Panoba, an educational consultancy set up in 2014, is providing service to discerning African families seeking UK education for their children
With more than 500 boarding schools and just over 150 universities to choose from in the UK, the task of narrowing down choices to one can be a daunting one for international parents.
A survey by StudyTravel Network for the 2019-20 academic year shows that within the boarding school sector, 67% of international student recruitment came through educational consultants or agents, outweighing all other avenues such as fairs, advertising or word or mouth recommendations.
Working with an educational consultant has clear advantages for both international families and for UK schools. For busy families, much of the time-consuming groundwork and research can be reduced through a knowledgeable consultant and one who has visited schools in person and therefore able to describe to families the small idiosyncrasies that make one school differ from another. There are many facets to finding the right school and with the help of an expert consultant, families can be sure that no stone is left unturned. No two children are the same and ensuring that a school has the required academic courses, co-curricular activities, boarding facilities, location and pastoral care, is just a part of the in-depth scrutiny needed for a successful school placement.
For UK boarding schools, welcoming international students from around the globe is particularly important. Schools pride themselves on preparing students for global careers and to be ‘world ready’ and this can’t be achieved without diversity being reflected within their student body. Schools rely on agents to help them to attract students to create a balanced international intake across many nationalities. For school admissions staff, working with a reputable agent means much of the initial communication and administration is taken care of by the agent, as well as qualifying students in terms of their suitability for the school.
Panoba is an educational consultancy set up in 2014 to service discerning African families seeking UK education for their children. With offices in Abuja and London, Panoba’s Directors Debbie Gispan and Nicky Sakpoba are well versed in working closely with families and advising on the best that UK educational establishments have to offer, including GCSE, A Level, International Baccalaureate curricula, summer programmes, foundation programmes and university entry. Whether a student is an aspiring footballer or polo player, has a burning desire to play drums or undertake the Duke of Edinburgh Gold award, Panoba will find the perfect environment for them. There is growing demand for UK boarding schools offering specialist education for Specific Learning Difficulties and Panoba also offer expert advice to families seeking this support.
During the pandemic, UK boarding schools have very effectively supported their international students, many of whom were unable to return home during the school holidays. There has been unprecedented demand for September 2021 places from international families needing a safe environment where their children can enjoy uninterrupted learning and all the best that a boarding education can bring.
