Consultancy with Lionheart

Independent School Selection Consultants

Our school selection consultancy maps all of the best options available in your area, fully tailored to your child’s age, personality, ambitions, and academic record. We can create a bespoke shortlist of researched independent schools, providing the details you need to make an informed decision. We take care of everything on your behalf and can project-manage the school selection through to their first day.

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Independent school selection in London and the UK

Choosing an independent school can be a hard decision for families, with so many excellent private schools in London and the wider UK. We don’t focus on creating a list of the best-known names in your local borough, but we aim to understand your child and family circumstances so we can offer suggestions for placements that will allow them to thrive.

We seek to learn about your child’s learning style, confidence levels, interests, academic progress so far, and much more to create a shortlist of schools that make sense on multiple levels. If you’re moving to London for schooling, the independent sector can be overwhelming with so many different types of schools, varying school fees, and school culture.

Our private school consultants explain everything to parents and their children clearly so they gain an understanding of the bigger picture of independent schooling quickly so they can make a decision that’s right for everyone.

Our team of independent school consultants can work with your family in a range of situations, from swapping schools after disappointing results, to a deferred 11+ offer, or whether it’s best to place multiple siblings in the same school together.

The shortlist we create for parents is realistic and balanced, with a view to the child’s long-term education and how they will develop in the school. We’ve been advising families on independent school choices for over 35 years, and we can offer extra tuition for entrance preparation and support with transitions where required.

How Lionheart independent school consultancy works

Discovery

We like to start each school selection consultancy with a detailed conversation about your family circumstances, reasons for choosing a new school, academic profile of your child or children, the general area you’re looking for and commuting commitments.
Shortlisting

Our team of private school consultants has an excellent grasp of the private education sector in London and the wider UK, enabling them to create a tailored, curated list that fits your family perfectly. This includes realistic options, aspirational schools, and safe options too.
Creating an application calendar

Every independent school has different requirements, from registration and references to interviews and entrance tests. When you are applying to multiple schools, we take the stress out of the application calendar and manage everything on your behalf.
School preparation

Many private schools in England require assessments as part of the entry route, and our consultants work alongside your family with private tuition help if needed, 11+ revision courses, as well as essentials like writing control, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and mathematical fluency.
Accepting offers

Offers can take some time to come back, but when they do, we are here for your family to discuss offers, waiting lists, and deferrals, so they can take the most effective next steps. We will walk through the chosen schools with the parents and children and give you everything you need to make the best final decision.

We’re here for school selection at every entry point

After 35 years of helping families achieve independent school entry, we’re well aware that each family’s needs are different, and every private school has its own requirements. We’re here for you whatever stage of the journey you’re at, whether it’s a Reception placement with a view to long-term education at the same school, or an independent school in London that will help your child achieve their potential at GCSE and A-Level.

4+ Entry

When it comes to 4+ entry, we can help parents decide on the best school in their area based on numerous factors, not just on the educational readiness of the child. We can take into consideration the school your other children attend and discuss how this impacts pickup and drop-off times, school culture, as well as discounted fees at some of the best schools.
7+ Entry

In the junior school age range, we can look at the best 7+ schools in London that work not only towards your child’s academic potential, but their social skills too and general outlook on life.
11+ Entry

Our independent school consultants for 11+ schools can source the best schools locally, and help them with everything from interview technique to exam preparation and ISEB Pre-Tests.
13+ Entry (Common Entrance)

Common Entrance consultancy for private schools at 13+ is one of our most requested services, as it often forms the pathway for scholarship for the 5 years leading up to GCSE.
16+ Entry (Sixth Form)

We can even help to find the best 16+ independent schools for examinations with our Sixth Form admissions consultants.

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London independent schools and boarding options

Types of school, and where to find trusted guidance

The landscape of London independent schools is varied, and the Lionheart school selection team can help you navigate and give families the bigger picture. We have extensive knowledge of the independent school sector, and many of our school consultants have children in local private schools or have worked within the sector before. This gives us an insider view on the various types of schooling available to families in London, including single-sex education, combined lower and upper prep schools, day schools, boarding schools, and even SEN schools in the area. The best independent schools in London offer something different to your child, and a much higher quality of education than the surrounding state schools, so we look at additional factors such as whether the school is right for your child rather than purely academic aims. Our team can help point you to helpful resources when making your decision, such as the Independent Schools Council (ISC), HMC, GSA and IAPS, all of which can help parents make the best informed choices.

Boarding school support

Boarding is a route often taken by families to solve issues with distance and educational continuity, but it must always fit the child’s independence, learning style, and behaviour for other adults and educators. Our boarding school advice can help parents located internationally, as well as British parents who want to know more about the wider selection process, including extracurricular activities and pastoral care arrangements when their child is away from home.

Candid school recommendations from the experts

When you choose to partner with Lionheart Education for independent school selection, we will always approach every situation with honesty to give your family the best advice.

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When a school isn’t realistic

If a target school you’ll like your child to attend is unrealistic for whatever reason, we’ll point out the challenges.

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When there’s a better fit

Alternatively, if a less obvious school choice in your district is a better match for your family schedule and child’s development, we’ll explain why in detail.

When more time helps

For children who need more time before sitting assessment tests for a school, we’ll always recommend more preparation rather than creating a weak application that results in disappointment.

Get in touch

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Frequently asked questions

What does an independent school consultant do?

Lionheart Education’s independent school consultants come alongside a family, find out exactly what they are looking for, and from that information create a curated shortlist of schools in the area. We also handle registrations, preparation for assessment, interview coaching, and the finer details such as exam dates. Shortlisting with Lionheart is not just a list of the best schools, it’s intuitive judgement calls at multiple levels to deliver the best for your child.
When should we start working with a school consultant for selection?

As soon as you know that you want to change schools, or are considering a move to a new area, our team can get things moving straight away. However, as school selection and applications, as well as test preparations, can take time, we can create a realistic timetable for you. 11+ and 13+ entry can take around 12 months as schools set their entrance examinations ahead of time, but we can also help with last-minute school placements.
Which independent school entry points do you cover?

Lionheart Education advises parents across all age ranges, and we have knowledge of teh education sector from Nursery to Sixth Form and beyond. This includes school selection advice across 4+ Reception, 7+ Year 3, 8+ Year 4, 11+ Year 7, 13+ Year 9 and 16+ Lower Sixth entry. As each of the stages has different assessments and entrance timelines, we’ll help you consider your best options.
Can you help after a deferred offer or waitlist result?

Deferred offers, waiting lists, and near-miss entrance exam results are not ideal for families trying to seek placement as quickly as possible, but the Lionheart team is here with honest, professional advice whatever stage you’re at. We can review your original school lists, assess whether more preparation is needed, or identify viable alternative education routes that are best matched to your shortlist.
Can you help if my child has SEND or learning differences?

Our school selection team takes into account any special educational needs of a child and works hard to find a school that is the perfect fit for them. Many independent schools enrol children with SEND and give special provisions, including high levels of pastoral support. We can coordinate with other parts of the Lionheart team in these cases, such as our SEND consultancy, so the shortlist reflects more than just assessment scores.