Why use an educational consultant?

With hundreds of British boarding schools to choose from, finding the right one can seem daunting or even overwhelming, especially for overseas families. An educational consultant can help navigate the often complex school application and admissions process, and guide families through their decision-making, from preliminary shortlisting to the all-important final choice.

A consultant can help families to narrow down the school search, then assist by matching the child with the right schools. Finding the right British boarding school takes so much more than trawling through school websites, league tables, exam results and endless information on facilities and activities – it is about finding that crucial match in personality between the child and the school. It simply has to “click” for a child to thrive and achieve their true potential. 

A good consultant will be a good listener. They will know the right questions to ask to build up an accurate picture of a child’s academic background, ability and potential, their level of English, individual interests, passions and hobbies, personal aspirations and concerns, any learning support needs and, above all, their personality. Only once the consultant has been able to gain an accurate understanding of the child and what is driving the UK boarding school search will they be able to embark on the process of advising on suitable schools.

A reputable consultant will have valuable, first-hand knowledge and experience of the UK education system, choice of various curricula and subjects, and the different entrance requirements of the individual schools in terms of application deadlines, testing and interview requirements. They will have personally visited the schools they represent, and will have met staff and students. The consultant will have a clear understanding of what the UK schools are looking for in their prospective pupils, and will be able to refer the child in a concise, accurate and favourable way, often leading to a more timely response from the schools to the initial introduction. A solid relationship between a consultant and the schools leads to an efficient and effective service for the family, helping to quickly finalise arrangements for them, and respond to any queries and concerns without delay. A consultant can help with further shortlisting and arranging visits to a number of schools, sometimes incorporating the admissions interviews and even testing during the visits. All the above is, of course, particularly valuable if English is not the family’s first language.

Throughout the process, a consultant will be able to help with ongoing questions about school contracts, terms and conditions, joining instructions and any UK visa requirements. Then, once the child has started at their new school in the UK, parents should feel able to approach the consultant with any questions or concerns they might have, and should want to share how their child is getting on. Thankfully, many of the families we have helped over the years have stayed in touch – a small selection of feedback we have received can be viewed here.

Now you know why to use an educational consultant, contact us to start the process and let us help you find the right British boarding school for your child.