USEFUL ADDRESSES
Contact details for a selection of organisations that will be able to provide you with further information about boarding schools and studying in the UK.
General information
The Independent Schools Council information & advice service
(ISC)
St Vincent House, 30 Orange Street, London WC2H 7HH
National information Line: 0845 SCHOOLS (7246657)
Fax: +44 (0)20 7766 7071
Email: information@isc.co.uk
Web: www.isc.co.uk
ISCis’ Regional Offices:
Robin Barlow
Regional Advisor - Central
5 Barby Road
Rugby
Warwickshire
CV22 5DT
Email: robin.barlow@isc.co.uk
Rowland Constantine
Regional Advisor – South East
Beaconside
Brittains Lane
Sevenoaks
TN13 2PA
Email: rowland.constantine@isc.co.uk
Mark Filler
Regional Advisor - East
Pipanbrig
Shortgrove Lane
Hopton
Diss
Norfolk
IP2 22RP
Email: mark.filler@isc.co.uk
Morwenna Ford
Regional Advisor – South & West
Woodpeckers
Green Lane
Queen Camel
Yeovil
Somerset
BA22 7NP
Email: morwenna.ford@isc.co.uk
Rachel Hicks
Regional Advisor - North
33 St Olave’s Road
York
YO30 7AL
Email: rachel.hicks@isc.co.uk
Hetty Palmer
Regional Advisor - London
ISCias
St Vincent House
30 Orange Street
London
WC2H 7HH
Email: hetty.palmer@isc.co.uk
Other useful contacts: -
ISCis Ireland
5 Sandycove Avenue East
Sandycove
County Dublin
Republic of Ireland
Tel: 00 353 1280 9545
Email: palmercarter@eircom.net
Regional Director: Palmer Carter
Welsh Independent Schools Council (WISC)
Hazelhurst
Ledbury Road
Dymock
Gloucestershire
GL18 2AG
Tel/fax: 01531 890150
Email: ibrwn6@aol.com
Web: www.isc.co.uk/ParentZone_RegionalAdviceinWales.htm
Regional Director: Ian Brown
Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS)
21 Melville Street
Edinburgh
EH3 7PE
Tel: 0131 220 2106
Fax: 0131 225 8594
Email: information@scis.org.uk
Web: www.scis.org.uk
Director: Judith Sischy
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
Sanctuary Buildings,
Great Smith Street,
London SW1P 3BT
Tel: 0870 000 2288
Textphone/Minicom 01928 794274
Fax. 01928 794248
E-mail: info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Web: www.dcfs.gov.uk
or www.dfes.gov.uk
The Independent Schools Careers Organisation (ISCO)
Head Office, 12A Princess Way, Camberley,
Surrey GU15 3SP
Tel: +44 (0)1276 21188 Fax: +44 (0)1276 691833
E-mail: info@isco.org.uk
Web: www.isco.org.uk
Provides information and advice on careers and higher education choices
for pupils in ISCO member schools.
The Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB)
Jordan House, Christchurch Road, New Milton,
Hampshire BH25 6QJ
Tel: +44 (0)1425 621111 Fax: +44 (0)1425 620044
E-mail: ce@iseb.co.uk
Web: www.iseb.co.uk
Administers exams for pupils transferring to independent senior schools
(at ages 11–13+).
The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)
CAP House, 9-12 Long Lane,
London EC19 9HA
Tel: +44 (0)20 7600 0100 Fax: +44 (0)20 7776 8849
E-mail: info@isinspect.org.uk
Web: www.isinspect.org.uk
ISI ensures high standards among ISC member schools by carrying out
inspections every six years.
The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)
Peterson House, Malthouse Avenue, Cardiff Gate,
Cardiff,Wales CF23 8GL
Tel: +44 (0)29 2054 7777 Fax: +44 (0)29 2054 7778
E-mail: ibca@ibo.org
Web: www.ibo.org
The IBO administers the International Baccalaureate in schools in
over 100 countries around the world.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
Rosehill, New Barn Lane, Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire GL52 3LZ
Tel: +44 (0)870 112 2211 (applications) or +44
(0)1242 222444 (enquiries) Fax: +44 (0)1242 544960
E-mail: enq@ucas.ac.uk
Web: www.ucas.ac.uk
UCAS receives and processes applications for undergraduate admission
to UK universities and university-sector colleges.
