Education Fair: Leading UK Heads To Visit Nigeria

Ahead of what appears to be the biggest Education Fair in 2023, heads and senior leaders from over 20 boarding schools in the United Kingdom will converge on Lagos this January to “learn what parents are looking for” and develop “partnerships with schools”.

The event tagged, “UK Boarding Schools Week” will hold at The Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Saturday 14th January 2023.

The event being organised by Mark Brooks Education in conjunction with the UK’s Department for International Trade will be attended by leading schools and organisation in the United Kingdom.

They include Aldenham, Badminton, Bishop’s Stortford College, Box Hill School, Cardiff Sixth Form College, CATS Global Schools, Cognita, David Game College, Dean Close, Dulwich College, Fragomen, Haberdashers’ Monmouth and Malvern St James Girls’ School. Others are MPW Colleges, Nord Anglia Education, St. Andrew’s College, Cambridge, TASIS, Truro High School for Girls, Mount Kelly College and Wycliffe College.

Head of Dean Close School, Bradley Salisbury, said she is looking forward to the Education Fair which she noted promised to be remarkable.

She said, “It is as much about me talking about the school as learning what parents are looking for. That responsibility of someone sending their children from Nigeria to our school in Cheltenham is something we take very seriously.”

On the high calibre of Nigerian students at his school, the Head of Cardiff Sixth Form College, Cambridge, Mark Brooks said Nigerian students “bring a work ethic that is very impressive.

“They also contribute to the wider college community and they are always in the centre. Parents are currently planning places for their sons and daughters for September 2024 and beyond.

“But recently we have received a significant number of enquiries for September 2023 entry, and even quite a few for this January,” he stated.

Andy Williams, Head of Aldenham, noted that “a few schools can accommodate immediate joiners.

“We would be happy to consider students for a January start on a case-by-case basis,” he added.

Stuart Ansell from Box Hill School spoke in similar vein.

“As flexible as possible for January starts and short stays.

“London day schools such as Cognita can “take new starters at any time throughout the academic year.”

According to the organisers statement, highlight of the event will be a Friday evening networking reception with guest speaker Ben Llewellyn-Jones, who incidentally is the British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria.