Issue 14: The Business of Independent Education and Creative Thinking
I don’t think we fully realise what is going on in the independent sector
I was struck this week reading an education advisory newsletter which noted that “the global private-school M&A market is moving faster than many owners realise”. Around the same time, I noticed a blue-chip consultancy recruiting into its education practice, describing education as a large and rapidly growing sector. In uncertain times, education is increasingly seen as a safe long term bet, financially at least, which helps explain some of what we are seeing.
Two years ago, I left a secure Head of Department role in London. With a young family, it was a jump! Since then, my own career path has been bumpy rather than smooth. I’ve worked across state, independent and online education, while building my AI skills and keeping an eye on where the corporate education market is moving.
This newsletter started as a way to keep track of things for myself. Over time, it has become a way to share that picture more widely.
So what does the picture look like?
In January 2026, 20 deals were recorded across the sector, alongside four closures.
A simple barometer I’m using to track activity currently shows an 87% positive and 13% negative split, though I think negative sentiment is higher than that once all data is added.
Broadly, 2025-26 activity is split between acquisitions and closures. An update is due later this month, but even at this stage the market feels fragmented and unsettled.
This isn’t a stable period domestically, which is why visibility matters.
One noticeable shift is how schools are publishing news. Increasingly, updates are going straight onto LinkedIn rather than being circulated as press releases to traditional outlets. That brings speed and attention, but it also makes sector-wide tracking harder. Some schools publish selectively, some inconsistently, and some not at all. In a few cases, LinkedIn is the only marketing channel.
Information is fragmented. Communication strategy matters more than many schools probably realise. AI is already helping here, particularly for small teams or schools trying to reduce marketing spend. Over time, I hope to add more geographic visuals to the Tracker to give a clearer sense of where change is happening and how operators are responding.
All updates are now on Class Futures, including a new section for Independent Education / Updates.
Thanks for reading.
Jonathan
Independent education / Updates
• Windermere School appoints Jessica Sheldrick as Head following an international search. Sheldrick joins from Rishworth School, where she progressed from newly qualified teacher to headship during her tenure.
• Moon Hall School announces a strategic partnership with Copthorne Prep to open Moon Hall Copthorne, a specialist dyslexia satellite on Copthorne’s 55-acre site.
• Stamford School appoints Jo Hackett as Director of Sport from September 2026. Hackett joins from the Loughborough Schools Foundation.
• Malvern St James School confirms staff restructuring, offering voluntary redundancy in response to what it describes as a challenging economic climate. It also launches the MSJ International Football Academy, combining elite football development with academic provision.
• St Dunstan’s Education Group announces a merger with West Lodge School, expanding its south London portfolio from August 2026.
• Magdalen College School, Oxford confirms plans to become fully co-educational over the coming decade as it approaches its 550th anniversary.
• Manchester Grammar School announces that Dr Martin Boulton, High Master since 2013, will step down at the end of the 2026–27 academic year.
• Stamford School confirms plans to redevelop St Michael’s as a dedicated Reception and Year 1 hub from September 2026.
• Salisbury Cathedral School confirms it will end boarding from September 2027, becoming a fully day school after more than 900 years.
• King’s InterHigh gains official UK government accreditation under the Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS).
International / Expansion
Following the announcement that Magdalen College School will become fully co-educational, further detail has been released on Magdalen College School Oxford International, Bangkok.
The new campus will be located in East Bangkok. Facilities will include academic, sporting and boarding provision. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with opening planned for August 2028.
• Outcomes First Group expands into Europe with the acquisition of Colegio Areteia in Madrid, marking its first entry into the European market.
AI / One to note
In AI, one event worth picking out is the Royal College of Art’s first AI Festival, taking place from Monday 16 to Friday 20 February.
The programme covers research, practice-based work, ethics, creativity and human impact. It’s being led by Professor Hala Mansour, with speakers including:
Sam Illingworth / Edinburgh Napier University
Dr Laura Ferrarello / École Polytechnique
Dr Ola Gwozdz
Richard Banks / Microsoft Research
David Davenport-Firth MSc FRSPH / Ogilvy UK
Alexander Spencer / InnovationRCA
Archana Prasad / RCA PhD candidate
Professor Stephen Todd / AI in Media Institute
Alan Robertson / AI in Media Institute
and others.
“The secret of leadership is simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow.”
/ Seth Godin, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us