Moving abroad means managing multiple aspects of your family life, but when you partner with Lionheart Education, we can make changing schools to a new country seamless. Our team of experts has been helping families relocate their child’s education abroad since 1989, so you can guarantee we offer the best international school placement consultancy that is the right fit for your family.
We’ll have an initial meeting with your family either in-person or over the phone to discover where you plan on moving to, what kind of school your child was previously in, what level they are learning at, and what type of school you’d like them to attend.
Having your children settled in a school abroad quickly has the potential to shape the rest of your relocation, knowing that their education is being catered for. We provide school placement advice and support for families relocating overseas to Europe, America, or further afield, as well as expat UK families coming back to the UK, and families planning to move many months in advance.
In addition to school placement consultancy, we can help with entrance preparation, tuition bridging if your move doesn’t align with school terms, temporary homeschooling, and planning examination routes abroad.
We take into consideration everything from their language abilities and interests to personality when deciding on the best international school for them.
Types of international school placements we support
International schools in Europe and America vary greatly, even within the same city, which can make it difficult to know which is the right fit for your child. Having our team by your side to navigate that choice gives your family the best short- and long-term educational outcome. We have extensive knowledge of all school types both here in the UK and abroad, so we will be able to guide you through any school of your choosing.
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British International Schools
British International schools tend to follow the English curriculum through IGCSE and A-Level. We'll always aim to provide continuity for students on a British school route, helping them pick up the curriculum they've already been learning. Our team can explain key aspects of this route, drawing on our knowledge of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and British Schools Overseas (BSO) standards.
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Cambridge International & IB World Schools
Cambridge International schools offer the IB Diploma as an alternative, and we can help students make a clean switch into an IB World School. We draw on our knowledge of International Baccalaureate Organization schools, and can help when comparing British International schools abroad with GCSE and IB options, covering everything they've already learned in terms of subject depth and breadth, as well as current language skills.
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Schools in America
For children moving to America, we can make sure their applications are well-presented, and discuss long-term options such as the American credit system and SAT preparation for further education. Every school we help you choose is guaranteed to be the best fit for your child not only in terms of the curriculum, but also in terms of how likely your child is to thrive there as part of their relocation abroad.
The risks of an unmanaged move
There are lots of potential issues for a family relocating abroad when it comes to their child’s education. Starting a school in another language can leave them feeling confused, or switching curricula means they have large gaps in education. If the educational aspect is not handled properly, your child can lose academic ground and experience setbacks that have a negative impact on their move instead of an orderly transition.
A tailored plan for every family
Our team of expat school consultants can discuss the various options available to you, such as remaining on the British curriculum if they are already partway through their British school, rather than making a full switch to the IB Diploma. We treat every family circumstance as unique, and aim to deliver a tailored service as no two relocations are the same. We’re especially efficient if you have multiple children of different ages and need a cohesive, coordinated plan of action for their schooling abroad.
Relocations we support and our wider services
We can help with moving to Dubai with children, school options available to you when you need a British international school in Singapore with GCSE continuity, or even if you’re repatriating to the UK from a US school.
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Independent school selection in the UK
Our expat school consultants don't just build you a shortlist from a pre-established directory, but instead make sure that your child's new school ticks every box to get them off to the best possible start. We can perform language assessments to make sure that expectations are realistic, take into account SEND needs, the expat community in the local area, and access to extracurricular activities including sport, music, and the performing arts.
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Boarding school advice
We help families weigh up boarding as part of their relocation, matching schools to your child's independence, learning style, and need for continuity — with guidance on pastoral care and extracurricular life while they're away from home.
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Homeschooling while abroad
For families who want to keep learning consistent during a move, we provide homeschooling support wherever you're based, with tutors who understand the challenges of studying outside a traditional classroom overseas.
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IB Homeschooling
We support families continuing an International Baccalaureate education outside the classroom, with specialist tutors covering the Diploma Programme, Theory of Knowledge, and Extended Essay, wherever your relocation takes you.
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Travelling tutors
For families who need consistency while relocating, our travelling tutors provide in-person tuition on the move, keeping your child's education steady no matter how many times you cross borders.
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Exam centre in London
For families moving to London, at our Lionheart School London, we have a fully registered JCQ and Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) exam centre where children can take GCSEs, IGCSEs, and A-Levels if they are not yet in a school but ready to take the examinations
Get in touch
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Frequently asked questions
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What does an international school placement consultant do?
Lionheart international school placement consultants work closely with families relocating to another country primarily to create recommended shortlists. In reality, we can do so much more as part of a comprehensive service, including managing registrations and school assessments remotely, creating an academic calendar, and helping prepare families with visa requirements, language readiness, and first-term education support for settling in.
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What is a British International school?
British International schools abroad aim to provide educational continuity to children moving from the UK who are already familiar with the curriculum. This English style of learning usually leads to GCSEs and A-Levels; however, there are also schools where the IB Diploma can be taken. We will walk you through everything from curriculum fit and language skills to discussing the school leadership and teaching style to see whether it’s the perfect fit for your child.
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Can we keep our child on the same curriculum across moves?
If you want your child to stick with the English National Curriculum and aim towards a GCSE or IGCSE, then this is normally possible in a British International school or bilingual school with British roots. Our education consultants take this into consideration when choosing the right school abroad for your child, and we’ll gather all of the details before we present you with our shortlist.
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Does Lionheart support families moving back to the UK?
Yes, if you’re looking for school placements within the UK, discover our independent school placement service where our experts can provide similar shortlisting and year-group equivalence checks before moving back to the UK. We can help with additional tuition to bring your child up to speed with the curriculum of your chosen school, as well as arrange interim homeschooling or boarding school selection.
