However, the Independent Schools Council’s (ISC) response, arguing that the Sutton Trust’s report was “ based on out of date, incomplete and mismatched data”, gives rise to a broader question: how trustworthy is research into ‘the facts’?

The IEPR’s report found that “schools that charge higher fees… award a smaller proportion of the remissions in the form of bursaries”, and that “schools with a higher rank in The Times League Tables… tend to offer lower fee remissions”. Meanwhile, the ISC claims to have repeated the IEPR’s research using its own more recent data taken across a greater number of schools (ISC data was across 477 schools in comparison with the IEPR’s 348 sample schools), finding “no correlation between bursaries and a school’s ranking or revenue”.

This argument puts the observer  in something of a quandary: two well regarded research bodies, with two apparently sound methodologies, yet with two significantly different outcomes. Which is right? Which is more trustworthy?

It's important to use an independent and unbiased third-party for research in order to ensure rigour

It’s not a new problem, of course, as the range of jokes and one-liners on statistics proves this:

• “90% of all statistics are made up on the spot”
• “Death is fatal in 9 of 10 cases”
• “70% of people prefer good things to bad things”

etc.

Given that the Sutton Trust’s website claims its main objective is to ”improve educational opportunities for young people from non-privileged backgrounds and increase social mobility”, while a core strategic aim for the ISC is “to promote the independent schools sector”. The interests of each party are clear and while we stress again the calibre of work from both, and that research was no doubt carried out objectively, the findings of each group are startlingly aligned with these interests.

So what should be done? How can people know that when commissioning their own research for schools and colleges that the results will be unbiased, accurate and truly reflective of their situation.

As a truly independent research, marketing and strategic consultancy for schools and colleges, mtm’s work is always accurate and rigorous. We have developed our research work over 25 years, and now offer a broad range of school research services, including our Mandarin market and catchment area analysis, parent surveys and interviews, street and door to door services, and mystery shopper exercises. Meanwhile our research publications, including the Independent Education Sector Report, the Missing Million report, Schools Marketing Survey, and School Fees Payment Survey cover the whole of the UK schools market and are carried out with the same rigour and expertise.

To discuss our work and how we might be able to support you, please contact mtm.

Related posts:

1. Independent school research shows fees top £30k for the first time
2. Blog post – Independent schools offer refuge from the storm in state education
3. Who buys independent education?

The coalition government’s recent – and significant – reduction in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme is likely to have knock-on effects through the education sector, including in independent schools…

The cancellation of over 700 state school rebuilding and refurbishment projects by the Department for Education will have a deep impact across the education sector including, we feel, the independent sector. The former Labour government had pledged to commit over £45 billion nationally to rebuild secondary schools and £1.9 billion to refurbish or rebuild primary schools, although this was expected to increase.

With dark clouds and thundery rumbles looming for the state sector, independent schools are able to offer welcome stability to parents

The scrapping of the BSF programme, combined with the possibility of further cost cutting, will surely introduce a strong sense of uncertainty amongst parents and encourage those on the periphery to be more inclined towards considering independent schools and their often superior facilities and buildings, independent revenue streams and inherent stability.

On a local level, many independent schools with neighbouring newly built state schools are likely to have suffered by comparison with them in recent years, especially amongst the undecideds. Moving forward, those independents who find themselves neighbouring schools with cancelled projects seem in a much healthier position to benefit from disgruntled parents seeking refuge in the independent sector.

In a significant proportion of independent school parental satisfaction surveys carried out by mtm, facilities are rated as one of the most important factors when choosing a school - often as important as academic outcomes. Indeed, the facilities ‘war’ between competing independent schools for at least the last 10 years has been well-documented.

The last government’s huge investment in maintained schools’ buildings and facilities has effectively increased competition in the marketplace, with independents altering their school marketing strategies accordingly to define alternative USPs (including small class sizes, individual attention and ethos). However, in areas where BSF projects have been cancelled, and with the cloud of further reforms looming for the state sector, independent schools appear to be in a good position to offer much needed shelter.

mtm is the UK’s leading provider of research, marketing and strategic advice for schools. To discuss our services please contact mtm.

