The Good Schools Guide
Consultancy

International School Consultancy

Need an educational consultant and a shortlist of schools best suited to your children's individual needs and your particular circumstances? From New York to Paris, Dubai to Singapore, and many more places in between, our team of international consultants have you covered.
A camel tied up to a school parking sign

Is this right for me?

Are you considering a move to another city or country and need help finding schools for your children? Many of our clients find they don’t know the schools and don’t know how to choose the right school. The International School Consultancy will have the answers you need. One of our educational consultants will get to know your family and will create a report with school suggestions. They will be available to answer any questions you might have at a further meeting.

What's the process?

Your first point of contact with The Good Schools Guide will be with one of our administrators. They'll communicate with you by phone and email to ascertain which is the most appropriate service to meet your needs and to then assign the best consultant given your requirements.

Once payment is received you will have a meeting either by Zoom or in person with your consultant. During the course of this meeting you have the opportunity to ask questions about the educational landscape and different curricula and discuss what options might be available to you.

The consultant will be able to gain an in-depth understanding of your circumstances, your family’s values and the character of your child/ren. You will then receive a report with school suggestions and outlining the admissions process for each school. You will have the opportunity to meet our consultant for a second time any time up to a year after the first meeting.

Please note, this service doesn't provide support or advice during the admissions process.

How long will it take?

The first meeting can usually be arranged at short notice and you will receive a report within a timeframe agreed with your consultant. The second meeting can take place any time up to a year from when you first met the consultant.

What will it cost?

The standard fee for the International School Consultancy is £2500 (including VAT). We can also arrange bespoke services with individual fees depending on your requirements.

Get in touch
“Thank you so much for the detailed report that you sent through. It was great to see that you really understood our son’s issues. Once again, thank you for really grasping the situation.”
December 2022

FAQs

What information will you need from me when I contact you?

Your name and contact details; your child’s name and date of birth; a brief outline of what you need help with; and some thoughts on what matters most to you in terms of their education.

How does the process work?

As soon as you get in touch with us, one of our experienced office team will arrange to speak to you to find out more about your circumstances. They will work to match the right consultant to you and offer you a service. All our services start with a meeting with the consultant, usually via video call, but this can be in person. 

If you decide you would like to become a client of our premier service the consultant will be in touch with you within 24 hours of payment to work out a strategy with you. They will be available to you when you need them until a school place has been secured. 

When is payment taken?

One of our office team will ask for payment when you have agreed a service. Payments for all our services are made in advance of the initial meeting with the consultant. Payment is usually made online but we can also take payments over the phone and we accept bank transfers.

Are education consultants available over the weekend?

All our consultants try to be flexible and we can always fit in with your timetable or take part in virtual meetings or conference calls.

Can I meet with the consultant?

Absolutely. This is usually possible and, depending on where you and the consultant are, we can travel to meet you subject to prior arrangement. Travel costs outside London will only be charged if a consultant needs to travel more than 30 minutes to meet you.

Do the consultants only recommend independent schools?

We review state and independent schools and our consultants can give advice about schools in either sector. If you are only interested in state schools, we have a dedicated state school service.

Do the consultants only recommend schools that are covered in The Good Schools Guide?

No, although we do find that these are generally the ones people want. However, in some areas of the country or to meet specific requirements, we may well recommend you consider schools that are not – or not yet – in The Guide.

I want to buy/rent a house according to where good schools are - can you help?

Absolutely. This is a very common request and we’re always happy to help.

What geographical areas do your consultants cover?

We have knowledgeable consultants all over the country (and internationally as part of The Good Schools Guide International) and we can advise you on schools everywhere. Our consultants can draw on the knowledge of the whole UK team as well as on the unique bank of data and other information amassed by The Good Schools Guide.

Can The Good Schools Guide use its influence to get my child a place at a school?

Schools are sometimes happy to talk to us when parents have had a curt refusal and we are adept at negotiating a last minute assessment or interview. But although we can open doors, we can never guarantee securing a place for a child at a particular school. And neither – whatever they may say – can anyone else!

Does The Good Schools Guide take commission from schools it recommends?

No, and this is what makes us different from agents who have individual financial arrangements with schools. Our advice is entirely independent and based only on what you tell us you want for your children.

Does the consultant check whether my shortlisted schools actually have places available?

Yes, if you are one of our Premier clients. Find out more about this service here.

What if I am not happy with the schools my consultant recommends?

This has scarcely ever happened but, if you are not happy, please tell us. We take immense pride in delivering what our clients want and our many thousands of happy clients are testament to this. However, we are always honest with our clients. If you are fixed on only one school or a few schools which the consultant knows will not find places for you, or if the consultant is concerned about whether your child will thrive in a particular school s/he will tell you. 

Can the consultant assess my child?

Assessments are available to all our clients. It is a useful diagnostic tool for you and for us to help decide which schools to suggest or whether additional support will be needed. Tell our administrator if you want to find out more.

Can I speak to someone about a particular school?

We will always try to match you with a consultant who personally knows a particular school in which you are interested. If it is a school in The Good Schools Guide this should always be possible.

Is what I tell my consultant confidential?

None of our consultants will ever disclose confidential matters unless there is a clear risk of harm to you or to a child in which case they are obliged to discuss breaking confidentiality with you.

Do you offer group information talks to parents?

Yes, our experts regularly present to parents within workplaces, schools, social clubs and societies, PTAs, groups of local friends or even online chat groups. We are told it’s just the ticket to demystifying the confusing aspects of the UK education scene. And we just love a Q&A session. Email us to find out more.