The Good Schools Guide

What The Good Schools Guide does

The Good Schools Guide is a UK-based education information and advisory company founded in 1986, providing independent reviews of schools and education-adjacent services to parents. Its core products are a library of 1,300+ in-depth UK school reviews and 300+ international school reviews across 40 countries, written by a global team of 45 reviewers and updated annually, drawing on a database of 30,000+ schools. Reviews are published on a web-based platform with search by location, school name, and article content, and are gated behind a paid "Unlock Reviews" subscription priced from £17.99 (one month) to £139.99 (12 months), with international reviews available at £39. Free account registration, a bi-monthly newsletter, expert-written articles, area guides, and tutor-company reviews sit above the subscription paywall as top-of-funnel content, supporting an SEO-led acquisition model with no disclosed paid advertising.

Beyond content, the company runs a bespoke education consultancy supporting roughly 400 families per year with personalized school selection, UK admissions, SEND placement, international relocation, scholarships, and university applications — services priced and delivered separately from the review subscription. Distribution is digital-first direct-to-consumer (website, newsletters, organic search) supplemented by a print bookshop for parents preferring physical guides. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries, and has operated continuously under founder-family ownership since 1986.

Name

The Good Schools Guide

Legal name

The Good Schools Guide

Website

https://goodschoolsguide.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Good Schools Guide, founded in 1986, provides independent reviews of 1,300+ UK and 300+ international schools, expert education articles, and bespoke school-placement consultancy to families navigating UK and international schooling decisions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Advisory Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Study Skills & Academic Success Guides (Students) (EDAGAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic Quality Reviews (Program & Department) (EDADAGAC), Special Needs & Learning Differences Private Schools (EDAJABAH)

Keywords

• Educational advisory services
• School reviews
• Education consultancy
• School placement guidance
• SEND school advice

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Review Access Subscriptions: One-off payment access to school and tutor reviews with tiered pricing based on duration (1 month to 12 months). UK schools & tutor reviews from £17.99; International school reviews at £39.
2. Print Publications: The Good Schools Guide bookshop sells printed versions of school reviews for those who prefer print to digital.
3. Education Consultancy Services: Bespoke education consultancy services for families needing personalized school selection advice, including UK schools, SEND support, international education, and university applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Good Schools Guide provides independent, expert-written reviews of UK and international schools, alongside a paid subscription service unlocking full review access. It also sells bespoke education consultancy to families navigating school selection, SEND provision, international relocation, and university applications, supported by a free editorial library of articles and local area guides.

Product overview

The Good Schools Guide is an educational review and advisory platform offering a comprehensive suite of products and services for parents seeking school placement guidance. The core offering consists of 1,300+ UK school reviews and 300+ international school reviews, accessible via a paid subscription (Unlock Reviews). Supporting services include education consultancy (UK school admissions, SEND support, international relocation, scholarships), tutor company reviews, expert-written articles, and local area guides. The company also offers a print bookshop for those preferring physical guides. The platform operates on a freemium model with free accounts providing newsletter and shortlisting features, while full review access requires paid subscription.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UK School Reviews Independent, expert-written reviews of UK state, grammar, independent, and boarding schools covering academic results, SEND provision, pastoral care, and facilities. Accessible to paying subscribers.
• International School Reviews Reviews of 300+ international and bilingual schools across 40+ countries and 70+ global cities, written by locally-based experts familiar with each education system. Priced at £39 for access.
• Tutor Company Reviews Independent reviews of UK tutoring companies covering in-person and online tutors, 11-plus preparation, GCSE and A-level support, and Oxbridge preparation.
• Unlock Reviews Subscription Paid subscription tier unlocking instant access to 1,300+ UK school and tutor reviews plus exclusive school data. Tiered one-off payments: £17.99 (1 month), £39.99 (3 months, save 25%), £75.99 (6 months, save 30%), £139.99 (12 months, save 35%).
• Education Consultancy Services Bespoke paid advisory service for families navigating school selection, UK school admissions, SEND support, international relocation, scholarships and bursaries, and university applications. Includes assessments and school-place negotiation. Supports approximately 400 families per year and incorporates the SEND-specialist offering.
• The Good Schools Guide Bookshop Print versions of school reviews and educational guides sold via the company website for families preferring physical books to digital access.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,300+ UK school reviews and 300+ international reviews available to subscribers
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SchoolDigger: US K-12 school data and comparison platform with rankings and profiles. Comparable as a school data and comparison resource for parents, though US-focused rather than UK/international.
• Niche: US K-12 and college information platform with reviews, rankings, and data on schools. Comparable as a parent-facing school review and comparison platform, though broader in scope covering colleges and neighborhoods.
• GreatSchools: Large US-based school information platform with reviews, ratings, and data on K-12 schools. Comparable in product format (school reviews and information for parents) but operates at much greater scale in the US rather than UK.

Direct peers

• Mumsnet: UK-based parent community and advice platform covering schools, parenting, and education. Closely comparable as a UK consumer-facing editorial platform monetizing parent engagement with education content, though broader than schools alone.
• WhichSchoolAdvisor: International and UK school reviews and advisory platform covering curricula, fees, and admissions guidance. Most directly comparable peer in the international school review space with similar editorial format and parent audience.
• ISC Research: Provider of market intelligence and data on the international schools sector, including school profiles and consultancy services. Comparable as an international school information and advisory business serving families and operators.
• The Times and Sunday Times Schools Guide: Long-running UK school league tables and reviews published with The Times newspaper. Directly comparable as a UK school performance review product serving the same parent audience with editorial school rankings.
• Tatler Schools Guide: UK-focused guide to independent and preparatory schools published under the Tatler brand. Comparable as a curated editorial school review product targeting UK parents seeking premium independent school placements.

Regional players

• Relocate Magazine: UK-based magazine and digital platform covering international relocation including school search and advice. Comparable in serving internationally relocating families with school information, though focused primarily on EMEA readership.

Emerging players

• EduBase (School Guide): UK parent-focused platform aggregating school information, catchment areas, and reviews. Comparable as a UK consumer-facing school information resource though lighter on editorial depth and SEND specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/1071483865/d53bdfef48
• Xx.com/goodschoolsuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/goodschoolsguide

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Good Schools Guide