Herts School Admissions Made Simple Reviews 13

We have two adopted siblings, one with an EHCP and one without, who we had applied to get into an oversubscribed primary school. We went through a total shambles of a process with the local authority who failed to adhere to their own and government protocols. Working with Kerry to steer us through these applications and appeals was absolutely worth it and we would make the same decision again in a heartbeat. She knows the exact tone to take with various parties in the process, what the escalation paths are, what should make up the key points in your case to turn things in your favour, what the key regulations are, and more - all of this can only be known through her decades of experience, something we could in no way replicate on our own. It truly feels like an exhaustive approach and allowed us to sleep at night knowing that this was all in good hands. It is also absolutely wonderful partnering with Kerry - she is personable, engaging, energised, professional and intelligent. Having her on our team gave us huge confidence, rather than feeling like we were floundering. We are extremely grateful to have succeeded in placing both our children at the preferred school, which is a huge relief. However, even if we didn't succeed, then we would have come away from it knowing that we did absolutely everything we could. A massive thanks to Kerry for her support and a hugely positive recommendation to anyone reading this. If we were to find ourselves in a similar situation with secondary schools, then we know who to call!

We used Kerry from HSAMS to help appealed our son’s school place due to the shambles that was the music exam at Queens school in 2024. She is very knowledgable in all aspects of school applications and appeals. She was very supportive and approachable. She was very honest with us and was never pushing for us to use her services. She told us although what had happened was very unfair, we were unlikely to win our appeal entirely based on the music exam. We still chose to go ahead as although minimal we still had a small chance. Unfortunately we were not successful but we felt we gave it our all (with the help of Kerry). I would definitely recommend contacting Kerry if you are looking to appeal, you will get an honest opinion on whether you stand a chance in appealing and going forward lots of support, knowledge and advice.

Exceptional support that changed our family’s future
We are incredibly grateful to Kerry for the outstanding support, guidance, and care she gave our family throughout the school appeal process for Dame Alice Owen’s School. From the very beginning, Kerry was professional, knowledgeable, honest, and deeply understanding of how emotional and stressful this journey can be for parents.
What truly stood out was not only her expertise, but the way she genuinely cared about our son and our situation. She helped us organise our evidence, strengthen our case, understand the process clearly, and present everything in the strongest and fairest way possible. Every question we had was answered with patience and reassurance, and she gave us confidence during one of the most difficult and emotional experiences we have faced as a family.
Thanks to Kerry’s incredible support, dedication, and attention to detail, we were able to successfully win our appeal for Owens. This outcome means so much to our family and to our son’s future, and we will never forget the impact she has had on our lives.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, unsure, or lost with school admissions or appeals, Kerry is absolutely someone you want beside you. Her knowledge is exceptional, but even more importantly, she leads with kindness, compassion, and genuine commitment to helping families.

We cannot thank her enough.

Excellent knowledge, advice and support throughout the whole journey. We got the school place we wanted and would have been lost without Kerry's guidance and brilliance.

I don’t have the words to express how grateful I am to Kerry for her support and efforts to get all 3 of my children admitted to the primary and secondary schools of our choice, all in year applications in 2025/2026.

From the very first conversation, Kerry’s professionalism, experience and genuine commitment to us shone through.

She has a wealth of experience in the application process and appeals process- you can see her pedigree from her LinkedIn profile.

During the 3 months we worked with Kerry she was a soundboard, someone to share our fears and reservations, she always found time for us and always had the answers or went and got the answers.

At appeal time she came into her own and the process and outcomes were pretty much text book.

Kerry will tell you from the start your chances of success - and where you should apply and not bother.

Finally - don’t even think of the money, if Kerry thinks she can help you, then you are in the game and she is yet to lose.

Happy to speak on the phone for more details.

Thank you Kerry!

