More Than the Highest Number: What the SchoolHire Deal Teaches Us About Running a Competitive Process

Friday, 12 June 2026

When Bluebox ran the sale process for SchoolHire, the UK’s leading online booking and payment platform for school facility hire. The result was more than 10 offers from strategic buyers and an outstanding outcome for the founders. But numbers alone don’t tell the story.

What made this deal work was the discipline of the process: how the business was positioned, how buyer interest was generated, and how competitive tension was maintained right up to the point where heads were signed and exclusivity was awarded. Here is a look behind the scenes.

The Deal

Founded by Charlie Gothold and David Nevies, SchoolHire had become the market leader in school facility hire, working with over 1,300 schools and 200 Multi-Academy Trusts. The acquirer, ParentPay Group, whose platforms are used by over 11 million pupils daily across more than 28,000 schools. It was the natural strategic home for the business. Bluebox’s job was to make sure the right buyers were in the room, and that they were competing.

What Makes a Competitive Process?

A competitive process doesn’t start when you go to market. It starts in the preparation, making sure the equity story is airtight, the financials are clean, and the business can withstand the scrutiny serious buyers will apply. Deals collapse when surprises emerge mid-process. The businesses that achieve the best outcomes do the hard work before the market ever sees them.

The SchoolHire process generated more than 10 offers: the product of a deliberate strategy to map the buyer universe broadly and approach it in a way that created genuine competition. When multiple parties are engaged simultaneously, buyers know they are not alone. That changes behaviour: timelines accelerate, pricing sharpens, and the quality of offers improves across the board.

It Is Not Just About the Number

The highest offer is not always the right offer. Before signing heads and awarding exclusivity, the key is to weigh all of the factors that determine whether a deal actually completes, and on what terms:

  • Deal structure – completion versus deferred consideration, and on what conditions
  • Deliverability – does the buyer have the capacity and approvals to complete?
  • Conditionality – are there conditions that create material risk for the seller?
  • Fit – particularly where founders remain with the business post-completion
  • Speed and certainty – a slightly lower offer from a clean, well-prepared buyer can be worth more than a higher number with uncertainty attached

Once exclusivity is granted, leverage diminishes. The work of maximising value happens before that moment, not after it.

Charlie Gothold, co-founder of SchoolHire, commented: 

“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built over the past decade and joining ParentPay Group marks an exciting next step for SchoolHire. We’re immensely grateful to Bluebox who were an exceptional partner in the process. Their knowledge of the market, ability to articulate our story and attract the right calibre of buyer was second to none. We’re excited to continue delivering a first-class booking and payment experience for schools and their customers.” 

Tim Cumming, Associate Director at Bluebox commented: 

“SchoolHire is an incredible business with a market-leading position, exceptional reputation, and an exciting growth plan. The level of buyer interest reflects the quality of the platform and the strength of the equity story. It’s been a privilege to work with such a talented management team, and we’re delighted to have delivered an outstanding result for Charlie and David.” 

Hear the Full Story on 30th June

On Tuesday 30th June 2026, Bluebox and our partners at Joelson are hosting an exclusive morning event in London where we take attendees behind the scenes of this transaction including the strategy, the process, and the outcome. We will also gain insight from Joelson’s perspective on the legal and structuring considerations that matter most. Arrivals from 8:30am, session 9:00–10:30am, at Joelson’s offices at 2 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 4DF. For further details, sign up here.

The Bottom Line

The SchoolHire outcome of 10+ offers, a market-leading acquire, a result that fully reflected what Charlie and David had built, was the product of preparation, a disciplined approach to market, and the rigour to manage competitive tension all the way to signed heads.

If you are thinking about an exit in the next 12 to 24 months, the time to start preparing is now. To find out more about how Bluebox works with business owners, visit blueboxcfg.com or get in touch directly.

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