Susie is a Partner with a passion for working with schools and charitable bodies, in both the maintained and independent sector, and with both mainstream and special schools.
Traditionally seated in the corporate, commercial and charities team at VWV, Susie is a partner who runs Narrow Quay Solutions, a trading consultancy of Veale Wasbrough Vizards LLP. Susie manages our team of finance and operational consultants, offering a wide range of consultancy services to schools, including feasibility studies, efficiency reviews, strategy consultations and international admissions advice.
Susie also leads our VAT Taskforce - a multi-disciplinary team of lawyers, accountants and school advisors and has spoken at conferences, run workshops and webinars and presented directly to finance committees and boards at schools in relation to the VAT policy and its implications.
She has advised over 100 schools in relation to flexible fee paying arrangements in the last 2 years, with a focus on fees in advance schemes and regulatory concerns such as consumer credit issues
Outside of the independent sector, Susie leads on all corporate aspects of academies sector work, with a focus on academy conversions, mergers and re-brokerages. Susie started her legal career as a banking solicitor, supporting a range of clients on borrowing and lending arrangements and security options.
Susie is based in our Bristol office but can support you nationally.
This is outstanding work… there is no way we could have developed this level of documentation without your expertise. … the detail you have provided on our own specific circumstances was comprehensive…I am delighted with this work. Many thanks for doing this for me.
What others say
"Susie, thank you for an incredible effort on Friday afternoon/evening. I aspire to be anywhere near as eloquent as you are! Your ability to cut through the situation as it arose late Friday was impressive. With great clarity of thought and an accurate assessment of the situation, some brilliant emails turned it around so that we have the conclusion we needed!"
"Thank you so much Susie, As ever you have been such a support."
"I just wanted to thank you for your invaluable support. The team meeting we had initially was so vital to us getting the right protections we wanted for the school. Thank you so much."
"I wanted to specifically comment on Susie's excellent work on what has been a complicated and time pressured matter."
What you might like to know
When not at work, Susie spends her time on the Bristol amateur dramatics circuit, singing and performing in plays and musicals. In 2025 Susie is part of the national Let the People Sing initiative, performing in Les Misérables on the Bristol Hippodrome stage in August 2025.
She is also a keen target rifle shot and has represented England and GB in international competitions in Canada, the USA, Australia and South Africa. Her next overseas competition is to the Channel Islands in May 2025.
Other teams Susie works with
In addition to the Corporate team, Susie also works across other teams to provide support, including our Charities, Tax, Regulatory and Compliance teams. She also works with our Real Estate and Commercials teams.
