Strategy consultations

International education and working abroad — it sounds great in theory, but it's difficult in practice. Schools and companies in the UK, Switzerland and other countries offer tremendous opportunities, but they also raise a lot of questions. Why did they give this particular grade? Why is my child losing motivation? How can you tell if the chosen school is right for them? Where do you start looking for work abroad?

To help parents and graduates avoid being left to guess, we offer four types of consultation.

1. If your child is already attending an international school

Even if everything seems more or less calm, it is useful to check the course at least once a year (or better yet, once a semester) to avoid any ‘surprises’ later on.

When should you contact us?

• If you are concerned about your child's grades or motivation.
• If you feel that the school is not providing enough, but you are unsure how to fill the gap.
• If you need to decide between A-Level, IB or BTEC. Making a mistake here means losing years. If you are not ready to change schools but want to develop your own strategy for development. If you feel that it is worth changing schools, we will discuss whether this is really the right step and, if so, which school to choose instead.
• If there are concerns about bullying or difficulties with socialisation.
• If your child has failed their GCSEs, we explain what steps to take.
• If your child has retaken and failed their GCSEs again — we look at what other options are available and how to remedy the situation.li>
• If your child studied the IB in Russia, but the programme is banned — we look for solutions and alternatives. li>

Reports: translation from ‘teacherese’ to ‘human language’

Reports in international schools are written in elegant language. They won't write, ‘The student is lazy.’ Instead, they will write, ‘The student could benefit from a more consistent approach to homework.’ To parents, this sounds almost like a compliment, but in reality it means, ‘The teacher is furious.’ Or, ‘The child is very active in class.’ This is not praise: it means that he is disturbing the other children.

The problem is that parents only notice serious signals a year later, when grades have already plummeted.
During consultations, we:

• translate ‘school diplomatic language’ into plain language;
• show where the teacher is simply giving advice and where they are actually shouting SOS;
• provide a plan of immediate action.

2. If you are choosing a school on your own

This consultation is for those who are looking for a school on their own or through another company but want an independent opinion. Especially if you have offers from two or three places and need to understand what's ‘under the hood’.

What do we do?

• We compare schools not ‘by the brochure’ but by their essence: the level of students, the parent community, the atmosphere, and the requirements.
• We identify the pitfalls that are usually only noticed after enrolment.
• We choose a school that is not ‘good in general’, but one that is right for your child.

Examples:

• The family was choosing between St. David's College, Millfield and Rugby. On paper, it seemed that all schools were suitable for the child, but it turned out that none of them were 100% suitable. All three schools are completely different, and the parents were in absolute shock when they learned about the pitfalls that are not mentioned on the websites.
• Another family was torn between Tonbridge and Caterham. The schools seem similar, but they differ not only in that one is co-educational and the other is for boys only, but also in the composition of both the students and the parents. Not to mention the many other differences between them. Although in terms of academic performance, the schools are neck and neck. It is precisely these nuances that are of great importance when making a choice.

3. If you want to develop a strategy

You can contact us regardless of your child's age (and yes, even at 4–5 years old, it's not too early).

We consider:

• what can actually be done for the child right now, while in their own country;
• what steps will be available in 2–3 years;
• what long-term options are best to keep in mind.

We develop a strategy — usually several, so that you have a choice and the opportunity to adjust it if life brings changes. This gives parents peace of mind and the child a solid foundation for the future.

What you get in the end

After the consultation, you will have:

• a clear analysis of the situation;
• translation of reports into plain language;
• understanding of all possible scenarios;
• a strategy: what to do now and where to go next.

And, as a bonus, we often:

• provide contacts for trusted tutors who don't drag things out for months but quickly ‘hit the weak spot’;
• compile an age-appropriate reading list;
• recommend books for parents;
• connect you with the right specialists (e.g., psychologists who understand the international system);
• stay in touch after the consultation to help if new questions arise.

Example of a consultation for parents of children aged 4–7

4. If you want to prepare for an interview at a UK school

The interview is the most unpredictable stage of the British school admissions process. Unlike exams, there are no past papers or ready-made materials to revise, so candidates often find it difficult to know what to expect.

