Chinese company buys British nursery group

Early years learning a growth industry in China

Chinese company JiaYi Education is set to open British-style preschools in China and acquire further childcare centers in the United Kingdom, following its recent purchase of Devonshire-based nursery group Bambinos, a company associate has confirmed.
The Beijing-based education company plans to purchase more British facilities and open nurseries in China under the Bambinos brand, having acquired the firm’s childcare centers in Plymouth, Plymstock, Woolwell, and Tavistock in Southwest England as part of a multi-million-pound deal last month.
“We are looking for more investment opportunities in Britain,” said Xiao Li, chief executive of London Thames Capital, an advisory firm that represents JiaYi Education in the UK.
“JiaYi is interested in the management system and curriculum of British nursery stage education, and wants to bring it back to China,” Li added.
The deal is thought to be the first acquisition of a UK preschool group by a Chinese investor. Western-style preschools have become increasingly popular in China, and Chinese interest in British early-year education has lifted the value of childcare centers around the United Kingdom.
Jemma Honey, chief executive at Bambinos, said that the UK early years foundation stage curriculum is seen as a “beacon of good practice” globally.
“The approach is very much learning through play, it’s holistic, viewing the child in an inclusive manner,” Honey said. “It could be seen as less rigid and formal as other early-year curriculums around the world. It gives children a good grounding for their future and provides very good outcomes. That’s very attractive for Chinese investors.”
Honey did not disclose the sale figure, but confirmed it was a multi-million-pound deal.
JiaYi Education runs online courses and owns 40 weekend and after-school education centers in China. The company has developed mathematics teaching systems for primary and secondary level that are used by 1,100 schools around the country.
Going forward, JiaYi will send Chinese teachers to Bambino nurseries for training, while Bambino management will go to China later this year to advise on further expansion plans in Asia.
“There is a booming early years childcare market in China, it’s growing very quickly,” Honey said.
A report published in January by property adviser Christie & Co revealed that interest from several Chinese investors had increased the average company value of British nurseries by 10.8 percent in 2017 on the year before.
"Following the revocation of China's one-child policy, there has been growing demand from aspirational parents seeking premium early years bilingual education," said Courteney Donaldson, managing director for childcare and education at Christie & Co.
Donaldson said that, alongside inbound investment, there has been a "substantial rise" in UK outbound investment into China.
One of the UK’s largest early education groups, Busy Bees, recently announced a five-year partnership with the Chinese Oriental Cambridge Education Group to open 20 nurseries across China in a deal thought to be worth 75 million pounds ($94 million).
On Tuesday, Carlisle-based Stone Eden Nursery opened its first international franchise in Guangzhou.
Last year, UK company British Early Education partnered with Chinese investors Largreen Education to open an international kindergarten in Yixing, Jiangsu province.
In addition, Happy Tree Nursery Group, the operator of three nurseries in London, has opened a new childcare facility in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.