Education Consultancy

Keystone is one of the UK’s leading educational consultancies. Our consultants provide families and individuals with specialist advice relating to UK Independent Schools and elite UK universities. We help students get into the best position to reach their academic goals, whilst building long-term academic resilience and life-long intellectual curiosity.

Keystone has a comprehensive knowledge of the British private school system as well as top UK universities, and can advise families on all of their educational options. Keystone uses a variety of sources to gather reliable, objective information about schools, universities, education systems, curricula, teachers and the whole gamut of the contemporary educational experience. We have also built up relationships with knowledgeable and respected members of the educational community.

Keystone has always had an international clientele and set up the first overseas office in 2012. We now have offices in London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Shenzhen and work with families from many other parts of the world. We like meeting clients face-to-face, and often do so at our offices – where possible we may be able to come to you. In instances when families are unable to meet we set up video conferences using either Skype or Zoom.

Our Educational Consultancy services focus on School Application Support and University Application Support.

School Application Support

“We honestly couldn’t have got Simon in without YOU!! So thanks very, very much. You were an absolute star at guiding and advising us through the whole process.”

MRS K from HONG KONG

Keystone provides educational advice to families who wish to send their children to independent schools in the UK. With an outstanding reputation for providing dependable, impartial guidance, we have a comprehensive knowledge of the British private school system.

Why Keystone?

Our advice is strictly evidence based. We recommend institutions based on our assessment of a child’s ability, potential and characteristics. We use both objective and subjective data when making judgments about schools.
We are recommended by the country’s leading educational establishments and we use our extensive knowledge and connections to guide parents through each stage of an often complicated process.
We put particular emphasis on developing high level contacts with admissions departments so as to know admissions criteria in detail, and therefore advise parents better.
We have strong relationships with well-respected, long-standing members of the educational community.
We have particular experience with pre-tests, late applications, interview practice and preparation for entrance exams.

“Just a quick email to thank you both so much for all your help with Bertie. We received the excellent news last week that Bertie has got into Harrow. As you can imagine we were all (and particularly Bertie) absolutely delighted with the news. Thanks so much for all your help.”

MOTHER of 13+ STUDENT

Find out more about applying to UK schools on our blog

University Application Support

“Thank you so much for your help with this process! As I am in the American system, the UK university application process was unfamiliar and confusing to me, and I would not have been able to construct an application to this standard without your help.”

YEAR 13 APPLICANT from SINGAPORE

Keystone Tutors are experts in delivering bespoke preparation for elite UK universities. We have over a decade of experience in assisting students with their applications to the UK’s most competitive universities. Our team of expert consultants have a deep and comprehensive understanding of the entrance requirements for each institution and they are supported by a pool of outstanding subject specialist tutors.

Our professional tutor team are graduates from Oxford, Cambridge and other leading universities and provide in-depth expertise in preparing students for their chosen course.

Our comprehensive offering is divided into 6 modules. Whilst many students complete all of the modules, this provides flexibility for students to select the modules that meet their needs. All programmes are delivered 1-to-1 to ensure a completely bespoke experience for each student.

“Our son will be starting at Oxford University in October. We are very grateful to Thomas and Keystone for your fantastic support in helping him achieve his potential. ”

PARENT OF UNIVERSITY APPLICANT

Find out more about applying to UK universities on our blog

Please call or email the office for more information.

Advisors:

Will Orr-Ewing, Founder and Director

Will attended Harrow School before undertaking a degree in History at Oriel College, Oxford. After graduating he was a History teacher at Fulham Prep School. He has been tutoring since 2005, and set up Keystone Tutors in 2007. He leads the company alongside Josh.

Outside Keystone, Will has been a governor of two free schools and is an active participant in UK education debates, appearing on Newsnight, The Today Programme and at the Wellington Festival of Education. He has advocated for the professionalization of tutoring in leading UK newspapers, and has spoken on education at firms such as Credit Suisse and Freshfields. He has been a board member of The Tutors' Association and is currently on the Board of the Harrow Association. Will also co-founded the SEN website dysTalk.

He writes occasionally at www.willorrewing.com and on the Keystone blog.

Ed Richardson, Director of Education

Ed read Zoology at St. Andrews University before completing a Secondary Science PGCE at Oxford University. He has since undertaken a Masters in Teaching and Learning at Oxford too. Prior to joining Keystone, he taught all three sciences to GCSE as well as A Level Biology at an outstanding state comprehensive academy in Oxfordshire.

As our Director of Education, Ed is primarily responsible for leading our client management team, the tutor recruitment process and generally overseeing our employed tutors' professional development. Ed also advises our families on a wide range of educational issues; he has particular experience with schools and university advice as well as home-schooling.

More broadly, Ed firmly believes that providing tutors with the appropriate levels of training better equips them to support the individual needs of their students. He recognises the value of educational literature and spends time researching current publications, in particular the nature of personalised learning and its benefit to students of all abilities. Outside of Keystone Ed is a Trustee for the Temple Grove Schools Trust and speaks for The Parent Company at a range of different companies on ‘The Importance of Parents in a Child’s Attainment’ and ‘The British Education System’.

Harriet Blomefield, Education Consultant

Harriet attended St. Edward’s, Oxford before undertaking a degree in History of Art and Architecture at the University of Edinburgh.

After graduating Harriet spent a year in Shanghai where she taught English at YK Pao School. Harriet returned from China in 2010 and started working at MPW London (the UK's leading Sixth Form College), where she was a Director of Studies and Easter Revision Course Director. In her final position at MPW, Harriet was International Director of Studies, travelling around China to advise international families on their UK school and university options.

Harriet has recently moved back to the UK from Singapore, where she was Keystone’s Head of Operations. She is now using her years of experience advising families from Asia on UK schools and universities to head up Keystone’s consultancy services from the London office.

Jenny McGowan, Director, Asia

Jenny read Zoology at the University of Leeds and subsequently worked as a qualified science teacher for several years after completing a PGCE. To further her understanding of how children learn Jenny undertook a Masters in Child Development at the University of Oxford which led her to stay at Oxford and study for a PhD in Education.

Jenny became a Professional Keystone tutor in 2014 and has worked closely with many Keystone tutors in her role as Head of Science. She has developed lasting relationships with many families and has built a strong understanding of the UK education system and how best to support students through tutoring.

Jenny moved to Hong Kong in 2018 to head up the Keystone office there. Outside of the office Jenny loves to travel and aims to visit several new countries each year.

Camilla Smiley, Education Consultant

Camilla has been working with the UK’s most prestigious schools and universities since 2006 and has been a full-time education consultant since 2015.

Educated at St Paul’s Girls’ School and Oxford University (Exeter College; Modern History), Camilla understands the importance of an enriching and inspiring education in bringing out potential. After graduating, Camilla trained with the Teach First programme before teaching at St Marylebone School and then Latymer Upper School. Since leaving the classroom Camilla has dedicated her time to advising families on the best school and university options for them.

Camilla visits dozens of schools each year to ensure that she is able to advise on the best fit for every child, particularly in London and the south. She enjoys getting to know the families that she works with and developing a positive rapport with parents and students alike.

Camilla worked for the Oxford Access Scheme as an undergraduate and has been supporting students with UCAS admissions for more than 15 years. She advises on personal statements as well as entrance tests and interviews where relevant. She takes a strategic approach and enjoys overseeing a student's whole application process, from choosing the right course all the way through to accepting an outstanding offer.

Camilla lives with her husband and two small children in west London.