A Lifeline for Parents Navigating School Admissions & Appeals

Kerry has been an absolute lifesaver for our family. From expertly guiding us through the complexities of the 11+ exams to supporting us through a school appeal when our youngest daughter needed a safer, happier environment, her knowledge and dedication have been invaluable. She not only understands the system inside out but also genuinely cares about the families she helps. Thanks to her, we navigated each challenge successfully, and our child is now thriving in the right school. We couldn’t be more grateful and would highly recommend her to any parent seeking support with school admissions or appeals.
Reena x

Kerry provided outstanding admissions guidance that made navigating the Hertfordshire school admissions system so much easier. The process can feel like a tricky maze, but Kerry is a true Jedi master when it comes to admissions - incredibly knowledgeable and able to clarify everything with confidence. Her expertise made what could have been a stressful experience much more manageable. Would definitely recommend to other parents facing this challenging process.

Kerry at HSA Made Simple changed our child’s life

I honestly cannot recommend Kerry at HSA Made Simple enough.

We were going through one of the most stressful and emotional times as a family, trying to navigate a school appeal for our daughter. Everything felt overwhelming, confusing, and frightening.

Kerry was incredible from the very beginning. She explained everything clearly, made the whole process feel manageable, and guided us step by step with calm confidence and genuine care.

She didn’t just help us with paperwork, she gave us clarity, reassurance, and strength when we needed it most. Thanks to Kerry’s support, we achieved the outcome we were desperately hoping for, and it has completely changed our daughter’s life for the better.

We will always be grateful. If you are facing a school appeal and feel lost, Kerry is the person you need.

Thank you, Kerry. Truly.

I cannot recommend Kerry highly enough. She provides an invaluable service supporting families through the Sixth Form appeal process, and I honestly don’t know what we would have done without her.

Kerry was able to point me in exactly the right direction, helping me identify and gather the correct supporting evidence to prove that my son was both worthy of and deserved a place at the Sixth Form he wanted to attend. The process can feel overwhelming and emotionally draining, but Kerry was incredibly knowledgeable, calm, and supportive throughout every stage.

Her guidance and reassurance made all the difference, and thanks to her support, the appeal resulted in a positive outcome. My son is now happy, settled, and thriving in the environment where he truly belongs.

I would wholeheartedly recommend Kerry’s services to any parent facing a Sixth Form appeal, her expertise and compassion are exceptional.

I was quite literally stunned when my youngest daughter was allocated a different secondary school to her older sister and was clearly not going to reach anywhere near the top of the waiting list during the multiple rounds of continued interest you must endure. Reaching out to Kerry helped me to navigate and make sense of the senseless system. Not only was I fighting for my daughter, but Kerry was also. She was fundamental in supporting me with my evidence for appeal. Her knowledge of school admissions is first class. She prepared me to deliver on the day of the appeal, giving me confidence in my case and helping to keep a lid on my emotions! My daughter won a place at the school of her choice, a place where she deserved to be. My life motto is ‘I can, I will, I must’ and we did! Kerry wholeheartedly cared about the outcome for my daughter, we are forever grateful.”

– Mrs Rachel T, Radlett

I used HSAMS for help with the South West Herts Consortium process, and I was really impressed. Kerry’s knowledge was spot-on, and she spent plenty of time with me, explaining everything clearly and patiently. It made a stressful time so much easier – I would highly recommend to anyone navigating this maze. who knew someone could turn school applications into something almost enjoyable 😁

During what can only be described as one of the more stressful times in my life, Kerry's assistance and advice can only be described as invaluable!

I 100% recommend this service for anyone struggling to navigate the whole educational system. I wish i had found her sooner!

I used the services of Kerry's company when I needed help with my daughter's sixth form appeal. She was so helpful and explained everything without patronising me. I didn't know how complicated the sixth form appeals process was going to be and the actual appeal hearing was completely different to any other appeal that I had previously been through at secondary transfer with my older child. There seemed to be an unknown amount of flexibility and decision-making on the part of the panel that seemed to be outside the realms of the schools admission arrangements, but thankfully Kerry was able to decipher these and calm my nerves.