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Welcome To HEG’s Inner Circle eNews
A Bi-Weekly Recap of Essential Reading For The Private School Sector
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Welcome to the 193rd edition of HEG’s Inner Circle Private School eNews, where Halladay Education Group shares key insights into the latest investment activity shaping the global private education sector.
Halladay Education Group recently advised the owners of Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy on the successful sale of their highly regarded college. Based in British Columbia, the college is recognized for its strong brand, career-focused programming, and clear market positioning in the regulated massage therapy training sector. This transaction reflects continued buyer interest in differentiated Canadian private career colleges in the healthcare sector, particularly those with scalable operating platforms and durable enrollment demand. For owners considering succession, growth capital, or a sale, this deal confirms that well-positioned colleges can attract serious strategic and financial interest.
HEG MARKET INTELLIGENCE
The private education M&A market this period reinforced a theme we've tracked all year: capital is active but moving with intent. Rather than opportunistic one-off acquisitions, the dominant moves are platform-building and deliberate geographic expansion. Established groups are expanding into new markets—Inspired added a school in Mexico, Nord Anglia entered Malaysia, and Dukes Education completed its first Canadian partnership—while Globeducate and Global Schools Group continued to scale across Europe and Asia.
The pattern extends beyond K-12. We saw consolidation in higher education (a proposed merger between King's College London and Cranfield), in EdTech and assessment (Coursera's acquisition of Udemy and Cognia's acquisition of EL Education), and in language education (a deal involving Kaplan Languages Group). Private equity and institutional capital stayed active across the stack, with Brightstar, GUS, and student-housing investors all writing cheques.
For owners, the signal is consistent: well-positioned institutions with durable demand, experienced leadership, and a clear growth narrative attract strategic interest—often before a formal process begins. Buyers are paying for quality and integration potential, not availability.
If you're weighing a sale, merger, acquisition, or recapitalization in 2026, assess your positioning before the process starts. Let's schedule a confidential 30-minute call to benchmark your institution against current buyer criteria and identify the value drivers that shape valuation and deal certainty. Reach out for a discreet discussion. Reach out to us for a discreet discussion.
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1) REPUTABLE & PROFITABLE K-12 DAY & INTERNATIONAL BOARDING SCHOOL (EASTERN CANADA)
SIGNED LOI
Established co-ed school with 50+ years of history, 300+ students, and near-100% university placement. FY26F: $8.2M revenue / $2.0M adjusted EBITDAR. Well-located, multi-site urban campus with ~63% enrollment growth capacity. Buyer value: durable brand, outcomes-driven positioning, diversified delivery (day + boarding), and clear pathway to scale with measured capex and enrollment management. More Info
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2) NURSING & HEALTHCARE CAREER COLLEGE GROUP IN WESTERN CANADA
SIGNED LOI
Market-leading, multi-campus healthcare education platform. FY25 anchors at $14.5M in revenue and $3.4M in EBITDA (23% margin), scaling asset-light to $19.3M and $5.9M by FY27F (30% margin), demonstrating strong earnings momentum and growth visibility. Programs include Practical Nursing (LPN) and allied health. Underwriting rests on: (i) approved programs with domestic financial-eligibility status, (ii) defensible practicum access, and (iii) predominantly domestic tuition revenues. More Info
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3) MARKET-LEADING CANADIAN MASSAGE THERAPY COLLEGE
SOLD
Western Canada platform with 30+ years of operations and strong graduate outcomes. FY25F: $2.0M revenue / $380K EBITDA (18%), scaling to $2.7M / $771K (29%) by FY28F. 100% domestic enrollment, regulatory protection, and a trusted brand. Buyer value: recession-resilient demand, strong cash flow, and 2x EBITDA growth through capacity, scheduling, and program optimization. More Info
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4) PREMIUM EUROPEAN SUMMER CAMP PLATFORM
Project Alpine: 50+ years, 350,000 alumni, and participants from 60 countries. FY26F: US$7.2M revenue / $1.2M EBITDA. Buyer value: brand equity, high-margin enrollments, multi-country programming, and repeat/cross-sell potential across channels. Growth levers include extended seasons, new locations, and structured partnerships. More Info