Information for overseas parents and boarders
The Association for the Education and Guardianship of International
Students (AEGIS)
Mrs Janet Bowman, AEGIS Secretary, 66 Humphreys Close,
Randwick,
Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 5NY
Tel/fax: +44 (0)1453 755160
E-mail: secretary@aegisuk.net
Web: www.aegisuk.net
The British Council
The British Council, Bridgewater House, 58 Whitworth Street,
Manchester M1 6BB (tel: +44 (0)161 957 7755;
fax: +44 (0)161 957 7162; minicom: +44 (0)161 957 7183;
e-mail: general.enquiries@britishcouncil.org
Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS)
CEAS, Upavon, Pewsey,Wiltshire SN9 6BE
Tel: +44 (0)1980 618244
Fax: +44 (0)1980 618245
E-mail: enquiries.ceas@gtnet.gov.uk
The helpline is staffed 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.30am
to 4.30pm on Fridays. An answer-phone is available at all other times.
The National Academic Recognition Information Centre (UK NARIC)
Oriel House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire GL50 1XP
Tel: +44 (0)870 990 4088 Fax: +44 (0)1242 258611
E-mail: naric@ecctis.co.uk
Web: www.naric.org.uk
Provides advice on overseas qualifications accepted by UK institutions.
Queries should be sent in writing.
UKCOSA: The Council for International Education
9–17 St Albans Place, London N1 0NX
Tel: +44 (0)20 7288 4330 Fax: +44 (0)20 7288 4360
E-mail: enquiries@ukcosa.org.uk
Web: www.ukcosa.org.uk
UKCOSA looks after the needs and interests of international students.
Offers free information and advice to international students already in
the UK and to prospective international students around the world.
Special needs information
The British Dyslexia Association (BDA)
98 London Road, Reading RG1 5AU
Tel: +44 (0)118 966 2677 Fax: +44 (0)118 935 1927
E-mail: helpline@bdadyslexia.org.uk
Web: www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
Offers information and help to families, professionals and dyslexic
individuals.
Dyslexia Institute (DI)
Park House,Wick Road, Egham, Surrey TW20 0HH
Tel: +44 (0)1784 222300 Fax: +44 (0)1784 222333
E-mail: info@dyslexia-inst.org.uk
Web: www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk
Carries out assessments of children and adults who may be dyslexic,
provides tuition, trains specialist teachers,develops teaching materials
and conducts research.
Skill: The National Bureau for Students with Disabilities
Chapter House, 18–20 Crucifix Lane, London SE1 3JW
Tel/minicom: +44 (0)20 7450 0620 Fax: +44 (0)20 7450 0650
E-mail: info@skill.org.uk
Web: www.skill.org.uk
Promotes opportunities for people with any kind of disability in post-16
education,tr aining and employment in the UK.
Specialist schools information
The Choir Schools’ Association (CSA)
The Choir Schools’ Association,
Mrs Susan Rees, Wolvesey, College Street,
Winchester, Hampshire SP23 9ND
Tel: 01962 890530 Fax: 01962 869978
E-mail: admin@choirschools.org.uk
Web: www.choirschools.org.uk
An association of UK boarding and day schools attached to cathedrals,c
hurches and college chapels.
Music and Dance Scheme
Web: www.dfes.gov.uk/mds
Five music schools and four performing arts schools participate in
the UK Government’s Music and Dance Scheme, which provides funding for
exceptionally talented children to study at these schools.
Religious schools information
Church of England
The Woodard Corporation, High Street,
Abbots Bromley, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 3BW,
Tel: 01283 840120 Fax: 01283 840893
E-mail: jillshorthose@woodard.co.uk
Web: www.woodard.co.uk
A corporation of 45 Church of England schools in England and Wales.
Methodist
The Board of Management for Methodist Residential
Schools, 25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR
Tel: +44 (0)20 7935 3723 Fax: +44 (0)20 7224 0702
E-mail: grussell@methodisteducation.co.uk
Web: www.methodisteducation.co.uk
An umbrella organisation for the 14 independent Methodist schools
in the UK.
The Catholic Independent Schools’ Conference
General Secretary, 10 Shrewsbury Road, Prenton,
Merseyside CH43 1UX
Tel: 0151 652 4326 Fax: 0151 652 5351
E-mail: p-sweeney@btconnect.com
Web: www.CatholicIndependentSchools.org
Quakers
Friends House, 173–177 Euston Road
London NW1 2BJ
Tel: +44 (0)20 7663 1000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7663 1001
Web: www.quakerschools.org.uk
The website provides information about independent Quaker schools
in the UK.
