Alex is Managing Partner at Bolt, leading executive searches and board advisory work for education and training businesses.
In education M&A, the first 12 months decide the deal. Here's why.
Congratulations on your recent transaction. The hard work starts now. From my vantage point advising education and training businesses through M&A, I've observed a sobering pattern: the businesses that create genuine value in the first 12 months operate very differently from those that stagnate or decline.
The difference isn't luck or market conditions. It's execution across five critical levers.
In education M&A, leadership teams often come from different operational worlds. A college-bred leader thinks in academic years and regulatory cycles. A private training provider executive operates on quarterly commercial rhythms. An EdTech founder moves at software sprint speeds.
The collision of these mindsets either creates synergy or chaos.
Protects value: Clarity on roles, decision-making, and accountability within 30 days
Destroys value: Months of passive-aggressive debates about "how we've always done it"
The practical step: Map every major decision type and assign clear ownership. Who approves new programme launches? Who manages ESFA relationships? Who has final say on Ofsted preparation?
In one recent integration I advised, leadership spent three months debating programme approval processes while competitors launched new apprenticeship standards in their market.
Integration devours leadership bandwidth faster than any other business challenge. I've watched brilliant education leaders, people who built successful businesses from scratch, become overwhelmed trying to manage integration alongside maintaining Ofsted grades and ESFA compliance.
Protects value: Dedicated integration resources and external expertise
Destroys value: Leaders spread thin across integration, operations, and regulatory demands
The reality check: Treat bandwidth as your most precious resource. The businesses that thrive post-acquisition recognise integration as a specialised discipline requiring dedicated focus, not a side project for already-busy executives managing teaching quality and regulatory relationships.
Case in point: A training provider CEO I worked with tried to personally manage integration while preparing for an Ofsted inspection. Both suffered, resulting in a delayed QAR improvement and six-month integration timeline overrun.
"We're losing what made us unique."
This fear sits in every team member's mind when acquisition news breaks. In education, where mission-driven staff often choose lower salaries for meaningful work, cultural mishandling can trigger exodus-level turnover.
The tension is real: mission-driven staff versus commercial growth expectations. Purpose-led cultures versus investor-backed performance metrics.
Protects value: Honest cultural audit identifying what to preserve, evolve, and communicate
Destroys value: Ignoring cultural differences or trying to preserve everything from both sides
The insight: Culture integration requires the same rigour as systems integration. It's not a soft skill, it's a measurable business process that directly impacts student outcomes and staff retention.
I've seen a provider merger lose 40% of their experienced delivery staff within six months because leadership failed to address fears about "corporatisation" early in the process.
Education businesses operate within complex regulatory frameworks that don't pause for integration. Ofsted expectations, ESFA compliance, awarding body relationships, safeguarding requirements: these continue demanding attention regardless of your internal restructuring.
Unlike other sectors, regulatory misalignment in education can shut down revenue streams overnight.
Protects value: Early mapping of regulatory obligations and integrated compliance frameworks
Destroys value: Assuming compliance systems will naturally align
The critical path: Treat regulatory alignment as your highest priority operational task. Map ESFA contracts, Ofsted requirements, awarding body relationships, and safeguarding procedures in week one.
Failure to map to government funding requirements delayed new programme delivery by six months, placing a substantial hole in projected revenue.
Board reporting often changes dramatically overnight. Where you once reported to familiar faces with deep education sector knowledge, you may now present to investors who understand finance and growth but not the nuances of apprenticeship levy rules or FE funding methodologies.
Protects value: Proactive governance design and education-literate investor communication
Destroys value: Treating governance as administrative burden with minimal sector context
The opportunity: View board management as competitive advantage. Investors who understand your regulatory environment become your strongest advocates for the resources you need to grow.
A provider I advised transformed investor relations by creating monthly "Education Market Updates" that contextualised their performance within sector challenges. Result: increased investment approval rates and faster decision-making.
The businesses that stumble don't just miss growth opportunities, they actively destroy value. I've seen education companies emerge from their first post-acquisition year smaller, less profitable, and less attractive than when they started.
Staff turnover accelerates. Learner satisfaction drops. Ofsted grades decline. ESFA relationships deteriorate. The strategic rationale for the original deal evaporates.
In summary: Most of this damage is preventable with focused attention in those critical first months.
The first 12 months after a deal decide whether you build momentum or lose ground. The most impactful decisions happen in the first 30-60 days.
The businesses that emerge stronger aren't necessarily those with the best deals, they're those that execute integration with the same discipline they applied to building their original success.
Ready to protect and build value in your first year post-acquisition? Book a confidential call to discuss how these principles apply to your specific situation.
