Kindred Education buys Wiltshire nursery group

All five settings operated by Bourne Valley Nursery School Limited in Salisbury, Wiltshire have been sold to the expanding group.

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Bourne Valley Nursery was founded by Gaenor and Martyn Nokes in 2001. The couple is now looking to retire.

With a combined capacity of 289 places, all the nursery settings hold Good or Outstanding ratings from Ofsted.

Kindred now owns 19 settings across London and the South East. Established in 2015 as Eduko Education, the group plans to continue its expansion.

Ruth Pimentel, chief executive of Kindred Education, said, ‘This fabulous group of nurseries will bring our group to 19 settings, and we know they will be a great match for the rest of our group.

‘Mr and Mrs Nokes’ passion was evident, and they were keen to know that the settings would continue to be looked after and further developed.

‘We are excited to start a new phase with Bourne Valley Nursery School Limited being a key part of that development.’

Mrs Nokes commented, The timing for us was perfect, our business had grown and was thriving, but I was struggling with all the business management that the growth was creating. I had come from a teaching background, and whilst I loved all the work with the children; the business side with over 90 staff was getting more and more complex. I knew we needed the support from a strong head office.

‘We were astounded at how quickly we had made a good match and we accepted an offer from Kindred. We were able to sell the group as a whole to a very compatible, caring company that we have every confidence will be going places, enabling our legacy to continue and thrive.

‘Ruth and I shared so much of the same passion for a child-centred pedagogy that enables a collaborative approach between settings, whilst still giving them the autonomy to have their own personality. For us, it felt like the perfect fit. We left after completion feeling really happy, we had achieved what we saw as a double win for us, the company and also for Kindred.’

Jenna Caldwell, director of childcare at Redwoods Dowling Kerr, which handled the sale, added, ‘From the moment we were instructed by Gaenor and Martyn, we knew that this opportunity would generate interest from a range of buyers. We also knew that what mattered most to our clients was selecting the right buyer who they felt shared the same values and ethos. From the launch to the sale being agreed, it took just 11 days. I am absolutely delighted for both parties.’