What Cardiff Sixth Form College does

Cardiff Sixth Form College (CSFC) is a UK independent sixth-form college founded in 2004, operating two campuses in Cardiff (Cyncoed) and Cambridge. It specialises in two-year A-Level preparation for students targeting admission to elite universities, including Russell Group institutions, Oxbridge, Ivy League, and leading medical schools. The student body comprises both domestic UK and international cohorts, with international recruitment conducted through country-specific agent networks.

The college operates a premium fee-based model typical of the UK independent education sector, with revenue derived principally from tuition and boarding fees. Academic outcomes are the central value proposition: CSFC has consistently ranked at or near the top of national A-Level league tables for over a decade, recording 58% of grades at A* and 49.6% of students achieving three or more A* grades in recent results. In 2026 it was named UK Independent School of the Year for A Levels by Times Parent Power. Leadership is split between Gareth Collier (Principal, Cardiff) and Tom Arrand (Principal, Cambridge).

CSFC was acquired by Dukes Education in 2016, integrating it into a wider portfolio of independent schools and providing group-level capital and operational backing. Founder Yasmin Sarwar has since departed to establish competing ventures (Oxford International College and Quantum Pathways). The operating model is mature and traditional, with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, proprietary technology platforms, or non-tuition revenue streams such as online learning or summer programmes evidenced in the supplied data.

Name

Cardiff Sixth Form College

Legal name

CSFC Limited

Website

https://ccoex.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cardiff Sixth Form College is a UK independent A-Level college operating campuses in Cardiff and Cambridge. Founded in 2004 and owned by Dukes Education since 2016, it serves domestic and international students targeting elite university admissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Readiness & Admissions Prep Centers (Small-Group Workshops) (EDANAHAI), University-Led Summer/Winter Schools (Credit/Non-Credit) (EDAIAIAA)

Keywords

• A-Level education
• GCSE programmes
• Boarding school
• University preparation
• Sixth form college

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Tuition fees for A-Level and GCSE programmes charged per term/semester. The college offers both day and boarding options with different fee structures.
2. Boarding Fees: Boarding accommodation fees for students requiring on-campus housing, including single ensuite bedrooms in university-style accommodation.
3. Additional Services: Fees for extra tuition, educational visits, clothing, equipment, photographs, and other supplementary services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cardiff Sixth Form College delivers A-Level and GCSE education through co-educational boarding and day programmes at two UK campuses (Cardiff and Cambridge). The college combines academic instruction with comprehensive university admissions support, including UCAS applications, Oxbridge preparation, and personalised academic planning. It serves both UK and international students seeking entry to top universities.

Product overview

Cardiff Sixth Form College is a co-educational sixth-form institution offering a unified educational programme focused on preparing students for entry to elite universities. The core academic offerings consist of A Level programmes (two-year) and GCSE programmes (one-year and two-year options), delivered at two campus locations: Cardiff (the main campus) and Cambridge (a secondary campus). The institution combines academic instruction with comprehensive university admissions support through its UCAS Programme, which includes early October application submission, personal statement guidance, and interview preparation. Supporting services include boarding facilities, careers guidance, and extra-curricular activities including enrichment programmes, TEDx events, and societies. The college operates as part of the Dukes Education group, which acquired the institution in 2016.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A-Level Programmes

Quantifiable outcome

• 58% of all A-Level grades marked A* (2024 results)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dukes EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Cardiff Sixth Form College was acquired by Dukes Education in 2016. Dukes Education is a leading education group that combines the unique strengths of both organisations. The acquisition brought CSFC into a larger educational group while maintaining its brand and educational model. Dukes Education provides operational support, resources, and strategic direction while CSFC continues to deliver its acclaimed educational programmes.
• UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe college holds a Child Student sponsor licence from UK Visas and Immigration, allowing them to sponsor international students requiring visas to study at the college. This partnership enables the college to recruit and support international students from around the world.
• Slapton Ley Field CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe college partners with Slapton Ley Field Centre in Devon for Biology field courses, where Year 12 AS Biology students undertake residential field courses to apply ecological concepts in real-world environments including woodland streams, freshwater lake sampling, and coastal belt transect studies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Dulwich College: Prestigious London-based independent school with strong A-level results and significant international student presence, competing for the same global fee-paying families prioritising top-tier UK university placement.
• Bellerbys College: Direct peer offering A-level, GCSE, and university foundation programmes to predominantly international students in the UK. Operates a multi-campus model targeting similar international fee-paying families seeking elite UK university placement.
• Stowe School: Co-educational UK independent boarding school offering A-levels with established international recruitment, competing for the same international fee-paying families CSFC targets.
• Brighton College: Top-ranked UK independent co-educational school consistently delivering exceptional A-level results and competing for the same fee-paying international and domestic families seeking elite university placements.
• Epsom College: Independent co-educational boarding school in the UK offering A-levels with strong academic results and a meaningful international student cohort, competing head-to-head for fee-paying families prioritising Oxbridge-track outcomes.
• Westminster School: One of the UK's most academically elite independent schools, consistently placing students at Oxbridge and competing for the same pool of high-achieving fee-paying families, though with much stronger heritage positioning.
• Oxford International College: Highly comparable direct peer — UK-based A-level college focused on Oxbridge preparation, with 92.11% A*-A grades in 2019, that was actually founded/led by CSFC's founder Yasmin Sarwar after she left Cardiff. Similar international student mix and academic model.
• CATS Global Schools: Direct peer operating a network of international colleges in the UK and globally offering A-levels, IB, and university preparation programmes to international students, with a similar agent-led recruitment model and Cambridge presence.
• Wellington College: Top UK co-educational independent boarding school with consistently strong A-level results and an established international student base, competing for the same global fee-paying market segment.
• Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate: UK independent co-educational boarding school with strong A-level results and a large international student population, competing head-to-head for fee-paying international families seeking UK university track placement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CSFCOfficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cardiff-sixth-form-college

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Cardiff Sixth Form College