“Visitation School engaged Dr. Stephen Holmes after an extensive review process of potential consultants. Dr. Holmes was a superior choice.

He was expeditious, warm, and insightful in our discovery call and then throughout the process.

He provided a top quality process while also being mindful of our agreed upon budget. His services went above and beyond the scope of the initial work.

He provided keen insights into our enrollment process and our ability to grow in this area. I would not hesitate to work with him again in the future.”

“We engaged with Stephen Holmes from 5 Rs Partnership to provide a fresh perspective as we worked to reposition our school in our competitive market. Stephen carefully gathered market data and input from a range of constituencies, guided us through an efficient process to update our vision and mission statements, crafted a short-term plan to address enrollment growth and reputation development, and presented us with fresh language to use in our marketing efforts.

Throughout this process, Stephen was a knowledgeable and brilliant facilitator who asked challenging questions and provided guidance during difficult conversations. He helped the administrative team and the board of trustees to objectively understand our institutional deficiencies but also provided concrete steps to address them in an achievable manner. We wholeheartedly recommend Stephen to assist your school in reaching new potential and achieving your institutional goals.”

“The Webb School engaged Dr. Andrew Taylor to partner with our community in designing a new academic schedule that thoughtfully reflects our 156-year legacy of excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts.

During his time on campus, Dr. Taylor met with students and faculty, taking care to understand the values, priorities, and rhythms that define our community. He then integrated current research on adolescent brain development and learning to design a schedule that is both forward-thinking and deeply aligned with who we are as a school.

Dr. Taylor is exceptionally knowledgeable, engaging, and collaborative. He listens with intention, honors community voice, and addresses institution-specific needs with clarity and insight. At the same time, he thoughtfully educates stakeholders on the broader importance of schedule design in shaping student experience and outcomes.

We are truly grateful for the opportunity to work with Dr. Taylor and offer our strongest recommendation to schools seeking to align their mission, traditions, and daily structures in meaningful and impactful ways.”

“Throughout my career as an educator and Head of School, I have participated in countless workshops, but Dr Holmes presentation on how schools can deliberately enhance their reputation, and drive enrollment stood out as particularly compelling and thought-provoking. We sought his guidance to help rejuvenate our reputation and redefine our strategic plan and future positioning. His methodical and thorough approach using a seven-step process yielded results that were both insightful and actionable. The Board, faculty, and I were deeply impressed by his work, and I am sincerely grateful for the significant and lasting impact he has had on our school.”

“Stephen has the gift of combining business acumen with educational research and a solid dose of common sense. He is articulate, persuasive, creative and highly organised.

Our business association spans over 10 years. Firstly, as a former head of an international school in Singapore, I hired Stephen to talk to current and prospective families about the importance of a school’s reputation. He carefully crafted his presentation to meet the needs of the audience and gave unique and very relevant insights.

Secondly, in my current role as WASC Senior Vice President, International Schools, Stephen has significantly contributed to our WASC member schools’ understanding of marketing, branding, sustaining a positive reputation, and effective and focused strategic planning through participating in our Fireside Chats (webinars). When Stephen is due to speak, our webinars are highly attended, participant engagement is high and participants ask searching and meaningful questions. Although I have been in the educational industry for many years, I always come away from one of his sessions with new ideas and renewed energy !”

“This workshop was insightful, engaging, and highly relevant to my role. The practical strategies and real-life examples provided valuable guidance that I can immediately apply in my institution!”

“The 5Rs Partnership’s school reputation and positioning workshop was excellent and provided great insights for me as someone starting the path in school marketing. The workshop structure was spot on for what it was intended for. The workshop was very helpful and gave me a strong head start in my new role. It also got me thinking from a wider perspective, rather than just marketing the school!”

“Just wanted to say how professional and enlightening your session at EARCOS conference was. The session was energetic and presented with great skill. No wonder you are being snapped up by schools in the US!”

“Thank you both for a really powerful and thought-provoking session – Schedule Innovation: A School Reputation and Positioning Opportunity for ICGS Schools!”

“Dear Stephen,

I wanted to write a few words of thanks for all the work that you have put in to the strategic planning process for The Sultan’s School here in Oman.

Nearly two years ago, we began to discuss what this project would look like after your excellent and informative keynote session at the EARCOS Leadership Conference in Bangkok. After attending this session, I was able to see the great value added in having an external partner in working with my own school to develop a 5-year plan that was truly inclusive, comprehensive and powerful. 

The Sultan’s School is a very well established school which has been running since 1977. It is a complex bilingual institution that is very much part of the social fabric of Oman, producing generations of the country’s leaders. Over the past two years you have been able to capture where the school is going, its strengths and potential areas for growth. This was based on thorough research and in-depth stakeholder participation. You engaged respectfully with our community and have demonstrated considerable empthy for where we are as a school.

Your work has furthermore strengthened our own work on reviewing our guiding statements as a school and been a key pillar of our accrediation journey. After working with you, we have a clear sense of direction and purpose as a school. You have challenged us, supported us and helped us to explore new opportunities with tact and sensitivity.

I would wholeheartedly endorse the work that you and 5RS have done and stronly recommend you to any international school or education group looking for a strategic consultation partner.”