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1. Blog post – As parents get smarter, school research becomes more crucial
2. Blog post – Learning to fly – and persuading parents to take the leap
3. Parents back plans for independent state schools

A large number of parents research independent schools but are not sufficiently convinced of the benefits. And the implications for school marketers?…

Joe Faulkner, our brilliant Head of Marketing and Business Development sent all the mtm division directors a cunning little email a month ago asking us to write a regular blog (you can see the others at our blog bank). I asked what I should write about – something to do with marketing, he proffered.  

Last week I was woken at 5.30a.m. in the middle of the City of London by the screeching of a peregrine falcon teaching its youngster to fly.

I watched as the parent tried to give the right messages to the fledgling huddled beside the nest on the top of a huge tower block.

Making the leap: Schools need to persuade parents of the real benefits.

“It’s easy really,” said the parent, “you just jump, open your wings, soar a bit without too much panicky flapping and you’ll be fine”.

“You have got to be joking” the youngster screeched. “This  just isn’t for me.  I’m much too comfortable where I am. I have a comfy bed, food, full waitress service and a lovely view.”

It was only after a huge amount of parental pressure that take-off was achieved, with the youngster just managing it to the next tower block and so on. But now there was no turning back, this was fun, it’s so much more dangerous and fulfilling when you can fly.

But what does this have to do with schools marketing, you are probably asking?

mtm has been working with a number of independent schools recently who are trying to ensure that they attract a broad range of families into their schools. The Missing Million schools research report published by mtmconsulting last year identified that there are a good number of families who can afford to pay fees. However, like the young peregrine, they are equipped to take the leap but don’t initially see the obvious advantage.

The evidence shows that large numbers of families research schools via the web but that this research does not culminate in a decision for change. So when designing a school website be sure that you are communicating effectively with visitors in the way that they want – be they prospective or current parents.  

• Individually – because people want to feel that they matter
• Interactively – because people want to be able to select options and control their choices
• With immediacy – because parents are busy. They need to feel that your school has time for them and that they have easy access to information
• With intimacy – because if you make it easy for customers to communicate it enables you to get much closer to their requirements
• With imagination – because customers want you to  empathise with them

If your school’s website is constructed with the above pointers in mind it will give you an advantage in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Some feel its only a matter of time before ‘free schools’ (or the new term – ‘choice schools’) recruit from the traditional independent schools market, so it pays to focus on improving communication. Now.  

We live in interesting times.

The five ’ i’ points above are from  Nigel May Barlow’s  excellent book on customer care ‘Batteries Included’

mtm helps schools with marketing, strategy and research. Our services range from mergers consulting to website design and perception surveys. For details of how we can help your school please contact mtm.

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In this  excerpt from the mtmconsulting Missing Million Report, 2008 (follow the link for details) we explore where potential buyers drop out of the decision making process…

The Missing Million Report (based on a parental survey carried out of some 836 households with school-age children and a target income of £50,000+) suggests the following:

• 66% have, at some point, considered sending at least one child to an independent school
• Of those that have considered it, 92% have gone on to conduct research on at least one specific independent school (talking to people about the school, reading up on it or visiting it)
• Of those that have conducted research, 83% visited a school
• Of those visitors, 53% went on to send at least one child to an independent school.

The chart illustrates the high number of potential buyers dropping out at the research / visiting stages

This is reflected in the chart to the left, which shows the crucial stages of decision-making amongst parents. It should reiterated that our research found that little over half of all parents who visited independent schools went on to enrol a place at such a school.

We believe this to be a significant indicator that there is great potential for independent schools’ marketing and communications to be greatly enhanced, particularly around the messages conveyed to prospective parents; the quality of marketing, school websites and promotional material; and the effectiveness of school tours.

