After many years working in the independent education sector and drawing on her life experience as an expat wife and mother of four children, who all went to different UK boarding schools, Sue set up Anderson Education in September 1999.
“I felt like a ‘co-conspirator’ in the battle for the best education for students returning or coming to the UK. Sue championed British Boarding Schools worldwide and sought to assist whenever possible to allow others access to this world. Sue has positively influenced so many people in education.”
Gareth Collier, Principal, Cardiff Sixth Form College
Initially working with the British Forces, visiting barracks in Germany to meet with families, the business grew rapidly and Sue identified the Middle East as a key market. Sue lived in the Middle East for over 10 years and had a passion for the people and their culture. The ethos of Anderson Education is to offer families free impartial help and advice, recommend boarding schools to meet the individual needs of their children and guide them through the process.
“Sue really was an amazing woman who achieved an enormous amount in a comparatively short period of time and made a real contribution to the health and prosperity of the Independent Education Sector. Her MBE was a very sound reflection, and a greatly deserved recognition, of the enthusiasm, determination and pure hard work that she devoted to Anderson Education. I know that I will be speaking for most of my colleagues when underlining the importance of her efforts in extending awareness of our Schools amongst the Military, within the Middle East and latterly in Nigeria.”
Chris Barton, Gordonstoun
Sue also offered UK boarding schools a cost effective marketing tool by representing them at exhibitions and tours throughout the Gulf region and Asia, to recruit students. It was whilst attending an Education Fair in Dubai and discussions with other school representatives who expressed concern that the focus of these events was on universities rather than schools; Sue had the idea of a schools focussed exhibition. The first UK Boarding School Exhibition was held in Dubai in February 2006. It was the first event in the region specifically for UK boarding schools and is now a well-established and successful bi-annual event, bringing heads and delegates of up to 50 schools to the UAE to meet with families considering a UK boarding education. The team continue to represent UK schools as part of their UK Boarding School Middle East Tours visiting Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
“Sue was a trail blazer in our sector and her legacy will live on. I am not sure if you knew, but it was a conversation with her 13 years ago which triggered the idea for our business. I asked if she could run an event for boarding schools and she said: ‘I can’t do it, but why don’t you?’ and that was a lightbulb moment for me. I have always been grateful to Sue for her encouragement and entrepreneurial spirit in a sector that is not particularly dynamic and she paved the way for companies like ours when she started her business.”
Suzanne & Antony Rowse, British Boarding School Connected
In October 2014, Anderson Education joined with Mark Brooks Education to arrange exhibitions in Lagos, Abuja and Ghana; this hard-working, successful partnership have quickly secured a reputation of hosting well-organised and busy exhibitions, receptions and seminars.
“Sue was an inspiration – a force of nature with a great sense of humour and an amazing dedication to the Independent School sector.”
Kit Bithrey-George, The Royal School
Sue’s dedication, commitment and passion for the independent education sector was recognised In December 2013 when she was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire) for services to education by HRH Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.
“Sue was a truly amazing woman and great advocate for British education. She was such a character and there are many of us who will look back with many fond and funny memories of times spent with her in Dubai.”
Rachel Scannell, Bromsgrove School
Sadly Sue passed away on 17 October 2018 after an 18 month battle with cancer that she fought with the determination that those who had met her would have expected.
