Tokyo was the first destination for MD Ben Hughes and his wife Louise as they set off for nine days in Asia. The highlight for Ben there was hosting a drinks party when almost 30 parents came along to meet Ben and Louise and talk about Pippa’s Guardians. The overriding feeling from our Japanese families was one of gratitude, as parents praised our host families and Area Managers for looking after their children so well.

After Tokyo, it was straight to Hong Kong to meet with parents and agents. With the current situation there, Ben says they were aware of underlying tension and the violence was certainly the topic of conversation in most meetings. Agents reported that they have seen a huge surge in interest in UK boarding school applications, and Ben is certain that Pippa’s Guardians’ services will be in demand as parents turn to the UK for their children’s education, away from the unrest in Hong Kong.

Beijing and Shanghai were the final two stops of the trip and saw Ben and Louise in meetings with more agents, schools and parents. In mainland China too, there is an increased interest in UK schools, and this looks like being an ever-growing market. The popularity of our education system, coupled with the strong relationship we have with our Asian agents, means we are anticipating a healthy number of new registrations for the forthcoming academic year.