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5) U.S. FOR-PROFIT K-12 BUYER (VOUCHER/ESA STATES)
Global operator seeking acquisitions of for-profit day schools in voucher/ESA markets. Target: $500K–$5M EBITDA, strong academics, and clear growth. Flexible deal structures, including real estate options, are suitable for single sites or small groups. Priority: FL, TX, AZ, GA (plus IN, IA, OH, NC, UT, WV, AL, LA, OK, NH, TN). Confidential, founder-friendly, proven integration. More info
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6) PROFITABLE TRANSPORT CANADA–APPROVED FTU + AVIATION CAREER COLLEGE (WESTERN CANADA)
Scaled, asset-backed aviation training platform: Transport Canada–approved FTU within a provincially accredited career college with DLI and Student Aid eligibility. FY26F: $3.45M revenue, ~335 students, normalized EBITDA ~$910K (FY24–FY25F avg), expanding to ~$1.05M at 30%+ margins. Leased airside campus; 11-aircraft fleet (~$2.6M), simulator, and maintenance operations create a defensible regulatory/operating moat. More Info
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7) MULTI-CAMPUS WESTERN CANADIAN HEALTH / WELLNESS / BEAUTY CAREER COLLEGE PLATFORM
Scaled multi-campus Western Canadian career college group with substantial healthcare exposure and FY26F projected EBITDA of about $2.6M on $6.6M of revenue. The platform combines domestic demand, practical employer-aligned training, and a capacity-ready multi-campus footprint that supports further margin expansion. Growth opportunities include adding cohorts, selective program expansion, pricing optimization, and increased utilization of clinics and salons. More Info.
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INSPIRED EDUCATION EXPANDS MEXICO PRESENCE WITH ISQ
Inspired Education announced adding the International School of Querétaro to its global group.
Read more
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GLOBEDUCATE ACQUIRES SPANISH SCHOOL WITH
75-YEAR HISTORY
The acquisition strengthens the international school group’s presence in Spain.
Read more
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DEAL TO ACQUIRE KAPLAN LANGUAGES GROUP ANNOUNCED
Includes its language schools across the world and the ESL Education agency brand.
Read more
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GLOBAL UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS ACQUIRES Y SCHOOLS
An important step in the Group’s continued international expansion in France.
Read more
MONT'KIARA INT'L SCHOOL IN KUALA LUMPUR JOINS NORD ANGLIA EDUCATION
Nord Anglia’s network grow to 15 schools in Southeast Asia and 90 schools worldwide.
Read more
MACLACHLAN COLLEGE JOINS DUKE EDUCATION AS FIRST CANADIAN SCHOOL PARTNER
Joining the international family of schools operated by Dukes Education.
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KING'S COLLEGE LONDON AND CRANFIELD PLAN MAJOR U.K. UNIVERSITY MERGER
As financial pressures continue to reshape higher education across the country.
Read more
COURSERA COMPLETES COMBINATION WITH UDEMY
Building the world’s most comprehensive skills platform.
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COGNIA TO MERGE WITH EL EDUCATION IN ASSESSMENT, CURRICULUM DEAL
Aiming to address a wider range of students’ learning needs.
Read more
CORE SPACES CLOSES $1.64 BILLION STUDENT HOUSING FUND
Closing with approximately $1.64B in capital commitments from global investors.
Read more
GLOBAL SCHOOLS ANNOUNCED LAUNCH OF HEATH HOUSE INT'L SCHOOL SINGAPORE
Scheduled to open in August 2026 subject to regulatory approvals.
Read more
| | ABOUT HEG’S M&A ADVISORY SERVICES | | |
Halladay Education Group (HEG) is a premier M&A advisory firm specializing exclusively in the private education sector across North America and internationally. With over 30 years of experience, HEG has successfully led the sale, acquisition, and recapitalization of a diverse range of educational institutions, including K-12 private schools, boarding and Montessori schools, early childhood centers, ESL programs, career colleges, and higher education platforms.
We are a trusted advisor to private equity firms, institutional investors, operators, and family offices pursuing strategic growth, as well as school owners seeking full or partial exits. Backed by deep sector expertise, an extensive proprietary database of qualified buyers, and full-cycle transaction support, HEG has earned a reputation as one of the most active and respected firms in the field. To confidentially discuss your institution’s strategic options—whether a sale, merger, acquisition, or financing—and how emerging trends may impact your outlook, contact us at 1-800-687-1402. Please view our Corporate Brochure.
info@halladayeducationgroup.com | 1-800-687-1492 | www.buyingandsellingschools.com
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