Updated October 2026
In short: Schools come to market as going concerns (an operating independent school or nursery) or as property only (a closed or surplus school building). Going-concern buyers need to think about DfE registration, Ofsted, pupils and staff. Property buyers need to think about planning: educational buildings sit in Use Class F1, and changing the use usually needs planning permission.
| Type of sale | Who buys | Key considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Operating independent school | Education groups, operators | DfE registration, Ofsted reports, pupil numbers, fees, staff and TUPE |
| Nursery or early years setting | Nursery groups, owner-operators | Ofsted registration, occupancy, staffing ratios |
| Surplus school building | Developers, other schools, community uses | F1 use class, playing field protection, planning for change of use |
| Former school with conversion potential | Residential developers | Heritage, density, affordable housing requirements |
Due diligence checklist
- Title, boundaries and any restrictive covenants (many schools have charitable or educational covenants)
- Planning history and use class
- Playing fields: protected under planning policy and Sport England consultation
- Building condition: roofs, heating, asbestos and fire safety
- For going concerns: accounts, fee income, pupil roll, contracts and staff
- Safeguarding, registration and inspection history
How Fraser Bond helps
| 1 | Brief Operator or developer, location, size and budget. |
| 2 | Source School buildings and educational businesses, including off-market disposals. |
| 3 | Appraise Operating value or development value, planning prospects and costs. |
| 4 | Acquire Negotiation and coordination with specialist education and planning advisers. |
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