In addition:

• Parents in London are much more likely to consider an independent school for their children (79% versus the national average of 66%) and are also more likely to ultimately send them.
• Parents in the South/East of England are less likely to consider it (62% versus 66%) although the proportions subsequently researching, considering and sending are in line with the national average.
• Parents in the Midlands/Wales are slightly less likely to consider and research independent schools and are then moderately less likely to visit and use independent schools.
• Parents in the North/Scotland are only slightly less likely than the national average to undertake most stages in the process.

The chart above also shows the points at which parents drop out of the buying process. Based on an estimated 1.2 million target households with school-age children, an estimated 933,000 of these households are non-buyers of independent education.

These non-buyers can be segmented as follows: 415,000 that have never considered independent schools; 63,000 that have considered but never researched; 123,000 that have researched but never visited; 284,000 that have visited but never bought; and 47,000 that are former buyers.

The implications for independent school marketing teams here are huge, indicating over 300,000 potential (and former) buyers of independent education that have considered it, but decided against it.

mtm helps schools with their brand positioning, marketing, research and strategic thinking. To discuss our services please contact mtm.

Click here for more details about mtm’s Missing Million report.

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3. Private need not be a middle-class preserve: marketing independent schools

The date of the September Proprietorial Schools’ Forum event – the latest in our series of half day seminar and discussion events for owners and heads of proprietorial schools, is confirmed as 13th September.

The draft programme for this event is as follows:

0930 – Coffee and Registration

0945 – The Landscape After the General Election – Opportunities and Threats

1025 – Succession Planning

1105 – Coffee Break

1120 – Marketing – the next ten years

1200 – Proprietors’ Discussion Forum

1245 – Drinks, buffet lunch, networking

1430 – Close

The Proprietorial Schools’ Forum has proved highly popular since its inception in September 2008. The Forum was established in response to demand for an event at which private owners of schools could meet to discuss exclusively the issues which concern them.   

The fee for the forum is £55. This includes drinks and buffet lunch. For more details about the event, and to book a place, please contact mtm.

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Over the last few years the marketing press has contained lots of articles about how consumers are getting savvier. The Internet has increased the dissemination of information -– be it prices, product reviews or examples of shocking customer service. And we now live in a consumer society where people are wise to marketing messages.

Independent schools have to contend with this trend more than most sectors.

Why? Because your parents are largely drawn from a pool of the brightest, most educated, most connected people out there. School fees are probably the single biggest outlay in their annual household expenditure (or the second biggest after their mortgage). These people are holding you to the highest of standards.

We notice this when we run focus groups of parents for schools. Over the years we have seen the language of marketing enter parents’ vocabularies.

They now openly talk about a school’s market positioning, its brand values, marketing tactics and communications strategy – using that exact terminology. They see through marketing flannel and unconvincing explanations: in marketing parlance anything that isn’t ‘authentic’.

This is a tough audience.

But it’s also a major opportunity. These people can help you. You don’t own your brand -– rather it is what your customers and potential customers think of you.

So what better place to start than with your existing customers? What do they perceive to be your strengths, as well as areas for improvement? What advice can they offer you? Get your communications right with this audience and they will amplify your message by word-of-mouth to your wider potential audience.

mtm helps schools and colleges to understand their customers through a range of research exercises, and offer consultancy on how strategic work should reflect this. To discuss how we may be able to help your school please contact mtm.

Related posts:

1. Blog post – Learning to fly – and persuading parents to take the leap
2. Blog post – Independent schools offer refuge from the storm in state education
3. Marketing independent schools: where do parents drop out?

Professor Tooley made these claims speaking at last weekend’s Festival of Education at Wellington. He suggested that costs could be cut by employing young but enthusiastic teachers, increasing use of technology to reduce staffing costs, increasing class sizes and even allowing commercial sponsorship of facilities, “such as soap companies advertising in school toilets”.

When put in context alongside the government’s significant reduction of investment in the Building Schools for the Future, and high profile political campaigning for independent free schools and increased numbers of schools converting to academy status, the prospect of a school group offering truly independent education at this low price is likely to appeal to many.

