Standard Advice Service

What is it?

Most clients need help in finding the best schools for their children. It may be that you are expecting your first child, that you are unfamiliar with UK education, that you are moving home, that you have a child with a particular aptitude or a special educational need – whatever your requirements and preferences, we can help and support you in your search for the best possible schools. All our advisors have visited many – in some cases, hundreds - of schools, spent years consulting with parents, teachers and pupils and will be eminently qualified to advise and guide you in whatever way you need. 

Looking after the individual child

However, you may need help for any number of different reasons. Perhaps your child is being bullied and you want to move him fast. Or you want support in tackling his school. Perhaps your child is simply not getting taught well enough? Perhaps you could move anywhere and don’t know where to start looking – the quality of local schools being the key factor? Perhaps you have one child settled at school but the other needs something very different? The Good Schools GuideStandard Service is whatever parents need it to be.

How does it work?

Our administrator takes your initial enquiry – whether by email or telephone. She then matches you with the most appropriate advisor from our team so you can have an initial conversation to discuss your needs. At this point she takes your credit card details but no money is taken until you and your advisor have agreed that the consultancy should go ahead. 

You and your advisor make contact – usually by phone or Skype but, occasionally - especially if there is a big time difference – by email. You tell your advisor exactly what it is you need, you ask any questions you like and she will tell you how she can help. Once you have agreed that the consultancy will go ahead, your advisor will inform the administrator who will alert you that the fee will be deducted from your credit card. She will send you a confirmation of exactly what you have agreed to. 

You may like to meet your advisor face to face and this can usually be arranged. Your advisor will set to work for you, will keep you informed of progress and will respond to any further thoughts or questions you may have. If you have asked for guidance on possible schools, she will let you have the results of her research and you may ask any questions you like until you have the place you seek.

How much does it cost?

The fee for The Good Schools GuideStandard Service is £545. This covers approximately 6 hours of one-to-one consultation and individualised research and all the resources, data, in-house knowledge etc exclusive to The Good Schools Guide and its team.

The service is usually per family not per child. However, clearly, if all three children in a family are destined for the same school, there is far less work for an advisor than if three separate schools are required. In cases where two or more schools are sought, the advisor may well exceed the six hours allowed for the Standard Service. In such cases, she will inform the client and ask whether the client wishes her to continue the work. Additional research and consultation is charged at £120 per hour. 
NB The majority of Standard Service clients pay the standard fee and no more.  

Occasionally, it becomes apparent that a great deal of work will be required to meet the client’s needs. This can happen if family circumstances change, if there is a sudden urgent need, if a child is diagnosed with a special need or for any number of other reasons. Sometimes, clients decide they need their advisor to accompany them on school visits. In such cases, clients sometimes choose to upgrade to The Good Schools Guide Premier Service. 

The Premier Service fee is £1,500. The Standard Service fee is then deducted from the Standard Service making a balance of £955. 

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FAQs to commonly asked questions