covering languages, ICT, creative arts, wellbeing, and employability in daytime, evening, and summer formats; (3) Adult SEND Courses and the Independent Living Skills Academy (ILSA) for learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities; and (4) accredited vocational qualifications including Early Years Educator, Education and Training, Teaching Assistant, and Customer Service certificates. The college also delivers the King's Trust Team Programme in partnership with The King's Trust.
Is Southend Adult Community College a public or private company?
Southend Adult Community College is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Southend Adult Community College founded?
Southend Adult Community College was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Southend Adult Community College based?
Southend Adult Community College is headquartered in Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Southend Adult Community College make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Course Fees are the primary driver. The others are government-Funded Education, advanced Learning Loans and bursary Funds.
Who are Southend Adult Community College's main competitors?
The Skills Network is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are The Open University and Activate Learning. Regional players are Barking & Dagenham College and PROCAT (Prospects College of Advanced Technology). Direct peers are Croydon Adult Learning and Training (CALAT), Seevic College (USP College), South Essex College (Southend Campus), ACL Essex (Adult Community Learning Essex) and City of Westminster Adult Education Service.
Does Southend Adult Community College have an API?
No public API is recorded for Southend Adult Community College.
What industry is Southend Adult Community College in?
Southend Adult Community College's product category is Adult and Community Further Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAEAB, Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools), with a secondary code of EDAAAEAF, Language & Communication Continuing Education. Its NAICS code is 61 and its SIC code is 8200.