About best-schools.co.uk and Education Advisers Ltd
Education Advisers Ltd is an education consultancy which operates seven separate websites concerning private education in the UK. www.best-schools.co.uk is our biggest site, and aims to provide clear information, advice and services to parents and students seeking an independent education in the UK.
We provide a school search engine to help you find a school/college either near to you or in a particular area, plus free eGuides on how to choose the right school. For those parents with specific requirements, we offer a bespoke consultancy service to find the school/college which is a perfect fit for your child. The initial 30 minute phone consultation is always free.
Our Team
As a team of British educationalists, we are proud that the private schools in our country are world-leading institutions. Between us, we have taught, worked and forged friendships both in the UK and beyond, and it is our privilege to work in a sector which welcomes and connects the world’s youth. Our commitment is to ensure that every child, wherever they are from and whatever their academic level, enjoys a life-changing, positive experience in the best-fitting UK private school.
We achieve this goal by offering expert, impartial, and personal advice, putting your child at the centre of the process.
Les Webb FCII – Managing Director
les.webb@educationadvisers.co.uk
Les enjoyed a long and successful career in financial services before founding Education Advisers in 2004. Les offers the team an encyclopaedic history of schools, governors, heads and owners within British private education. He occasionally takes on client cases these days, and mainly deals with our school marketing consultancy, and advising on education-related investments and acquisitions.
Mary Banks-Murayama MA, QTS
Joint Managing Director
After reading German and History at Oxford, Mary spent several years in Japan where she taught English and advised Japanese students on study abroad programmes. She has undertaken projects in Europe and Africa for schools and parents. She joined Education Advisers after spending many years as a teacher and leader of Modern Languages and international programmes at a large grammar school.
Mary oversees the company's strategy and the team's day to day activities. She has visited, and helped children enrol into, a vast range of schools and colleges. Mary holds overall responsibility for our school consultancy and enrolment services.
Mike Fanya MA – Academic Director
mike.fanya@educationadvisers.co.uk
Mike has had extensive experience in senior management roles in both the state and independent sectors. He has been a Chief Examiner with the AQA Examining Board, and a member of the University of Surrey Council. He is a governor of a Surrey prep school and has organised educational conferences and worked closely with universities in promoting Higher Education seminars.
Mike primarily deals with our university advice cases, and also supports our private school applicants with his 40 years + of admissions interview experience.
Heather Clanfield Cert Ed, QTS, NASC
Office Manager
heather.clanfield@educationadvisers.co.uk
Heather is a fully qualified teacher and has taught in both the state and private sectors as well as being a former Director of Admissions at a state boarding school. She has an encyclopaedic knowledge of UK independent schools and many years' experience of helping parents find the right school for their child.
Heather regularly consults families on school choice, whilst managing the company's Finance and Accounts. Heather is also responsible for compiling our annual league tables.
Allison Pettitt
School Placement Consultant
allison@educationadvisers.co.uk
Allison has a wealth of experience in the education sector, as a qualified teacher of English as an Additional Language and Events Manager for major independent school shows.
Having lived overseas, she has first-hand experience of what is involved in relocating a family and searching for schools. Allison works with our families to help students find the best-fitting schools, supporting them throughout the process.
We also work with a small number of carefully selected joint venture partners including website developers, guardians, private tutors and international consultants.
If you wish to discuss your children’s education, you are in very safe hands with any of our expert advisers. We also offer university advice – see www.universityadvice.co.uk
Please phone us to discuss your needs. You are welcome to visit us at our 2 offices in Kent and Surrey
Les Webb
Managing Director
Education Advisers Ltd
New Barn, Home Farm, Wateringbury, Kent ME18 5NN