Our interview preparation programme is based on the following principles:

1. Behaviour and manners during the interview

We teach the correct behaviour during an interview, including:

• Maintaining confident eye contact.
• Correct posture and calm behaviour.
• Neat, formal appearance.
• Sincerity and honesty in your answers.
• Avoiding monosyllabic or overly short answers.
• The ability to give detailed and thoughtful answers.
• Demonstration of emotional maturity and independence.
• Ability to adapt and remain stable in stressful situations.
• Appropriate communication with teachers and peers.
• Demonstration of interest in school life, including extracurricular activities.
• Avoiding hasty answers and unnecessary repetition.
• Compliance with all standards of professional conduct.

2. Understanding the interviewer's expectations

We help you understand what is important to the interviewer. Key qualities include:

• The candidate's ability to think critically and independently.
• Genuine interests and hobbies, both academic and personal.
• Curiosity and awareness of current events.
• Personal values, character and communication skills.
• Compatibility with the spirit and atmosphere of the school, including the ability to live in a boarding school (if the candidate wishes to attend a boarding school).
• Other important selection criteria.

3. Types of questions most commonly asked in interviews

Here are the main categories of questions that are commonly asked:

• Personal and reflective questions.
• Questions about academic performance and school subjects.
• Questions related to current events and critical thinking.
• Creative or hypothetical tasks.
• Situations requiring problem solving.
• Other thematic questions specific to a particular school.

4. The interview as a dialogue, not a performance

We emphasise that an interview is not a rehearsal of pre-learned answers, but a live conversation. The main goal is to establish a natural, open dialogue, to show your personality and communication skills.

5. Ability to analyse your own experience

We teach candidates to use their own experience meaningfully: to talk about their motivations, link past achievements to future goals, and do so clearly, logically, and confidently.

Mock interview stage

After completing the preparation, we conduct a mock interview in the most realistic form possible. During this session:

• Answers are evaluated according to the school's criteria.
• After each block of the interview, a brief analysis is conducted.
• Constructive feedback is provided.
• Areas for improvement are identified and additional skills training is conducted.

Cost

Online consultation – £390. Offline consultation – £450. Duration: 1 hour, slightly longer if necessary.

If you would like to book a consultation, please write to WhatsApp or Telegram to Natalia Strein, the founder of our company:
+44-789-933-7388
She usually conducts these consultations herself, and you can arrange a meeting with her directly.

Natalia Shtein's Instagram

5. Consultations on employment abroad

These consultations are conducted by our company director Jorg Strein, former head of Lufthansa LSG Sky Chefs in Tallinn, Kiev and regions of Russia, with 22 years of corporate experience.

How the consultation works

• CV and cover letter: we make them competitive on the international market.
• Search strategy: we determine how many applications to send and where, as well as which countries are actually open to you in your particular situation.li>
• Direct contact: we teach you how to approach companies and people yourself, rather than waiting for someone else to do it for you. li>
• Interview: we conduct training so that the client feels confident when meeting with the employer.
• Career paths: we show 2-3 development scenarios to provide flexibility and choice.

Consultation example

Andrey, a graduate, was looking for an internship abroad. He did everything through the university and did not send a single application himself. The result was silence and disappointment.

Together, we:

• compiled a list of 100 companies and markets (not only in Dubai, but also in less competitive countries);
• rewrote his CV and wrote a cover letter;
• conducted a mock interview;
• gave him a clear plan: to send out dozens of applications on his own, write directly to companies, and visit local organisations in person with his CV.

Andrey left with the understanding that success depends on his activity and with specific tools for his search.

For whom:

• graduates looking for their first job or internship abroad;
• specialists who want to change countries or industries;
• those who need the perspective of a practising manager with international experience.

Bonus: even after the consultation, the applicant has the opportunity to ask follow-up questions at no extra charge and receive advice. We stay in touch to provide support and guidance throughout the job search process.

Cost

Consultation costs £390. Duration: 1 hour, slightly longer if necessary.

If you would like to book a consultation, please contact Jörg Strain at WhatsApp or Telegram Jorg Strein:
+44-7771-847252

Conclusion

Consultation is not an abstract conversation, but specific answers, an action plan and useful resources. Parents stop feeling lost, graduates get tools for their careers, and children get a chance to develop as effectively as possible.