Education consultants for UK school choices
Do you need help choosing a school in the UK?
Our education consultants have worked with families for more than 20 years to help them navigate the complexities of the UK school system, from competitive private and grammar school admissions to identifying the right catchment for top performing state schools.
We give parents expert, independent guidance to help them understand their options, make confident decisions and ecure places in schools where their children will flourish.
Get in touch
All our services start with a personal call or meeting. Why not give Shari, our senior administrator, or one of her experienced team a call to discuss your circumstances and explore next steps.
How we can help
- Understanding the UK education system
- Advising on how to choose a school in the UK
- Choosing between state, grammar or private
- Understanding admissions at all entry points
- Moving into a school within the UK from overseas
- Identifying the right curriculum and pathway
- Liaising with UK schools on your behalf
- Helping you understand which school is the best fit
- Supporting your family at every educational stage
Who are our education consultants?
Our education consultants, all parents themselves, are specialists in the UK school system with extensive experience of advising families on all aspects of UK schools and the education system.
Families come to us for clear, impartial UK school advice and support with navigating complex decisions around education and school choices.
Whether deciding between state, grammar or private schools, moving between the state and private sector, or understanding how the education system works, our consultants provide practical guidance based on decades of experience.
We focus on helping families find schools where their children will thrive academically, socially and emotionally, considering each child’s needs, personality and long-term goals.
We provide:
Totally unbiased, independent advice — we don’t receive any payment or commission from schools
Deep expertise across all types of UK schools including boarding schools, state, private and grammar schools
Advice focused on long-term outcomes as well as urgent school placements
Discreet, family-focused consultancy
How an education consultant can help
Working with an education consultant gives parents the clarity and confidence that comes from objective expert judgment, helping them make the right school decisions. Instead of navigating the UK school system alone, you benefit from expert insight into individual schools, a deep understanding of the educational landscape, and guidance on admissions processes, timelines and deadlines, as well as advice on which school is likely to suit your child’s individual profile. Many families work with us all the way through their children’s educational journey, before they start nursery to planning pathways to university and beyond.
We help families understand their options, avoid mistakes, and make informed choices about their child’s education.
Would you like to find out more?
Our experienced team is on hand to discuss your circumstances and to explore the next steps.
How we support families
We tailor each service depending on which stage you have reached in the process, but typically we will:
Arrange an initial consultation to understand your child, your priorities and your options, as well as give insight into the changing educational landscape
Explain how the UK school system works and timeframes
Compile a shortlist of schools, which might include private, boarding, state or grammar schools depending on your circumstances
Advise and support with admissions processes, assessments, timelines, key entry points and interview practice
Advise on the individual ethos and culture of schools, their suitability for your child, feasibility of securing a place and long-term educational pathways
Provide ongoing support and advice, often through the educational stages of each of your children. We liaise with schools and can help with applications and key decisions. We work with you, however long it takes, until you have secured a school place for your child.
Families frequently come to us because they need objective, expert advice about which school would be the best fit for their children. Although they may feel they know all the possible schools in their area they might not be sure which of these would work for their child and they are anxious that they might have overlooked other schools. We take time to understand the family, their circumstances, what they value in a school and the characters and interests of each of their children. Helping parents find a school where their child will thrive is our ultimate goal.Grace Moody Stuart, Consultancy Director
Some of our team
Grace Moody-Stuart
Consultancy director
Grace is director of The Good Schools Guide Education Consultants and has worked for The Guide for 20 years.
Selina Boyd
International editor
Selina has been with The Good Schools Guide since 2020 as international editor and is an experienced education consultant.
Charlotte Phillips
SEND consultancy manager
Before joining The Good Schools Guide, specialising in SEND, Charlotte wrote about education and family life for The Telegraph, Times and Guardian and more.
FAQs
Who are The Good Schools Guide education consultants?
Our education consultants are selected from our most experienced school reviewers. All are parents. Most have a professional background in education and/or a great range of educational experience. You can see all our consultants by clicking on this link.
What information will you need from me when I contact you?
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?
Can I meet with the consultant?
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?
What geographical areas do your consultants cover?
Can The Good Schools Guide use its influence to get my child a place at a school?
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?
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.