What aquinas college - 6th form does

Aquinas College is a Catholic state-funded sixth form college located on Nangreave Road in Stockport, Cheshire, operating as a non-profit under UK post-16 education funding. It delivers A Level courses across more than 50 subject combinations, Level 3 vocational/BTEC pathways, Level 2 foundational qualifications, and specialist programmes including Pathways (SEND) for students with special educational needs, the Triple A High Achievers programme for Oxbridge/Russell Group aspirants, the Aspire personal development programme, the Extended Project Qualification, and a Core Maths Certificate. It also runs a separately branded Adult Education centre (adulteducation.aquinas.ac.uk) with its own helpline serving adult learners.

The institution is governed as an independent educational establishment under UK educational regulations, with Catholic Inspection Report and Ofsted oversight, GDPR-compliant student data handling, and a board of governors structure. Core technology is a WordPress-based public website plus the MyAquinas student/parent application portal; there are no proprietary technology products, apps, or AI/ML capabilities referenced in the source data. Channel infrastructure combines online application via MyAquinas, phone-based enrollment, in-person Welcome Days, virtual tour, and physical open events, with marketing presence on Instagram and Bluesky. Partnerships with University of Salford, Spirit Studios and Chester Zoo support enrichment, while four named Catholic secondary schools — Harrytown Catholic High School, St. Anne's RC Voluntary Academy, St. James' Catholic High School and St. Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy — serve as priority-admission feeder partners.

Revenue mechanics are predominantly UK government per-student funding for the 16–18 cohort, supplemented by adult education course fees; overseas applicants who have not lived in the UK for three years prior to the course may be charged tuition. The college is described as significantly oversubscribed, with published results of a 99% overall pass rate, 60% of A levels at A*–B, 99% A level pass rate, 72% of vocational grades at Distinction*/Distinction and a 100% vocational pass rate. Jo Dommett is the Principal. No venture, private equity or parent company ownership is identified.

Name

aquinas college - 6th form

Legal name

Aquinas College

Website

https://aquinas.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Aquinas College is a Catholic state-funded sixth form college in Stockport, UK, offering 50+ A Level, vocational and Level 2 courses plus SEND, High Achievers and Adult Education programmes to students aged 16–19 and adult learners, funded primarily by UK government per-student allocations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

Keywords

• Sixth form education
• A Level courses
• Vocational qualifications
• Further education
• Post-16 education

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockport

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. State-Funded Education: As a state-funded sixth form college, Aquinas receives government funding for students aged 16-18. The college offers free education to eligible students. Overseas applicants who have not lived in the UK for three years prior to the course may need to pay tuition fees.
2. Adult Education: Separate adult education centre offering courses for adults (e.g., 66-year-old mentioned as prospective student). Adult Centre Helpline: 0161 419 3620, [email protected]

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aquinas College is a Catholic sixth form college in Stockport offering A Level, vocational/BTEC, and Level 2 courses to students aged 16-19. The college delivers over 50 A Level/Level 3 subject combinations, plus specialist programmes including Pathways (SEND) and the High Achievers Programme, alongside a separate Adult Education centre serving learners aged 18 and above.

