International K12 education group Globeducate has acquired two schools in London.

L’Ecole des Petits (Fulham) is a pre-primary school founded in 1977 by Mirella and Nicholas Otten which caters for up to 120 pupils aged three to six and L’Ecole des Battersea, founded in 2005, caters for up to 280 pupils aged three to 11, pre-primary and primary.

The first school was founded in Chelsea, London, by Mirella Otten, a newly trained teacher from Paris. She envisioned a bilingual pre-school that integrated French and English curricula. This school moved to Fulham in 1991 and a sister school in Battersea, offering education until 11, opened in 2005.

As AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad) accredited schools, both offer a bilingual curriculum with elements from both the French and National Curriculum for England. They are inspected by both OFSTED and AEFE.

James Polanksy, chief executive of Globeducate UK, said: “The commitment to fostering a love for learning and cultural awareness is evident in the school’s community and its dedication to bilingual proficiency, preparing pupils for a globalised world. These values fit very well with our wider Globeducate family of schools, and we look forward to welcoming staff from both schools to Globeducate. Like all Globeducate schools, L’Ecole des Petits and L’Ecole de Battersea pride themselves on their inclusive community and experienced educators who are passionate about education – in particular, in this case, early childhood education. Within Globeducate UK, the team at L´Ecole des Petits and L’Ecole de Battersea will have opportunities to connect with Stonar School, Boundary Oak School, and ICS London – all of which have successful pre-schools and primary schools.”

Nicholas Otten commented: “[The acquisition] will secure a future for our pupils and teachers that is truly international. L´Ecole des Petits and L’Ecole de Battersea will work closely with the group’s bilingual schools in Paris, and the group´s AEFE schools in Morocco and the Netherlands, opening new connections and professional opportunities for our specialist teachers in French bilingual education.”

Globeducate’s advisors for this transaction were: Weil, Gotshal & Manges (legal), Deloitte (financial and tax), Afaya Partners (operational/educational), CBRE (real estate) and Edacto for commercial perspective. M&A advisory firm Lava advised the seller.

Globeducate now has five UK schools, and a total of 65 schools in 11 countries.