Our Story
Cambridge is our home, and we want to share it with our students. Founded by Cambridge native Adam Schumacher in 2017, The Granta Academy was from its inception designed to make accessible the magical town of Cambridge, and the university life that defines it. Adam’s passion for his hometown first manifested in the form of Cambridge Alumni Tours, a highly successful walking tour company he founded in 2013. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and deep-seated desire to connect visitors with the beauty and intrigue of Cambridge life, he designed and implemented infrastructure for walking tours led by graduates and current students. As demand for his tours and expertise grew, Adam recognised in visitors a common unfulfilled desire: people wanted to extend their time in Cambridge, and endeavour to glean a better understanding of the academic life therein.
Adam thus set about designing and establishing a school capable of delivering what visitors, enchanted by Cambridge and hungry to delve into its academic world, were in search of. In a town saturated by educational offerings, Adam determined to create something innovative and unique. He would once again build a foundation for facilitating connection and sharing of knowledge. Working alongside Granta co-founder and University of Cambridge graduate Jessica Edwards, he engineered a program that actualized the experience that so many of his tour participants were craving.
Since 2017, The Granta Academy has continued to distinguish itself from the competitors. Prioritising one-on-one teaching in true Oxbridge tutorial fashion, and endeavouring to expose students to the rich research and cultural life of Cambridge, Granta far surpasses the standard. Though demand for places at Granta grows each semester, the program is determined to maintain admission caps in order to foster individual attention and tailored support. Our students graduate from the program with strong connections to their peers and teachers, as well as highly valuable study skills, in-depth knowledge of how to navigate the admissions space, and a newfound appreciation for all that defines the academic experience in Cambridge.
Our mission
The Granta Academy was founded with the goal of creating a unique and innovative approach to learning and university preparation. At Granta, we foster and promote development of the well rounded student—one that not only strives for academic excellence, but who also values cultural exploration, community engagement, and the development of strong and lasting relationships with mentors and classmates.
Our mission is to promote exploration and personal growth in our students, while preparing them for the involved and at times rigorous path through higher education. Courses at Granta are designed not only to expose our students to university level instruction, but also guide them through the application process, and help them to identify and pursue their academic and career goals.
All of our teachers and mentors are University of Cambridge researchers and/or graduates; they have first hand knowledge of what it takes to excel in one of the world’s preeminent academic institutions, and they are passionate about sharing their experiences. They are determined to galvanize their students, and help mentor them through what can be an overwhelming time gearing up for the home stretch of high school/sixth form. We know that our students come to Cambridge because they are eager to learn and grow; we are here to foster this curiosity, and support them as they approach their next academic chapter.
Our Team
Adam Schumacher
Executive Director and Co-founder
Adam is an entrepreneur and Cambridge local who co-founded The Granta Academy in 2017. Upon graduating from Anglia Ruskin University and the Lord Ashcroft Business School, he transitioned into the Cambridge entrepreneurial space, eager to create. In 2013, he established Cambridge Alumni Tours, a highly successful walking tour company connecting University of Cambridge students and graduates with visitors eager to explore the town and University.
In 2017, Adam founded The Granta Academy in response to a repeatedly expressed desire from Cambridge Alumni Tours clients: visitors were keen to extend their time in Cambridge, and endeavour to glean a better understanding of the academic life therein. Working alongside Granta co-founder and University of Cambridge graduate Jessica Edwards, he engineered a program that actualized the experience that so many of his tour participants were craving. The Granta Academy quickly became known for its immersive experience and attention to detail.
Heading into its third year, the program continues to attract students from all over the world as an unparalleled opportunity to experience Oxbridge life, and prepare for the journey through tertiary education.
Martin Browne
Consultant
Martin is a businessman and educator with over twenty years of experience in the education space. In 1995, he co-founded Communicata Ltd., a web database-developing entity that delivered revolutionary web sites for a host of major UK businesses. From 2004-2008 Martin worked for the Oxford Intensive School of English, acquiring language schools around the world and harmonizing their programs to enhance delivery. In 2010 Martin combined his online expertise with his passion for education to establish Tutornet, a platform designed to help match tutors and tutees around the world.
Martin brings his expertise in the educational sector to The Granta Academy as consultant and e-learning developer. He is particularly well versed in the design and implementation of immersive e-learning experiences; his insight has been integral to Granta’s successful transition to an online platform through the Covid pandemic. He is particularly keen to continue building The Granta Academy’s international platform, so that students from all around the world can experience our unique program and all that Cambridge has to offer.