Elizabeth Rickards Education and Careers Consultancy

Next trip to Milan: Friday 14.03.12 - 15.03.12. Consultations by appointment only.

For Parents and Students
The Consultancy aims to give parents the best possible advice about choosing schools and how to ensure their sons’ and daughters’ educational potential is achieved. We see students, review academic progress, advise about schools, subjects, exams, university applications and careers decision. The consultancy is also able to advise parents at those critical times when students seem to be performing less well than expected at school or university.

For Schools
The Consultancy also advises schools. Bringing together a team of leading professionals from the world of education, business and marketing, the Consultancy advises on strategic planning, domestic and international marketing, headship and teaching staff recruitment, in service training as well as preparation for Ofsted or ISI Inspections.

Consultations generally take place in the Fellows Room at the Royal Society of Arts, 8 John Adam Street, London WC2. Elizabeth also makes trips each year to Italy, Switzerland and the Emirates to advise on university applications.

Elizabeth Rickards
Educated at St Mary’s, Shaftesbury, Elizabeth Rickards read History and French at St Andrews University and then did a post graduate teaching qualification in Edinburgh. After several years teaching English in France and London, she was appointed Vice Principal at Duff Miller in 1986. From 1996 to 2007 Elizabeth was Principal of Davies Laing and Dick (DLD) in London.

The Independent Schools Inspectorate 2005 report on DLD made the following comments about Elizabeth: ‘The College is managed by an outstanding principal.
She is a dynamic leader, dedicated to the welfare of her students and highly effective in realising her ambitions for them’. The Good Schools Guide comments:
‘….has worked at the Young Vic, and is passionate about creativity in education. Outstanding leader. “She’s very sharp, very quick, really on the ball” said a parent.’

After leaving DLD in December 2007 Elizabeth worked for as a Senior Consultant for a leading education consultancy.

Elizabeth has two grown up children. She is married to the historical crime writer David Dickinson, former Editor of BBC’s Newsnight and Panorama.

Feedback from Parents

From Penny Knocker to Elizabeth Rickards
I just wanted to write to say how grateful I am for all the help you have given Pandora. When I brought her to you, she had completely lost all the confidence she had always had up till her disappointments recently. As she sat there listening to you and talking to you I could see her confidence coming back – and her whole face lit up knowing that at last someone understood her absolutely, and there was help.

From Harriet Edwards to Elizabeth Rickards
I found the careers consultation extremely useful, and have renewed application filling with a sense of urgency

From The Lady Hodgson
Lizzie Rickards gave us invaluable help at a time when we had a crisis over our son’s schooling. She is extremely well informed about schools and colleges and has very good personal contacts with those who are running them. She was excellent at talking to our teenage son and helping us all decide the best way forward. I am hugely grateful to her - she was absolutely fantastic!

At Davies Laing and Dick
From Stephen East to Elizabeth Rickards: I remember the first day we met and was profoundly struck by your positive can-do attitude. Since that day I have witnessed Matthew’s continual growth in confidence.

From Nikita Patel to Claire Davies
Thank you so much for all the help and support you have given me over the past year….. I only hope that when I go on to university the teachers there will be as charismatic and inspiring as you.

From Dr Suzanne Evans to Elizabeth Rickards
…how grateful we all are for all the wonderful support and help Will has had from you and all your staff over the last few years. I am practically speechless after a phone call from Will with his final results. I don’t believe we could ever have come through to this result at any other institution. DLD is a very special place with remarkable people who run it and teach in it.

From Sadie Wykenham Roberts to Elizabeth Rickards
Tom says the major difference in his school experience at DLD is for the first time feeling he has as a student been treated with respect. He’s really enjoyed the work and has thrown himself into it in a way we have always thought might be possible. As a result he has developed a quiet confidence noticed by everyone.

From Yurtseven Yesilday to Elizabeth Rickards
I am writing to thank you and all the teachers for an amazing job you have done in achieving a miracle. I say miracle because before his time at DLD my son Akay had no future, no prospects and what was to be a troubled life. I particularly want to say thank you to his teachers for an outstanding job of bringing my son to where he is now and giving him the drive to advance himself further in his academic achievements.

Nadia Khan to Elizabeth Rickards
I still can't believe I have gone from the care system to graduating at Cambridge ! Much of my achievement and happiness is largely thanks to yourself and the staff at DLD.'

I'm absolutely ecstatic to have got a place at Durham, thank you so much for all the help, it’s certainly what’s got me this far! Thanks very much for everything, I certainly wouldn’t have got to this stage without all the help!
J L-S (UK) February 2010

Jack ….is one very happy man and overall a tremendous result. It is the Durham place he will take, but he is genuinely pleased to be so spoilt for choice. Thank you so much Elizabeth for all your support. You have given us such good advice. But more than that, you gave Jack strength and self-confidence when both of these had taken a beating and for that we will never be able to thank you enough. It has been tremendous of you to be there holding both his and our hands through this little saga, but for him to have your support was the prop that he really needed, and valued, and used. It enabled us to avoid over-parenting which a boy of his age truly hates, but for him to manage the whole affair nevertheless – and the overall result is excellent. Many many thanks.
Imogen L-S (UK) February 2010

I must thank you Elizabeth for what you have done for Dami. Thank you and please don't give up on us until we are sure his application is in and sorted. (Dami is now studying Economics at SOAS).
God bless, Ayo O (UK) August 2010

Dear Elizabeth, Thank you so much for all your advice and support concerning Millie's UCAS application. It has now gone and been received- hooray!!- so we can now relax and stop nagging! Having your help really made a difference to Millie, as it did to me after the disappointment of Millie's A level results. She is now much more confident and excited about her future. We will definitely let you know how she gets on. With best wishes and much thanks,
Clare C (UK) November 2010

Thank you so much. It is an amazing report, really exhaustive and clear.
LM (Italy) November 2010

I just wanted to let you know that in the last two days I have received an offer from both Oxford Brookes and Bournemouth to do Hospitality Management so I am completely over the moon!! I could not have done it without your help! I am so so pleased and will be going to Oxford Brookes! Thank you again for all your help!! I really wouldn't have been successful without your help! Kind Regards,
Millie C. (UK) December 2010

Dear Elizabeth, I just wanted to thank you so so much for all of your help with my personal statement and helping me plan my life back in September!! I have received 3 offers so far. Nottingham have offered AB, Manchester BB and an unconditional place from Oxford Brookes. Thank you so much again.
Flora M. (UK) December 2010

Dear Elizabeth, Thank you very much, I am very pleased and surprised too but I actually have to thank you because I couldn't have done such a good application without your help.
Nicola G (Italy) January 2010

Hello, I just wanted to keep you posted about my UCAS application and to inform you that I had been offered a conditional offer from Warwick, Manchester and Birmingham which is great news! Anyway I wanted to thank you because I believe my preparation with you this summer was very useful and I hope you are doing well.
Thomas R (France) February 2010

We wanted you to know that of the five universities Adelaide applied for, she has received offers from four, and the only one we are waiting for is St Andrews. She is absolutely over the moon and her father and I just wanted to thank you for your advice last October because that was what enabled her to change her mind.
Annabel B (UK) December 2010