Product overview

Aquinas College operates as a Catholic Sixth Form College offering a comprehensive educational portfolio comprising over 50 A Level courses, vocational/BTEC qualifications at Level 3, Level 2 foundational courses, and specialist programmes including Pathways (SEND) for students with special educational needs, the Triple A High Achievers Programme for students targeting top universities, the Aspire Programme for personal development, and Extended Project Qualifications. The college also provides Adult Education programmes through a dedicated adult learning centre. Students can pursue various combinations including 3 A Levels, 2 A Levels with 1 Vocational course, or 3 Vocational courses, with all programmes designed to prepare students for university, apprenticeships, or employment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A Level Courses Traditional two-year A Level courses across over 50 subjects including Sciences, Humanities, Languages (French, German, Spanish, Japanese), Arts, Business, Economics, Computing, Mathematics, and Social Sciences. Assessment is primarily through examinations at the end of the second year. Targeted at students aged 16-19.
• Vocational/BTEC Courses Level 3 vocational qualifications equivalent to A Levels, including BTEC Extended Certificates and Diplomas, Cambridge Technicals, and OCR Cambridge Advanced Nationals. Subjects include Applied Business, Applied Science, Applied Law, Health and Social Care, IT, Sport, Creative Media Practice, Music, and Uniformed Protective Services.
• Level 2 Courses Foundational qualifications for students who have not yet achieved GCSE grade 4, including Business CTEC Diploma/Extended Certificate, English Language GCSE, Mathematics GCSE, and Japanese.
• Pathways (SEND) Programme Two-year specialist educational programme for students working towards Entry level and Level 1 qualifications, focusing on developing independence and specialist educational opportunities for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
• High Achievers Programme (Triple A) Tailored pathway programme for highest-achieving students targeting Oxford, Cambridge, or other top universities, providing enhanced academic support and preparation for Oxbridge and Russell Group aspirants.
• Aspire Programme Bespoke empowerment programme helping students reach their potential by better understanding themselves and their future options, with input from universities and employers.
• Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) Level 3 qualification allowing students to expand on a particular area of study, sharpening research and independent learning skills.
• Core Maths Certificate Level 3 qualification for students who have passed GCSE Mathematics at grade 4 or above but are not studying A Level Mathematics, strengthening mathematical problem-solving skills.
• Adult Education Educational courses for adult learners aged 18 and above, offered through a separate adult education centre with a dedicated helpline (0161 419 3620) and [email protected] contact.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% overall pass rate across all qualifications
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

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 minor.

• University of SalfordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for educational trips. Lower sixth biology students invited to participate in practical sessions at University of Salford, including DNA amplification using polymerase chain reaction in their megalab facility.
• Spirit StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic Technology students visited Spirit Studios for hands-on Drum Recording Workshop, gaining experience in professional studio environment including drum tuning, signal patching, and mixing equipment operation.
• Chester ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental Science students visited Chester Zoo for educational talk, behind-the-scenes tour, and species observation as part of learning beyond the classroom.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Loreto College: Catholic sixth form college in Stretford/Manchester offering A Level and vocational programmes to 16-19 year olds with similar Catholic ethos, pastoral care emphasis, and partner-school admission model. Directly competes with Aquinas for Stockport/Greater Manchester applicants.
• Xaverian College: Catholic sixth form college in Manchester offering A Level, BTEC, and specialised programmes to post-16 students. Competes directly with Aquinas in the Greater Manchester market for both academic applicants and partner-school pipeline.
• Holy Cross College: Catholic sixth form college in Bury, Greater Manchester, offering A Levels and vocational qualifications to 16-19 year olds. Comparable Catholic ethos, similar curriculum structure, and overlapping applicant pool in the Greater Manchester region.
• Cheadle & Marple Sixth Form College: State-funded sixth form college in Cheadle (adjacent to Stockport) offering A Level and vocational courses. Same state-funding model, very close geographic competitor, and similar post-16 target demographic as Aquinas.
• Carmel College: Catholic sixth form college in St Helens, Merseyside, offering A Level and vocational programmes to 16-19 year olds. Comparable Catholic ethos, governance structure, and curriculum breadth; regional player in the North West sixth form market.
• St John Rigby College: Catholic sixth form college in Orrell, Wigan, offering A Level and BTEC programmes. Similar Catholic mission, post-16 focus, and applicant demographic; competes regionally in the North West for Catholic and non-Catholic sixth form applicants.
• Winstanley College: State-funded sixth form college in Wigan offering A Level and vocational courses to 16-19 year olds. Same funding model, comparable curriculum breadth, and overlapping North West applicant pool.
• Bolton Sixth Form College: State-funded sixth form college in Bolton offering A Level and vocational courses to 16-19 year olds. Same funding model, comparable curriculum, and overlapping North West applicant demographic with Aquinas.

Broad incumbents

• Trafford College Group: Large further education college group serving Greater Manchester with broad vocational and academic provision including 16-18 study programmes. A larger, multi-site incumbent offering overlapping post-16 pathways in the same geography as Aquinas.
• The Manchester College: Major further education provider in Greater Manchester operating multiple campuses with broad 16-18 and adult provision. Larger, more diverse institution competing for both academic sixth-form and vocational post-16 applicants in the same catchment as Aquinas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/p/ClgbHMYoYGH/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 →

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