Additional: ISC Associations
The Council provides a single, unified organisation that speaks and acts
on behalf of the associations of governing bodies, heads and bursars by
which it was constituted (listed below). ISC promotes member schools’
common interests at the political level by making representations to government
ministers, politicians of all parties, civil servants and the media. It
also has overall responsibility for the Independent Schools Inspectorate,
which ensures high standards among ISC schools; teacher recruitment campaigns;
the ISC teacher induction panel, which enables several hundred newly-qualified
teachers in ISC schools each year to obtain Qualified Teacher Status,
and other matters. The seven constituent associations of ISC are:
Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools (AGBIS)
AGBIS represents the interests of the governing bodies of schools whose
heads belong to GSA, HMC and SHMIS (and some belonging to IAPS & ISA).
Contact: Shane Rutter-Jerome, Secretary, AGBIS, Field House,
Newton Tony, Salisbury SP4 0HF.
Tel: 01980 629830, Fax: 01980 629774
Email: sec@agbis.org.uk
Website: www.agbis.org.uk
Girls’ Schools Association (GSA)
GSA is the main association to which heads of girls senior independent
schools belong
Contact: Sheila Cooper, Secretary, GSA, 130 Regent Road, Leicester
LE1 7PG
Tel: 0116 2541619 Fax: 0116 255 3792
Email: office@gsa.uk.com
Web: www.gsa.uk.com
Headmasters’ & Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC)
Represents the heads of over 240 boys’ and co-educational
independent senior schools
Contact: Geoff Lucas, Secretary, HMC, 12 The Point, Rockingham
Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7QU
Tel: 01858 465260,
Fax: 01858 465759
Email: hmc@hmc.org.uk
Web: www.hmc.org.uk
Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS)
Represents the heads of more than 570 boys’, girls’
and mixed preparatory schools for children aged usually from 2
to 13
Contact: John Morris, Secretary, IAPS, 11 Waterloo Place, Leamington
Spa CV32 5LA
Tel: 01926 887833 Fax: 01926 888014
Email: hq@iaps.org.uk
Web: www.iaps.org.uk
Independent Schools Association (ISA)
Members include heads of some 300 preparatory, senior and schools
for children of all ages
Contact: Tim Ham, Secretary, ISA, Boys’ British School,
East Street, Saffron Walden CB10 1LS
Tel: 01799 523619 Fax 01799 524892
Email: isa@isaschools.org.uk
Web: www.isaschools.org.uk
Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA)
Represents the bursars of over 800 senior and junior schools
Contact: Jonathan Cook, General Secretary, ISBA, Unit 11–12
Manor
Farm, Cliddesden, Basingstoke RG25 2JB
Tel: 01256 330369 Fax 01256 330376
Email: office@theisba.org.uk
Web: www.theisba.org.uk
Society of Headmasters & Headmistresses of Independent
Schools (SHMIS)
Represents the heads of independent schools of all sizes, many
of which have a long tradition of boarding
Contact: David Richardson, SHMIS, 12 The Point, Rockingham Road,
Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7QU
Tel: 01858 433760 Fax: 01858 461413
Email: gensec@shmis.org.uk
Web: www.shmis.org.uk
ISC has three affiliated associations:
Boarding Schools Association (BSA)
The BSA is the UK association promoting and serving boarding education
in both the independent and maintained sectors
Contact: Hilary Moriarty, National Director, Grosvenor Gardens
House, 35–37 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0BS
Tel : +44 (0) 20 7798 1580 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7798 1581
Email: bsa@boarding.org.uk
Web: www.boarding.org.uk
Council of British International Schools in the European Community
(COBISEC)
COBISEC represents 35 British-curriculum schools in Europe and
28 Affiliates elsewhere in the world
Contact: Albert Hudspeth, General Secretary, 14 Fernham Road,
Faringdon, Oxon SN7 7JY
Tel/Fax: +44 (0) 1367 242655
Email: general.secretary@cobisec.org
Web: www.cobisec.org
Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS)
SCIS promotes and supports the significant contribution made to
Scottish education by independent schools
Contact: Judith Sischy, Director, 21 Melville Street, Edinburgh
EH3 7PE
Tel: +44 (0) 131 220 2106
Fax: +44 (0) 131 225 8594
Email: information@scis.org.uk
Web: www.scis.org.uk