1. Start with a focus group
This sounds obvious but never underestimate the power of talking to your audience. Each school in your trust will face different challenges. Setting up a focus group and listening to parents will help you to understand what each school is doing well and areas for improvement. Existing parents can be your biggest ambassadors so make sure to engage with them and take them on your journey.
Survey Monkey is a fantastic, free resource to help you to collect anonymous feedback from families. Top tip: keep surveys short and simple. Parents don’t want to spend more than 5 minutes completing a questionnaire.
2. Open your doors
Open Evenings are a fantastic way to encourage parents to visit your school. Most schools open their doors for a night in September or October. Why not buck the trend and host extra events throughout the year? Inviting guests to your Summer Fair or Christmas Market will help parents to experience the ethos and community values of your school.
3. Spread the word
Social media is a powerful, cost-effective way to connect with your target audience. Posts, reels and stories can be boosted to specific demographics to raise awareness of events and spread good news about your school. Keep messages short and limit text to key information. Top tip: create templated posts so that they are consistent and recognisable helping to build a strong brand image. Canva is a brilliant, free tool to help make your posts look professional.
4. Share Ofsted’s views
Most parents are influenced by Ofsted ratings. Don’t let ‘Good’ define you – tell parents specifically what Ofsted report you’re doing well. This will help to differentiate you from your competitors. Placing punchy quotes on railing banners will promote a positive image within the community.
5. Support parents
The admissions process can be daunting for first time parents. Be the voice of empathy and expertise by simplifying the process. Try these 3 easy techniques:
- record a short video explaining the process for your website
- hang a railing banner outside of your school with a QR code linked to your admissions page (My QR is a free resource to help you)
- share a ‘how to apply’ postcard with feeder schools providing key dates and top tips
For professional support to increase admissions, call our team today.