We’re pleased to announce the completion of a deal to sell Hampshire’s Boundary Oak Independent School to international education provider, Globeducate, where it will join a well-established network of 31,000 students across ten countries.
In 2014, Aaron Stewart and James Polansky of Quo Vadis Education acquired Boundary Oak as a failing school in need of significant educational and organisational overhaul. With their vision, leadership and ability to secure the right funding, they were able to turn the school around and rebuild towards a successful future.
Quo Vadis was specifically seeking potential buyers with the ability to take Boundary Oak through its next stage of development, committing to ongoing investment and providing opportunities for the progress and advancement of its staff and pupils.
With our team’s extensive credentials in educational transactions over the past decade, as well as our 2021 sale of Eaton House Schools to Dukes Education, LAVA was well placed to provide exactly the solution Aaron and James were looking for. Our deep understanding of international buyers’ strategy, culture and values goes beyond just a name on a research list. We were confident that Globeducate’s ethos was a strong fit for the school, with a focus on educational excellence and providing the best start for their students clearly a priority over pure financial returns.
LAVA were hands down the first choice to advise us on this transaction, given their success in the sector to date. What really blew me away was the enormous amount of work involved and the depth of expertise within the team to deliver on that work so efficiently. They took ownership of the entire negotiation and due diligence process, relieving a huge amount of stress and complexity for us as vendors and making the whole transaction as painless as possible.
Aaron Stewart Co Founder, Quo Vadis Education
Globeducate brings access to a huge international network of teaching professionals to develop and share best practice, and will provide career progression for existing Boundary Oak staff. This acquisition represents an exciting opportunity for Aaron and James, and all the staff and pupils of Boundary Oak, as they continue leading the school and supporting Globeducate’s UK growth strategy for years to come.
Having worked with Aaron and James since their acquisition of Boundary Oak in 2014, it’s been a real delight to see their success in transforming the school, and to have found them the right partner to take Boundary Oak to the next level is even better. Well-executed turnaround in the independent schools sector is a rare thing, and Aaron and James have beaten all expectations, delivering Globeducate a solid framework from which to further invest in the future growth of the institution, staff and pupils.
Simon Woodcock Partner, LAVA Advisory Partners
At LAVA, we love partnering with clients who have dedicated so much of their lives to saving and growing such a wonderful institution. Helping them through such a complex transaction whilst ensuring they can continue running a thriving school with minimal distraction is the reason we do what we do.
For a confidential discussion of your own specific M&A needs, please feel free to contact us!
