ACORN DAY NURSERY LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
02859716 · ltd · incorporated 1993-10-06
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Dec 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Pre-primary education
Sector: Education
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 64-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 64). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (70/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
8 officers (2 active, 8 linked, 2 with DOB)
75
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
91 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-12-31 |
|---|
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
4
filings
- • 2 accounts
- • 2 officers
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (32 events)Click to expand
- 2026-06-10📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2026-02-17➕HEPDEN, Emily Laura appointedsecretary
- 2026-02-17➖GARDNER, Teresa resignedsecretary
- 2026-02-17📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2026-02-17📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2026-01-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2025-04-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-06-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-04-11📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2021-08-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2020-12-16📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2020-12-15📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2020-09-10📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2020-09-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2019-08-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2019-01-29📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2018-08-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2004-09-01➕GARDNER, Teresa appointedsecretary
- 2004-09-01➖HEDGES, Christopher Joseph resignedsecretary
- 2004-09-01➖HEDGES, Christopher Joseph resigneddirector
- 1994-01-31➖SOVSHELFCO (FORMATIONS) LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1994-01-01➖HEDGES, Zoe Anne resignedsecretary
- 1994-01-01➖SOVSHELFCO (SECRETARIAL) LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1993-12-15➕RAVEN, Zoe Anne appointeddirector
- 1993-12-15➕HEDGES, Christopher Joseph appointedsecretary
- 1993-12-15➕HEDGES, Zoe Anne appointedsecretary
- 1993-12-15➕HEDGES, Christopher Joseph appointeddirector
- 1993-10-06🏢Company incorporatedAs ACORN DAY NURSERY LIMITED
- 1993-10-06➕SOVSHELFCO (SECRETARIAL) LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1993-10-06➕SOVSHELFCO (FORMATIONS) LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
93/100
Critical — business is the founderThe business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
FACTORS
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 33 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 64 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 64. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 33 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ms Zoe Anne Raven Individual · British · DOB 02/1962 · age 64 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board controlsig. influence75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control · significant influence · firm interest | 10/09/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
🔒Co-director network graph
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Similar companies
Active · Education & training · MK postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 360 DRIVER TRAINING ACADEMY LTD→ 14391363 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| 5 FITNESS LIMITED→ 12393143 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| A DIFFERENT APPROACH TUTORING AND THERAPY SERVICES LTD→ 16996832 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AAG GROUP LIMITED→ 11105341 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ABBAS ONCALL LTD→ 16761953 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ABBIE AQUATICS LTD→ 16844212 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ABSTRACT FORK LIFT TRAINING LTD→ 16697545 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ABUNDANT UNIVERSE LIMITED→ 15175684 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ACE DRIVING SCHOOL LTD→ 13969611 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ACO SPORTS LTD→ 16176722 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ACORN EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION→ 07703801 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| ACT NOW: CREATIVE YOUTH CIC→ 15604775 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →🔒Advanced scoring suite
Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Company details
Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated1993-10-06
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC85100 — Pre-primary education
Registered office
Unit 47 Waterside Barns Lodge Farm Business Centre
Castlethorpe
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire
MK19 7ES
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-07
Last: 2025-08-24
Officers (2 active · 6 resigned)
HEPDEN, Emily Laura→
Activesecretary · appointed 2026-02-17
View their other companies + combined net worth →
RAVEN, Zoe Anne→
Activedirector · ~64y · appointed 1993-12-15
View their other companies + combined net worth →
GARDNER, Teresa→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2004-09-01 · resigned 2026-02-17
HEDGES, Christopher Joseph→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1993-12-15 · resigned 2004-09-01
HEDGES, Zoe Anne→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1993-12-15 · resigned 1994-01-01
SOVSHELFCO (SECRETARIAL) LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1993-10-06 · resigned 1994-01-01
HEDGES, Christopher Joseph→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 1993-12-15 · resigned 2004-09-01
SOVSHELFCO (FORMATIONS) LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1993-10-06 · resigned 1994-01-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (91 total)
change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
accounts · AA01
2026-06-10
appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP03
2026-02-17
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2026-02-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2026-01-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2025-04-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-06-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-05-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-08-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-08-24
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2022-04-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2021-08-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-08-31