Our Story
How C J E Redefined School Admissions Guidance
C J E Educational Consultancy exists to give every family the guidance we wish more people had access to — honest, experienced, insider guidance from people who have actually sat inside Britain's leading independent schools, not just advised on them from the outside.
Guidance Built on Real Experience
C J E was founded on a simple observation: most families approaching UK independent school admissions are getting advice from people who have never worked inside these schools.
Unlike agencies built around processing applications, C J E offers strategic, long-term guidance from a team who have worked as Housemasters, Heads and senior leaders within Britain's leading schools. We understand what these schools are truly looking for - not because we've studied the process from a distance, but because we've sat on the admissions side of the table ourselves.
This experience shapes everything we do. We don't take a one-size-fits-all approach to school selection and we don't disappear once an offer is secured. We remain a trusted advisor throughout a student's journey — helping them adapt to school life, build confidence and prepare for what comes next.
How It Began
Caven's own path through the British boarding school system began at age seven, when he became a boarder himself. That experience — living inside the system as a child, then later returning to it as an adult in a position of responsibility — is the foundation C J E is built on.
As a Housemaster, Caven worked directly with hundreds of students and families navigating the same admissions process he'd once been through himself. He saw firsthand what separated the students who thrived from those who struggled — and it was rarely just academic ability. It was preparation, genuine fit with the right school environment, and having someone in their corner who understood the system from the inside.
He also saw how families — particularly those relocating from overseas — were often left to navigate one of the most competitive school systems in the world with guidance from consultants who had never worked inside a single one of these schools.
That gap became the foundation for C J E.
About Caven
Caven Wagstaff is the founder and director of C J E Educational Consultancy. Educated as a boarder himself from age seven, he later became a Housemaster in British independent schools, working closely with students and families through every stage of school life from admissions through to leaving.
That first-hand experience as both a former pupil and a senior member of school staff gives Caven a rare, dual perspective. He knows what it feels like to be the student walking into an interview and what it looks like from the other side of the table, assessing that same student's fit for the school.
Caven's insight into British boarding schools and international education is regularly sought by the press, with recent features and commentary in the New York Post, Forbes, Tatler and The Times.
Since founding C J E, Caven and his team have supported more than 150 students and families, with over 75% securing places at a Top 30 UK independent school — including offers at schools such as Eton, Oundle and Wellington College.
