About Portola
A personal UK guardianship service for international students and their families
Laura and Aline met at a children’s ballet class in 2021 and founded Portola Ltd in 2024. They had recognised the need for a more personal approach to guardianship services after having carried out the role for several friends from overseas.
Aline is originally from Berlin, Germany. She spent her 11th grade as a boarder at St. Bede’s in East Sussex, having previously boarded at Louisenlund, a school in the Schleswig-Holstein countryside. Aline, and her husband left Hamburg in 2016 moving to California where they welcomed their three children and have subsequently settled in the UK, moving to London and most recently relocating to Berkshire, a short distance from the city.
Laura grew up in the Sussex countryside and attended Mayfield School, East Sussex and Woldingham, Surrey as a boarder. She moved to London after attending Exeter university and continued to study, work and live there for the next twenty years. Laura, her husband and two children recently moved out of London to the Cotswolds, although they maintain a base in London.
Laura and Aline have the unique perspective of being boarding school pupils themselves from both the UK and abroad. In addition, between them, their children have attended four independent schools, so they have an inherent understanding of the UK educational system and current market.
Their students are their priority and they seek to maintain a continuous dialogue with each selected school in order to give better peace of mind to parents and expand their knowledge.
Portola’s personal approach is key to its success and will always remain at the heart of its values.