However, the realities of the matter may be somewhat different, particularly when focussing on the idea that larger classes could provide an opportunity to reduce fees, with the implicit  notion that these larger classes would not spark a decline in the attractiveness of such schools.     

This sits well alongside research from McKinsey & co published in How the World’s Best Performing School Systems come out on Top (2008), which shows clear evidence that small classes make very little difference to pupil attainment, especially compared to the seismic difference that pedagogy makes: “The quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers”, writes the report.

Despite this, though, there can be little  doubt that class sizes are important to parents – the buyers who would need to be convinced of Professor Tooley’s model. At mtm we regularly undertake parental satisfaction surveys for our clients examining, amongst other things, reasons why parents chose that school. The most recent 55 surveys of independent school buyers shows that ‘small class sizes’ are the top influencer over parental decision making (albeit in equal first place with ‘ethos’ and ‘quality of teaching’).

Our research shows class size is among the most important factors in choosing a school for parents

So what does this mean? There is a clear need for schools to cut costs if they are to retain parents, many of whom are concerned about their ability to continue paying rapidly rising fees. There is similarly little doubt that a higher pupil : teacher ratio would go some significant way towards cutting such costs. But if doing so alienates your existing buyers, or they feel that value for money is declining, might it be a risk too far?  

This is where a sound and integrated research, communications and school marketing strategy comes in. Any new schools following such a low-cost model would first carefully assess the market place and quality of competition, both from independent and state education providers. Survey or street research should be undertaken to understand parental priorities, socio-economic analysis to understand the social make-up of the catchment area is key and, of course, clear and effective school marketing is a must…

mtm is the UK market leader in research, strategy and marketing for UK independent and state schools. To discuss how we may be able to support you, please contact mtm here.

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A close look at the 2010 ISC census figures may prompt a bead of sweat to form on the brow of senior school leaders…

The  Independent Schools Council’s (ISC) annual census of school numbers and fees remains the essential benchmark of the health of the independent education sector. Its near 30 year historical sequence permits confident and secure decision-making, both at the sector level and for sub-sectors within it: boarding schools, girls’ schools, and so on.

And, as my colleague Gavin Humphries noted in The mtmconsulting Independent Education Sector Report 2010, its figures demonstrate convincingly that, after a 25 year period in which prolonged steady growth was only briefly interrupted by the recession of the early 1990s, pupil numbers have stagnated for some five years now.

The 2010 ISC Census confirmed this, showing too the early effects of the latest recession with an overall drop in numbers of 0.6%. The ISC, when it published the census, very sensibly put an optimistic spin on the figures, pointing out that the total school population in the United Kingdom is continuing to fall, as it has been since the early years of the century and that, therefore, the sector’s market share is actually still rising.

But it did not attempt to disguise the fact that overall rolls for prep and junior schools have been falling more rapidly (down 2.1% from Reception to Year 6 overall) and even pre-school numbers – the engine of independent school growth in the past – are also falling.

This appeared to confirm a perception general throughout the sector that independent junior schools  have been finding life tougher for some time now – since long before we found ourselves in the current financial tundra.

But look closer. As always in the ISC Census, Table 3 – the age cohort breakdown – is the most revealing. Certainly, numbers of seven, eight and nine- year-olds are well down, by between 3- 4%. But encouragingly, and perhaps in belated response to the rising birthrate, numbers of five- and six-year-olds are actually increasing, suggesting a return to more robust recruitment at these ages.

Do senior schools face a reduction in pupil numbers?

And a look at the 11-year-old cohort, the crucial recruitment year for most independent senior schools, should chill the bones of senior school marketers and registrars: down by nearly two and a half per cent. So are senior schools about to be hit by a recruitment double whammy – lower numbers coming through from prep schools and a tougher recruitment environment from outside?

mtmconsulting has worked with hundreds of schools to help them understand their potential market, their parents and how to position themselves successfully. To discuss how we might be able to help your school please contact mtm.

