University of Birmingham School

What University of Birmingham School does

University of Birmingham School is a UK state-funded comprehensive secondary school and sixth form located at 12 Weoley Park Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham. Founded in 2015, the school serves students aged 11-18 across Years 7-13 and has welcomed more than 3,400 pupils and students over its first decade. It operates as a formal partnership institution of the University of Birmingham, drawing on the university's research and best-practice resources, and is led by Principal Colin Townsend with a staff of 84.

The school's core offering comprises secondary education (Years 7-11) delivering the GCSE curriculum and a Sixth Form (Years 12-13) for A-level study. These are supported by an integrated Character Education programme developed with the University of Birmingham's Jubilee Centre, an Enrichment programme covering sports, music, theatre, and trips (including CERN), structured Work Experience placements across university departments, and a Careers Guidance service. Distinctive add-on modules include the University Training School for teacher professional development and the Champions of Character Club, a sport-based character initiative co-delivered with the Jubilee Centre and Birmingham City Football Club Foundation. Operationally, the school runs on standard UK school administration platforms: School Gateway for payments, Class Charts for behaviour and achievement tracking, Schools Buddy for parent communication, and RM Unify for single sign-on.

The business model is state-funded education financed through DfE per-pupil allocations, with no tuition fees charged to families; ancillary revenue is limited to optional items such as uniforms and catering. The go-to-market is direct-to-family admissions via the school website, open evenings, prospectuses, social media (Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn), and newsletters, supplemented by collaborative outreach through the University of Birmingham's widening access schemes. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the school is not structured as a commercial entity, holding no subsidiaries, funding rounds, or M&A activity. External recognition includes a 2019 Music Mark membership and a 2026 shortlisting for the Tes Schools Awards Inclusive School of the Year.

Name

University of Birmingham School

Legal name

University of Birmingham School

Website

https://uobschool.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

University of Birmingham School is a state-funded comprehensive secondary school and sixth form in Birmingham, UK, operating in partnership with the University of Birmingham to deliver GCSE and A-level programmes, character education, and enrichment to students aged 11-18.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• Sixth form college
• State-funded school
• University partner school
• Academic curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State-funded education: As a state-funded secondary school and sixth form, the school is financed through UK government education funding (DfE). No commercial revenue model is applicable.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

University of Birmingham School is a state-funded secondary school and sixth form located in the United Kingdom. It provides secondary education for students aged 11-18, including GCSE and A-Level programmes, operating in partnership with the University of Birmingham.

Product overview

University of Birmingham School is a comprehensive secondary school and sixth form institution operating as a unified educational platform. The core offering comprises secondary school education (Years 7-11) delivering GCSE preparation alongside a Sixth Form program (Years 12-13) for A-level study. These are supported by integrated Character Education initiatives, an Enrichment Program of extra-curricular activities, and a Work Experience Program. The school also operates a University Training School module for teacher professional development and provides dedicated Careers Guidance services. The Champions of Character Club represents a distinctive sports-based character development offering delivered in partnership with external organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondary Education (GCSE)

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.2% A level pass rate and 50.5% A*-B grades for the 2019 sixth form cohort, with 85% of leavers gaining university admission.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of BirminghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school is a partnership institution of the University of Birmingham, drawing upon the university's world-leading research and best-practice resources. Students benefit from campus induction days and work experience placements across University colleges and professional services. The partnership also facilitates collaborative research and educational innovation.
• Jubilee Centre (University of Birmingham)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Jubilee Centre delivered the Champions of Character Club pilot at the school in collaboration with Birmingham City Football Club Foundation. The Jubilee Centre focuses on character education and virtue development, aligning with the school's core mission.
• Birmingham City Football Club FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Birmingham City Football Club Foundation partnered with the Jubilee Centre to deliver the Champions of Character Club at the school — a sport-based strategy for fostering character strengths among pupils.
• National Literacy TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Literacy Trust launched the Birmingham Stories campaign in partnership with the University of Birmingham, with the school serving as a launch venue and participant school. The campaign aims to address literacy challenges in Birmingham through school and community activities.
• University of Birmingham Researchers (Dr Kate Rumbold, Dr Ruth Gilligan, Professor Michaela Mahlberg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Birmingham researchers inform the Birmingham Stories literacy campaign through their academic expertise, reviewing and refining the place-based approach to boost literacy across Birmingham.
• Education policy makers from Frankfurt (delegation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool leaders hosted a delegation of education policy makers from Frankfurt who were interested in the school's aims, ethos, and educational model. The school intended to engage reciprocally with the German colleagues to the benefit of staff and pupils.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• King Edward's School, Birmingham: A long-established, prestigious independent boys' school in Birmingham. Comparable as a same-city competitor for high-achieving students, though it operates on a fee-charging independent model rather than state-funded.
• Ark Academy: A multi-academy trust secondary school focused on academic excellence and character. Comparable to UoBS in mission emphasis, but operates as part of a national trust rather than a single-site university partnership.
• Harris Academy (Harris Federation): A large multi-academy trust operating numerous secondary schools across London and southern England. Comparable as a scale operator of state-funded secondary provision, though without UoBS's single-site university partnership model.

Regional players

• Wolverhampton Grammar School: A West Midlands independent school offering secondary and sixth form education. Comparable as a regional competitor for Birmingham-area families seeking secondary and post-16 education, though operating on a fee-charging model.

Direct peers

• Reach Academy Feltham: A small, character-driven UK secondary free school focused on holistic education and university preparation. Directly comparable to UoBS in its mission to combine academic rigour with character development in a state-funded model.
• King Edward VI Five Ways School: An established Birmingham co-educational comprehensive secondary school with a sixth form. Comparable as a same-city competitor serving Birmingham families at secondary and post-16 level.
• Bohunt School: A UK secondary school recognised for its character education focus and broad enrichment programme. Comparable to UoBS in its emphasis on character alongside academic achievement in a state-funded context.
• Nottingham University Samworth Academy: A university-sponsored secondary school established in partnership with the University of Nottingham. Directly comparable to UoBS in its university-school partnership model and state-funded comprehensive structure.
• Nottingham Free School: A state-funded secondary free school in the East Midlands with a focus on traditional academic rigour and character. Comparable to UoBS in its state-funded model and emphasis on well-rounded student development.

Emerging players

• University of Cambridge Primary School (now part of The Cam Academy Trust): A UK primary school established as a partnership with the University of Cambridge. Comparable to UoBS in its university-school partnership structure, though it operates at primary rather than secondary level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UoBSchool
• Facebookfacebook.com/uobschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universityofbirminghamschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/uobschool

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 University of Birmingham School