Browne Jacobson advises The Edwin Group on acquisition of SEND staffing specialist Axcis Education

UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson’s London-based corporate team advised The Edwin Group Limited, on its acquisition of Axcis Education.  

Axcis Education, a long-standing client of the firm, specialises in placing high calibre SEND professionals into a wide variety of short-term, long-term and permanent roles across all seniorities. These range from teachers and teaching assistants to therapists and school leaders, as well as other support staff, including sport coaches and school administrators. 

The deal brings together two purpose-driven organisations to enhance specialist recruitment across the UK education system.  

Axcis Education’s expertise in SEND staffing for alternative provision and mainstream schools will complement The Edwin Group’s strong portfolio of services. These include expertise in recruitment, retention, HR, CPD and enrichment via its family of nine organisations, such as Vision for Education, ABC Teachers and Smart Teachers. 

Browne Jacobson’s team was led by Sandra Wong, Partner in corporate M&A and private equity, and supported by Dina Hansotia (Associate, corporate M&A and private equity) alongside Christian Burchardt (Senior Associate, tax) and a team of specialists in employment, commercial, intellectual property, safeguarding law as well as regulatory experts. 

Sandra said: “As a firm focused on supporting clients working at the forefront of society’s biggest issues, we are proud to help deliver a deal that enhances teaching for SEND pupils across England and Wales. 

“This deal will help The Edwin Group and Axcis Education to build on their extensive portfolio of work in education to scale up their services to schools, academy trusts and other education providers nationwide and bring forward more innovative solutions to everyday challenges they face.” 

The Edwin Group is dedicated to transforming education by connecting, supporting and retaining the very best talent in schools.   

Axcis Education, established in 2001, operates a network of six UK offices that serve 1,000 providers of education for young people with a variety of specialist educational needs. These include profound and multiple learning disabilities, specific learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health conditions.  

Liam Roberts, CEO of The Edwin Group, said: “This acquisition paves the way for an exciting future for both The Edwin Group and Axcis Education, enabling us to build on our portfolio of work and clients in order to scale new heights.  

“We are grateful for the outstanding support and guidance provided by the Browne Jacobson team throughout this transaction, ensuring it has been a smooth process for all parties involved.” 

Nick MacKenzie, Head of Education at Browne Jacobson, added: “As a firm with experts acting across numerous industries, we are able to learn from each other and bring the benefits of broader knowledge and deep sector expertise to our clients, as evidenced in this transaction.  

“SEND provision has been one of the biggest challenges for schools and trusts for some time now. In our latest School Leaders Survey, nine in 10 respondents expressed dissatisfaction with SEND funding.  

Nevertheless, schools and trusts must continue to meet their statutory duties towards pupils with the resources available to them, and the availability of staffing is integral to their ability to deliver.” 

The firm has one of the largest education practices in the UK. It provides legal, HR and consultancy support to schools, academy trusts, higher education institutions and the Department for Education.