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Households in Great Britain can be classified into different types – one such classification is the Acorn system  (developed by CACI Ltd) that is used in mtm’s Mandarin (market and area intelligence) catchment area analysis service. The Acorn system divides individual postcodes into one of 17 different groups. What’s particularly striking in looking at independent school buyers is that typical buyers make up just one third of households but four fifths of independent school pupils.

There are five groups (1A-2E in the following list), making up 33% of households, which are particularly relevant to independent schools since they account for an estimated 78% of the sector’s pupils. A sixth group (3H below) is under-represented in independent education, but is important because of its large size. The groups are:

1.A Wealthy Executives – the largest group comprising an estimated 38% of independent school pupils. These are people who live in wealthy, high status suburban, rural and semi-rural areas of the country. Given their wealth, this type of household is over five times as represented in the independent school sector since they comprise only 8% of all UK households.

1.B Affluent Greys – 13% of pupils. These are older, prosperous people often living in rural towns and villages who, if they are employed, are typically in a managerial or professional role.

1.C Flourishing Families – 12% of pupils. These are wealthy families living in established suburbs, new housing developments around commuter towns and rural areas.

2.D Educated Urbanites – 7% of pupils. These are younger city dwellers in professional and managerial roles.

2.E Prosperous Professionals – 8% of pupils. These are the most prosperous people living in the main cities and working in senior managerial and professional occupations.

3.H Secure Families – 9% of pupils. These are families living comfortably in suburban and semi-rural locations and employed in a range of occupations. Incomes are at least of average levels and many earn well above the national average. Within this group, there are also some neighbourhoods with high numbers of comfortably off Asian families. Although Secure Families are under-represented in independent education, they are important because of their large number.

This table shows, for example, how large a proportion of independent school buyers are formed by Wealthy Executives Group, despite a lower proportion in the base population

The table to the left shows how independent school pupils are distributed amongst the key Acorn groups.

The first column shows the estimated number of independent school pupils in each Acorn group, the second column the share of the total that this accounts for. The third column shows how all households in Great Britain are divided between these groups and the fourth column shows how well each Acorn group is represented in independent education compared to its national size.

mtm helps clients throughout the UK with school strategic planning and marketing. Our Mandarin research is the only product available to give schools a thorough and scientific understanding of their potential market. For a conversation about how Mandarin can help you, please contact mtm.

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A number of the report’s core findings relating to the UK independent schools market place are relatively well documented elsewhere, not least by mtm. These include tracking of “long-run decline” in the pupil-teacher ratio in the independent sector, and the growth of academies and free schools.

However, the report also flags up two trends relating to target markets that independent school educational strategies should take notice of.

1) Independent school fee increases have significantly outstripped income, even amongst the top earners.

The IFS research shows that “during the 1980s independent school fees grew rapidly… (but) top incomes amongst families with children grew by a similar amount”. The period from 1992 to 2008, however, is drastically different, with increases amongst top earners of around 35% compared with day school fee increases of 83% and boarding school fee increases of 65%.

This statistic provides some explanation for the observation that ”independent schools have failed to capitalise on long-term growth in their target market” (i.e. social classes 1&2), explored in the mtmconsulting Education Sector Report.  

2) “Children are at least three times more likely to attend a private school if one of their parents attended one”.  

School marketers should take note of this. While the Independent Schools Council commented in The Guardian, quite rightfully, that  this reflects a high level of satisfaction amongst buyers of independent education, it also suggests that independent school marketing is not engaging with ‘first-time buyers’.

School marketing strategies perhaps should thus be amended to appeal more strongly to this market place, through better understanding buyer priorities in school selection, the value of means-tested fees support and promotion activities to alert would-be buyers to their local independent school’s presence.

Anecdotal evidence has suggested that schools who have embarked on radio and television campaigns have been successful in enhancing recruitment from families new to the independent sector, and we might anticipate collaborative efforts from regional groups of schools to better alert first-time buyers to them.

mtmconsulting is the leader in marketing UK colleges and schools. We offer our clients world-class educational research, strategy and marketing advice. For details on how we might be able to support your school please contact mtm.

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