Operam lands its biggest acquisition yet

Education recruitment group Operam Education Group has completed its ninth acquisition, buying Choice Teachers and its Bespoke Education brand for an undisclosed sum in what it described as its largest deal to date. The transaction extends Operam’s buy-and-build strategy and adds further scale in the North West, while also strengthening its position in London and the home counties through Choice Teachers’ established presence in the south of England.

Choice Teachers specialises in long-term and daily supply teachers, alongside education support staff, across nursery, primary, secondary, further education, and special educational and additional learning needs settings. It operates from Leigh in Lancashire, Hitchin in Hertfordshire, and Liverpool. Under the terms of the deal, the company’s directors will remain in the business, along with its 50-strong team.

Operam said the acquisition was funded by Three Hills, BGF, Operam management, and long-term banking partner HSBC. The group is backed by Three Hills, the private markets investment company, and by growth capital investor BGF. According to Pablo Velez, partner at Three Hills, the addition of Choice takes Operam to more than £50 million in revenues and further strengthens its position in education recruitment.

Eddie Austin, CEO of Operam, said: “The North West has always been a traditional heartland for Operam and a key region when it comes to executing our 10-year growth strategy. The acquisition of Choice Teachers will help to deepen our existing roots in the North West, while materially growing our footprint in the south of England, where we’ve been growing following our first London acquisition in 2024.”

The deal adds another name to a growing list of acquisitions completed under Operam’s long-term expansion plan. To date, the group has acquired Provide Education, The Education Specialists, Teachers UK, Key Stage Teacher Supply, First for Education, Bridge Education, Provision Recruitment, and Horizon Teachers. The latest transaction widens Operam’s regional reach while retaining Choice Teachers’ existing leadership and local teams.