Strictly Education acquires school support specialist Babcock 4S

Leading education support services provider, Strictly Education, has acquired Babcock 4S, enhancing its position as a single source strategic solutions partner for schools, academies and multi-academy trusts (MATs).

Babcock 4S will be rebranded to Strictly Education 4S with immediate effect.

United by a common mission to be the trusted partner of education support services for schools and academies, Babcock 4S brings enhanced capability, expertise and geographical reach to Strictly Education’s offer, helping governors and school leaders achieve the best outcomes for children and young people.

The acquisition takes Strictly Education one-step closer to achieving its strategic growth ambition of becoming the UK’s leading support service provider to the education sector.

Strictly Education’s vision is built on the growth of academies, MATs and school clusters and the requirement of their governors, school leaders and administrators for a joined up, robust ‘back office’ service solution – so that teachers can remain fully focused on improving standards in the classroom.

“Our aim is to provide school leaders with an integrated service solution across HR, payroll & finance, premises, IT, governance and organisational development,” said Amanda Fisher, CEO at Strictly Education.

“Adding the expertise of Babcock 4S, delivers additional capabilities and strengthens our holistic offer; combining a strategic solution with hands-on operational support to reduce the administration burden and enabling schools to focus on improving pupil outcomes.”

“We are delighted to be joining Strictly Education” said Julie Barrington, General Manager at Babcock 4S. The education services provider brings over 15 years’ expertise in improving education outcomes for children across Surrey LA, with *94% of schools now rated Good or Outstanding.

“As school leaders increasingly look for a holistic solution across their many service requirements,” continued Fisher, “Strictly Education is now even better equipped to do what we say – ‘You educate, we support’.”

About Strictly Education: Founded in 2002, Strictly Education has grown to become a leading education specific provider of professional support services and solutions to schools, academies and multi-academy trusts (MATs). It currently supports over 1,500 schools, 500 academies and 100 MATs in over 100 local authorities.

Strictly Education is a highly principled organisation that invests in its people, systems and quality assurance, to ensure value added and business improvement expertise in the services it delivers to clients. Their robust professional service capabilities and technology led solutions, enable schools to reduce their administrative costs, remain compliant with statutory responsibilities, and stay fully focused on improving the learning outcomes of their pupils. 

With head teachers continuing to face the twin pressures of having ‘to do more with less’, whilst also managing significant structural, human and financial change with school, academy and MAT expansion, Strictly Education has defined a clear mission and modus operandi: to be the trusted partner of education support services, enabling school leaders and achieve the best outcomes for children and young people, by providing a flexible mix of strategic and hands-on operational support.

About Babcock 4S: Part of Babcock Education, the largest integrated service provider for education improvement and specialist intervention services in the UK and is part of the wider Babcock International Group. The Babcock 4S Education joint venture, was formed in 2004 between Surrey County Council and Babcock, positively working towards ensuring all children and young people in Surrey have access to a ‘good’ or ‘better’ school. 

Babcock 4S has worked alongside schools and academies in Surrey and beyond its borders across the South East, delivering training and consultancy to pursue excellence, challenge underperformance and offer support across all aspects of education including Leadership, Governance, Safeguarding, Facilities Management, Finance, HR and ICT

About Amanda Fisher, CEO Strictly Education: Appointed Chief Executive Officer of Strictly Education in July 2018. She will lead the company into the next phase of its growth, defining and implementing an ambitious growth and acquisition strategy. Previously, Amanda was Partnership Director for ISS, building the portfolio of Facilities Management contracts across all phases of education; Early Years through to Higher Education. Prior to working at ISS, she was Managing Director at Babcock Education, leading the company to become the UK’s largest integrated support services provider to schools, with over 600 specialists providing educational consultancy and expertise.

* Note: Performance measures based on Ofsted data as of July 2018.