Stanford & Ackel is an international organisation which was established in 2002.
Headquartered in Munich, with an office in England and representatives worldwide, the agency has already placed hundreds of students in British boarding and summer schools.
The basis of our success stems from the expertise of our staff and a well-established worldwide network.
Owners: Jonathan Stanford, Philipp Ackel, Susanne Ackel
Philipp has spent significant amount of his education in the UK. He first went on a three week summer school at age 12. He completed his school with a 2 year A-level course at a British boarding school and then undertook a 3 year Bachelor (BSc) at the University of Nottingham. Other international experiences include a semester at a French University, an internship in Dublin and a Gap Year in Canada.
All of this has given Philipp und understanding of the benefits of an international education and a global perspective on life. Since 2005 Philipp has been an educational advisor to students wanting to study in the UK.
He graduated from the University of York with a BA(Hons) in Economics and Economic History, attended the University of Warwick where he achieved qualified teacher status in 1995. He has taught in a number of schools and been Principal of an international tutorial college and is currently Head of Economics at St Albans High School for Girls - 2016 Sunday Times Independent School of the Year.
Twenty years of experience in UK education, in both the independent and state sectors, has given Jonathan an in depth working knowledge of all the academic and pastoral concerns that involve the running of a school or college. He acts in an advisory capacity to all our students and is a guardian to many.
Susanne has similar experiences of the UK but went to boarding school at an early age 13. She completed her GCSEs, A-levels and also graduated from the University of Nottingham. As part of her course she studied at the Malaysia Campus for one semester.
Having worked for several companies she joined Stanford & Ackel in 2009. Having been a boarding school student for 5 years, she is able to help prospective students to adapt to this way of life.
"I lived in England for 26 years, and all three of my sons attended boarding schools from Year 9 through to their A-levels in Year 13. This experience has given me a deep understanding of the needs, interests, and preferences of young students. At the same time, I can relate to parents who prioritize not only education and values but also the personal development of their children. My goal is always to align these aspirations as seamlessly as possible in my consultations."
Dominique grew up in Munich and later pursued her studies at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa. She began her career as a Press and Marketing Manager at Constantin Film in Munich, where she worked for five years. In 1996, she moved to England, living first in London and later in Cambridgeshire. During this time, she guided her three sons through the English school and university system, gaining first-hand experience with various school types and boarding environments from a local perspective. Since 2021, Dominique has been part of the Stanford & Ackel team in Munich, using her wealth of experience and personal connections with British boarding schools to support families in finding the perfect school for their children.
"As Head of Sixth Form, I’ve conducted numerous interviews with students applying to our school. Certain qualities and behaviors consistently stand out to me during these conversations. I’m happy to share these insights with our students and parents, in German if preferred."
Having attended an independent school himself, Ian graduated from King’s College, University of London with a degree in German.
He taught English in a German Gymnasium for 2 years in the Sauerland and then taught German and French in a number of schools in the UK,
including two independent schools for over 20 years. He also coached hockey and cricket teams.
Ian has held numerous leadership posts during his career and was heavily involved in the admissions and interviewing process as Head of
Sixth Form at St. Albans High School for Girls for 14 years. His two sons attended an independent school. Ian’s fluency in German,
allied to his knowledge of both the German and British school systems, means that he is ideally placed to offer practice and advice to
German students facing prospective interviews.
Tim went to boarding school as a boy and went on to graduate from Exeter University with a degree in Economics and Agricultural Economics. After a period working as an accountant in London he trained as a teacher and he has since worked in boarding schools for over 30 years. Tim has been a Housemaster of 2 boarding Houses and taught Economics and Business as well as coaching hockey throughout his career. He was Headmaster of a Prep School and his most recent role was as Director of Admissions at Repton School which he did for 10 years. With his four children having been educated privately Tim understands UK Independent Schools literally from every angle.
Nigel attended an Independent Day School before graduating from the University of Birmingham with a degree in Economics. He worked at a number of schools throughout his 35 year teaching career including living on campus as part of the boarding community at three different schools. Nigel held several school management roles including Boarding Housemaster, Senior Housemaster, Head of Economics and Business Studies with his final role being Director of Admissions at Oakham School for a decade. He also has plenty of experience of teaching Economics within the International Baccalaureate programme in addition to being an Extended Essay advisor. Nigel remains passionate for all sports and continues to coach rugby, football and tennis when time allows.
The most important outcome is that you as a family are happy with your choice of school. Our relationship is based on trust and we will always support you.
Our personal and professional experiences of the British educational system have developed from both a teacher and student perspective. With this in mind our partner schools are selected.
Boarding Schools and Summer Schools have a network of representatives. Parents pay standard school fees. Therefore there is no charge for our services.
We will support you in finding the right school for your child
