Acquisitive education firm secures new private equity backing

An education group that has expanded through a series of acquisitions over recent years has been acquired by private equity firm Quad Partners. The acquisition of The Edwin Group provides an exit for LDC, following a three-and-a-half-year partnership that has driven significant growth.

The Edwin Group is among the UK’s largest providers of supply teachers to primary schools and special educational needs (SEN) schools, operating through the Vision for Education, ABC Teachers and Smart Teachers brands.

In December 2020, LDC backed a management buyout (MBO) at the group from Tes Global. Following the MBO, the group’s management team, led by CEO Liam Roberts, alongside the core team of Darren Starling, Will Washington and Fiona Baker, pursued an ambitious growth strategy.

This involved four acquisitions and the expansion of The Edwin Group’s services. During the investment period, the group opened nine new locations and now works with more than 4,500 schools across the UK. Over the past year, the firm has recruited more than 11,000 teaching and support staff and provided them with continuing professional development (CPD).

With LDC’s backing, the group has also undertaken significant investment in its senior team, appointing Chief Strategy Officer Sarah Monk, Chief Information Officer Charlie Afif, Director of Product Diane Sequeira, Director of Strategic Partnerships Lucy Fox, Director of Marketing Hannah Dimech and Director of HR Lyndsay Greathead.

Liam Roberts commented: "With the team at LDC's support, we are now better equipped than ever to meet schools' and multi-academy trusts' increasingly complex needs.”

"Importantly, we've been able to grow the business and expand our range of products and services without losing sight of our values or our commitment to excellent customer service.”

"We're looking forward to embarking on this next chapter, working with more schools and multi-academy trusts, to positively impact the lives of young people."

David Bains, partner and head of the East Midlands and East of England at LDC, added: "We were delighted to back a team who had a strong vision for an education services business.”

"Almost four years later the same team has created a business that helps schools and multi-academy trusts with their evolving needs and challenges, whilst it has invested in its people, acquired and diversified its services and bolstered its ESG credentials.”


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