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Education in the UK

Paths to Learning was established as an EDUCATION CONSULTANCY, by Felicity Gunn, in 2018. ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE WAS TO SUPPORT PARENTS IN FINDING THE BEST EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN IN THE UK.

Parents may have been:

  • British and returning home after working abroad, or
  • international and seeking a boarding school in the UK or
  • looking for a Special School for a child with Learning Needs.
Felicity placed a significant number of children successfully, in a wide range of schools, both maintained and independent.

UNDERSTANDING CULTURES emerged as a key theme for:

  • advising schools in the UK receiving children from other countries, and
  • parents and their children who were coming to the UK.
To that end she ran a Virtual Summit entitled KNOWING CULTURE FOR BETTER EDUCATION 2020 at which 20 eminent speakers including head teachers, school managers, pastoral leaders and cultural consultants, contributed insights in how to manage the complexities and nuances of cross-cultural relations, thereby ensuring a fruitful educational experience for children unfamiliar with “the way we do things here.” All talks have been transcribed and are still available at no cost.

As Covid 19 sped around the globe it was clear that few parents would be moving, or wanting their children to travel to the UK, for their education. Then early in 2021, Felicity married and moved to Derbyshire. While the consultancy company no longer exists, FELICITY OFFERS EDUCATION CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO PARENTS and can be contacted through this email address: felicity@newhorizons21.com

or postal address:
Felicity Hough, Education Consultant trading as Paths to Learning Curzon House Curzon Street Burton-on Trent DE14 2DH
Felicity Gunn

Virtual Summits

Knowing culture for better education!

Three days of informative talks from experienced School Leaders and those who have lived and worked abroad, for Headteachers and School Leaders, whether in curriculum matters or personal care or marketing to ensure children are succesful in their education in the UK.
Get in touch to discuss your child's future in learning

Who we can help

We have a wealth of knowledge and experience, putting us in a position to assist people who:

1) 
want their children to learn in the UK
2) 
have children with learning disabilities
3) 
has a child who's education has been interrupted
4) 
is planning on moving to UK and need help finding schools for their children, near where they will be living and working.
  • "A heart-warming, caring, selfless lady, who always puts her heart and soul into helping her students do the best they can, filling them with confidence."
    Past Student
  • "Approaches every task with clear, logical and consistent reasoning that has proven to be incredibly effective and beneficial to all who seek her advice."
    TEACHER - RELIGIOUS STUDIES
  • "Compassionate, caring and sincere, she shows great concern for students and is deeply committed and dedicated in her work."
    TEACHER - FRENCH AND SPANISH
  • "With a deep knowledge of, and interest in, belief, ideas and culture, she helps students to become challenged, stretched and inquisitive, willing to think independently as they mature."
    TEACHER - HEAD OF HISTORY

Let Felicity Help You

Have you spent a great deal of time going through each school website and visiting each school?
"Of course, they all look so attractive! Paths to Learning has toured the schools and met the Head Teachers and Admissions Teams at each one. So we can answer specific questions that you may have."
Have you started with the big-name schools, not realising there are others which may suit your child better?
"We look where you may not have thought of looking and we can exclude those schools that we know do not match your child’s needs, or do not have a space when you need it."
Has it been stressful not finding the information you need on a school’s website?
Paths to Learning may have the information already or can get it for you, easily.
Has it been worrying to see the deadlines that the schools specify, or the complex admissions requirements?
Paths to Learning can help you meet the deadlines and admissions requirements directly and quickly. If deadlines have passed, we may be able to work with the schools on your behalf; and can provide an interim plan for your child’s learning.
What if you have to move the family to UK mid-year and your child is not able to join your school of choice?
We can provide an interim plan for your child’s learning.
Do you worry about your child coming from abroad settling in?
We provide appropriate cultural-orientation and tutoring in English if needed, to ensure your child is ready to join his or her new school and settles in quickly.
Do you worry about how to support your child when he or she has a learning need or their learning has been interrupted by illness, or accident?
We can find specialist tutors and devise a plan to support what your child’s school and advisers recommend.

Testimonials

Jeffrey and Ashlee Thomas, parents from Canada

Our experience with Felicity was exceptional. The assessment done by the team of consultants was thorough and engaging. It gave language to what we already knew of our children and also pointed towards key areas of future learning. We have been deeply impressed with Felicity’s care and attention to the individual needs of our children and her ability to build connections and make paths for their futures. 

Bill James, expatriate parent returning to UK

My daughter, 10, was at an international school, in Europe. I was made redundant and, as a widower, decided it was a good time to move back to the UK. I was given one day off to fly back and visit possible schools, though without her. It was very difficult to find a school that I thought would suit her. I wish Felicity’s consultancy had existed then as I would have asked her to do the Research, the Assessment and had time to consider her Report and Recommendations for the schools. 

James Shaw, Surveyor and Relocation Consultant.

Discussing with Felicity the needs of a family who was moving to UK, from India, I was very impressed by the holistic approach that was taken. The parents had sought advice about one child, but she considered the other two older children and the best place to live, as a family. 

Eduardo Delgado, Senior Petrophysicist, whose children were placed in state schools.

We’re a family that has been through several international relocations, due to the nature of my work, and this latest one, being sent for a work in Central London, was particularly complicated, since it happened at the end of the year, I was not getting expat benefits, and we have two children in school age (8 and 13 yrs old), who were attending an American School in the Middle East.  The English school system can be a little complicated to understand. Finding places in the best schools, or even knowing what “best school” means to each particular child, is not an easy task. As parents we all want our children go to a school that “ticks many boxes”: a good school, with high ratings, fits our children’s development needs, and in a good location. It is not an exaggeration to say that this is a titanic (if not impossible) task, if you try to do it yourself, with so little knowledge.   Getting the help of somebody who’s knowledgeable, genuinely understanding and helpful was the best decision we made, during this very stressful time. This is exactly what we got from Felicity, and cannot be more grateful to her, and to the friends that recommended her consultancy. 

All photographs are used with permission, and thanks, to Dean Close School, Cheltenham College, Tudor Hall School, Kingham Hill School, St Clare's College, Oxford and The Manor Hotel, Weston on the Green
Paths to Learning is the trading name of Felicity Hough, Education Consultant, of Curzon House Curzon Street Burton-on Trent DE14 2DH