Marketing
School design and marketing
One of the many lessons that I learnt about setting up a new school is the importance of marketing to school design, and, conversely, school design to marketing. In many ways, design can help bridge your vision and ambitions for education with the students, parents and staff who will make it a reality. Thinking strategically about your school's design is critical to ensuring the long term growth, sustainability and affordability of your school as a whole. I have been able to work with some of the most experienced people in the business, and here are some of them:
Web design for schools
Jon Exley Digital Design – websites for school groups. Jon Exley is an experienced web designer. As digital operations manager at Hays, he understands that your website is the key to marketing your school and giving it a 'public presence.' Jon is skilled in SEO - to make sure your website has excellent digital coverage. He can also help to structure your website so that you can develop and maintain it over time. Jon has produced many recruitment websites for schools to ensure that they will find the best teachers around.
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Attracting students to your school
Jonathan Fingerhut, Strategic Marketing for Schools - As the founding chair of one of the UK's first parent-promoted schools JCoSS, Jonathan has unique expertise in free schools, and in particular the fundamental importance of marketing in setting up a new school. Attracting and sustaining students and families to new and existing schools is critical. Strategic marketing for schools offers a range of services, not only to free schools but also to independent and special schools, that will help you promote your school and ensure that it has full roll of students.
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Engaging with the community
Ben Rich, Ben Rich Associates - Ben provides advice to a variety of community and faith organisations. He led the community consultations and public relations on JCoSS, and played a critical role throughout the planning process to help get the school off the ground. Ben's advice was instrumental to ensure that the engagement sessions with both the school community and the wider public were effective. Ben has also been working with one of the first free schools, and coordinated and presented at the New Schools Network seminar in October. Community engagement and support are particularly critical for new schools, as well as being a continuing priority for existing schools.
