The Brightstar Group has launched Schools-Finance to help independent schools secure funding for property, operational and investment projects.
The specialist finance broker is the sixth company in the group’s portfolio and follows the addition of The School Fees Company earlier this year.
Schools-Finance will advise schools on banking facility reviews, debt restructuring, estate development finance, property acquisitions, working capital facilities, sustainability projects and strategic investments.
The business will draw on Brightstar’s lender relationships and more than 15 years of experience in specialist finance to find funding arrangements suited to schools’ individual objectives.
Its launch comes as independent schools review their commercial strategies, investigate additional sources of income and consider how their estates and other assets can support longer-term financial sustainability.
Clare Jupp, managing director of Schools-Finance, said: “I’m hugely excited to be leading this business which is our latest exciting addition to the Brightstar Group.
“Independent schools are facing an increasingly complex operating environment. Alongside delivering outstanding education, many are also looking at how they can strengthen their long-term financial sustainability, invest in their facilities and maximise the value of their assets.
“Schools-Finance has been created to provide schools with access to specialist funding expertise that understands both the opportunities and challenges they face.
“Whether a school is looking to refinance existing facilities, fund development projects, improve cash flow flexibility or invest in future growth, our role is to help identify the right funding strategy and connect them with the most appropriate lenders and funding partners.
“We have spent more than 15 years building relationships across the specialist finance market and we believe schools deserve access to the same expertise, insight and funding options that other sectors have benefited from for many years.”
PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOLS’ ENTERPRISE ASSOCIATION
Schools-Finance has also become a corporate partner of the Schools’ Enterprise Association, an independent membership organisation supporting more than 250 schools across the sector.
The association works with schools to identify commercial opportunities, make better use of their assets and facilities, and develop sustainable income streams in support of their educational work.
Schools-Finance plans to provide member schools with specialist funding advice and access to finance for strategic projects and commercial initiatives.
Dorothy McLaren, chief executive officer at the Schools’ Enterprise Association, said: “The Schools’ Enterprise Association is doing important work helping schools think creatively about their futures and how they can make the most of their assets while always keeping education at the heart of their decision-making.
“Our vision is to support schools as they plan for the future, invest in their estates and create sustainable foundations for future generations.
“We are pleased to welcome Schools-Finance to the SEA where they will join a valued group of trusted corporate partners who are on hand to provide support and advice wherever needed. Schools increasingly need trusted specialist partners who understand both the educational environment but also the funding landscape.”
Nick Baker, chief commercial officer at Allica Bank, said: “The independent education sector is entering a period where strategic financial planning will be more important than ever.
“Schools are increasingly exploring how they can maximise the value of their estates, diversify income streams and fund investment in facilities while maintaining their focus on delivering exceptional educational outcomes.
“The launch of Schools-Finance is a timely and hugely innovative development that recognises the specialist nature of the sector and the need for expert funding advice.
“At Allica Bank, we have a history of supporting educational institutions and we understand the important role that specialist finance can play in helping schools achieve their objectives.
“We look forward to working collaboratively with Schools-Finance and supporting schools as they invest in their future growth and sustainability.”
