We are being asked to sell an ever wider range of Educational Businesses worldwide – it’s all very refreshing and exciting.  Educational businesses in the UK – from Prep Schools to Sixth Form Colleges, from International Colleges to Language Schools, from Consultancies to Educational Aids – are in major worldwide demand now.

Enquiries this month have come from most corners of the globe.

Indeed, the great majority of our enquiries now come from outside the UK.  The world has woken up to the fact that there are few countries more stable, more enterprising and more interesting than Britain and the UK has become a haven for international investment.

34% of London property is currently bought by international, non-UK investors.

Of particular note is the strong interest from universities in the Far and Middle East and the former Soviet bloc states in acquiring university campuses and forging academic links in England, Scotland and Wales.

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa!  Some very interesting and attractive businesses have come sidling up to our door looking for strong, decisive buyers.  Here is just a sample:

- Truly outstanding Dyslexia/SEN/Autism spectrum school.  Home Counties.  Convenient for London.  Ill health forces sale.  Excellent location and facilities.  Owner will facilitate handover.  Secure long leasehold.  Offers over £450,000 for quick sale. [Ref: B9222]

- Top quality, friendly UKBA Highly Trusted Language School in the Prosperous North serving over 30 nationalities.  Long established.  Sale for retirement.  Current management happy to stay.  Good secure leaseholds.  Excellent facilities and ambience.  Good, reliable, rising profits.  Offers over £750,000.  [Ref: B9220]

 - Small private language school in modest, convenient leasehold premises in W. London. £50,000.  [Ref: B9221]

- Large national nursery group with registration for over 800.  Loss-making overall but some very large nurseries and some profitable.  Mostly leasehold but at least £850,000 of freeholds.  Offers over £1,000,000 for quick sale.  [Ref: N0243]

- It’s not often we can offer a really good, traditional school in a City Centre.  This one has a good academic reputation, a very good Head who will stay, a lovely building and all-weather playground.  The school is loved and respected locally – and has been for well over 100 years.  Offers in excess of £1,800,000.  [Ref: B9224]

- Very good Northern language school with high standards and good credentials.  Business improving after tough recession and new UK controls.  Owner says he is a committed teacher but not a great businessman – happy to remain with a good business partner.  Offers around £200,000.  [Ref: B9226]

- Large, long-established, Central London UKBA Highly Trusted Language School with outstanding facilities and location.  Not currently profitable but should be.  Large freehold available or lease available.  Discussion and offers.  [Ref: B9219]

We are selling an exceptional large family school with generous grounds, a beautiful location and superb facilities (you name it) and a fine, long-standing academic reputation.  Reason for sale is retirement.  No rush – they will only sell to people they respect and trust.  Strong competition but profits holding up well.  Offers in excess of £5,000,000.  [Ref: B9216]

One category of business we are always keen to represent is Special Needs.  We usually have a wide range of buyers for these – but not enough come on to the market to satisfy demand.

So we were very pleased to be asked to take a look at a 28-place Special Needs School in the Eastern Home Counties.  Most of the places in SEN Schools are, of course, LEA funded.  These are worthwhile, secure and profitable businesses which deliver value to society.  If this opportunity is of interest, please contact us and mention you read about it on the Blog.

- Peers Carter