RM Expands Assesment & Data

RM PLC 02 August 2007 2nd August 2007 RM expands Assessment and Data Services Business through Asset Purchase RM announces that it has acquired the assets comprising the business known as SERAP from the University of Bath for a consideration of £580,000. SERAP provides specialised educational data matching and reporting services for Government Departments & Agencies and Local Authorities. SERAP already works with RM, providing services for the National Pupil Database - Achievement and Attainment Tables (NPD-AAT) contract. RM will acquire SERAP's existing contracts, along with the software, data and expertise required to fulfil these contracts. Eight members of staff will transfer to the RM Group under TUPE regulations. SERAP's assets will be integrated into, and managed from, Forvus, the Group's specialist data services company. The acquisition of SERAP significantly enhances RM's Assessment and Data Services business. SERAP provides additional relationships with exam boards and Local Authorities, which are key customers for the Assessment and Data Services business. Commenting on the acquisition, Tim Pearson, CEO of RM, said: 'It's great to welcome the SERAP team to RM. We're excited by the opportunities their skills and market relationships open up for our Assessment and Data business. Bringing SERAP into RM also significantly enhances our ability to deliver important contracts for Department for Children Schools and Families more efficiently and effectively.' Gordon Brown, Head of SERAP, added: 'SERAP has worked closely with Forvus for thirteen years and, since winning the NPD-AAT contract with RM, our relationship has grown closer. Becoming part of Forvus provides an exciting future for the business and its staff. I look forward to working with them to consolidate and grow the business and extend the range of services we offer. We are particularly pleased that we are joining a group which shares our belief that educational data provides a significant tool for the improvement of education.' For further information, please contact: Mike Greig/Phil Hemmings, RM plc 08450 700300 Mark Antelme, Brunswick Group LLP 0207 404 5959 Notes: Founded in 1973, the RM Group is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, colleges & universities, local government, and central government education departments & agencies. RM works closely with educationalists to create new products, processes and technology which improve teaching and learning. RM is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol RM.L. RM acquired Forvus, which provides outsourced data and analysis services, in July 2003. Forvus' customers are primarily public sector organisations and its business comprises substantial, multi-year contracts. Forvus is based in Clapham. SERAP, the Schools Exam Results Analysis Project, was founded by the University of Bath in 1978 to provide specialist educational data processing and reporting services. SERAP provides services to Local Authorities through the NCER (the National Consortium for Exam Results), a consortium comprising all English local authorities as well as Jersey, Guernsey, the Service Children's Authority, Isle of Man and Isles of Scilly. SERAP provides services to RM in the delivery of the National Pupil Database Achievement and Attainment Tables contract for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and has provided data services for the Department for Education in Northern Ireland. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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