Quo Vadis (QV) Education has acquired Conifers School in Midhurst, West Sussex.
Not only is the co-founder and CEO of the education group, Aaron Stewart, a former pupil Conifers pupil, but two of his children currently attend the school.
Admitting that taking over his alma mater was “particularly special”, Stewart claimed that the transition in ownership will lead to fresh investment dedicated to improving Conifers, with the school also set to benefit from pooling such resources as marketing, HR and compliance, and inspections functions.
“Our mission going forward will be to enhance Conifers School with new investment and oversight, whilst maintaining the previous community ethos of the school for pupils and parents alike,” he said.
Our mission going forward will be to enhance Conifers School with new investment and oversight, whilst maintaining the previous community ethos of the school for pupils and parents alike – Aaron Stewart, Quo Vadis Education
Conifers School in Midhurst, West Sussex, is a prep school for boys and girls, aged two to 13 years.
Since leaving Conifers more than 30 years ago, Stewart’s career has seen him work as a Hong Kong-based headhunter, become a managing partner in Pemberton Stewart, and graduate from Harvard Business School.
In 2014, he co-founded QV Education and took over Boundary Oak School in Fareham, Hampshire, then a prep school of just 80 pupils. Today, it is a coeducational preparatory day and boarding school for around 350 children aged two to 16.
Boundary Oak’s headmaster is another co-founder of QV Education, James Polansky. The former derivatives trader is an Independent Schools Inspectorate compliance and educational quality team inspector, as well as a member of the Independent Association of Prep Schools, the Independent Schools Association, and the Chartered College of Teaching.
Conifers is QV Education’s second acquisition, and began life as a Victorian hospital before being converted into a school in 1934. Today, it educates more than 100 students.
“Throughout the process, it has been clear that Conifers, Boundary Oak and QV Education have a natural synergy and a common desire to provide our children with the highest quality education,” added Stewart.
