Our
History
Quest Professional evolved from the successful merger of three highly regarded finishing schools in London: Queen's Secretarial College, St James's College and Lucie Clayton Charm Academy. Each College has its own distinguished history dating back to the 1900s and a long-standing reputation for producing high-quality, excellently trained and presented young graduates.
Today’s professional training has a very different face to those early days, but Quest continues to provide an inspirational and unique environment developing highly sought-after individuals. We are committed to remaining current, and since its creation in 2007 as an alternative to university education, Quest has continued to innovate its curriculum, maintaining a strong reputation with top-end employers and establishing strong links with recruiters. As Quest continues to flourish, we strive to remain at the forefront of professional employment preparation.
Today all Quest training takes place at our premises in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, opposite Gloucester Road underground station.
1912
St James's College was founded by Monica Spencer-Munt, a private secretary to Lord Churchill. The College was named after the palace where her career began. Monica pioneered a course which became the blueprint for one of the most successful secretarial courses in the country. The 1980s and 1990s saw the introduction of professional qualifications in management and marketing, as St James's began to align itself with modern day business needs.
1924
Queen's Secretarial College was established with the aim of meeting the needs of young women, excited by the opportunity of a career. Demand for a Queen's secretarial training course soared between the Wars, when it became fashionable and acceptable for young ladies to train in secretarial skills, presentation and decorum.
1928
Sylvia Golledge founded the Lucie Clayton Charm Academy. Having spent time in Paris, Sylvia had observed how poise and grace gave a social advantage to young women. The early timetable was based around developing such skills, before broadening and offering shorthand, typing and flower arranging. By the 1990s, flower arranging had been replaced by advertising, finance, human resources and, of course, IT.
2007
In June 2007, the three colleges merged, forming Quest Business Training, known today as Quest Professional. With professional training, personal development, recruitment experts and a supportive alumni network, Quest now plays a crucial part in the future success of more than 150 young people each year.
