Rachel Hadley-Leonard

Rachel Hadley-Leonard is one of the UK's most experienced consultants specialising in Marketing, Admissions and Development within the independent school sector. With more than thirty years' experience across education, charitable and commercial organisations, she brings a fresh and practical perspective to the challenges schools face in an increasingly competitive market.

Through her consultancy, Rachel works with schools to strengthen recruitment and retention, improve conversion, enhance reputation and drive sustainable growth. Her clients include Prep, Senior, all-through and international schools, where she supports Heads, Governors and Leadership teams with marketing and admissions reviews, stakeholder research, strategic planning, customer journey development, team structures and growth strategies.

Known for combining data, insight and experience, Rachel helps schools better understand their audiences, sharpen their positioning and create more effective recruitment and retention strategies. Her work is grounded in practical recommendations that deliver measurable impact.

Rachel also heads up MAD Recruitment,  building on many years of experience finding and placing the outstanding people in senior Marketing, Admissions and Development roles in schools, taking the headache and heartache out of recruitment.  

A highly regarded speaker, trainer and facilitator, Rachel works with organisations including HMC, GSA, ISBA, AGBIS, AMCIS, IAPS, ISA and IDPE. Rachel teaches on the AMCIS Diploma and is a former independent school Governor, and a judge for global sector awards. She is a regular contributor to publications and conferences and is widely recognised for her expertise, insight and ability to challenge constructively while keeping schools focused on what matters most: sustainable growth and exceptional stakeholder experiences.

Moving schools forward with insight, strategy and action

Consultancy
Recruitment
Training

  • "We were ready and you were perfect."

    - Cara Demetriades | Bursar, St John’s Northwood

  • “Rachel’s roles in leading independent schools and as a consultant have given her a great wealth of experience which she shares sensitively and with real insight… …Rachel has a superb manner which brings the best out of those she meets and works with.”

    - David Morton | Headmaster, King’s School Gloucester

  • “I have greatly enjoyed working with you, as have the rest of the team, and your knowledge and insight will be immensely useful to us here at Stowe as we plan the way forward”

    - Jennie Beebee | Development Officer, Stowe School

  • “Rachel has a deep knowledge of the sector which allows her to bring challenge/new ideas; [she has] real life, pragmatic experience so that her suggestions can actually be implemented (rather than being wholly theoretical) and an independence which allows us, as Governors and staff, to be challenged by an external opinion without any emotional baggage or preconceptions."

    - Kathryn Lamont | Chair of Governors, Terrington Hall Prep School