In this excerpt from mtm’s Independent Education Sector Report 2010, we look at a likely trend driving the future of independent school businesses, and how shrewd school marketing teams might be best placed to respond to this.
The following excerpt is taken from the ’Scenarios to 2030′ section of the report, which has been widely praised amongst independent school heads, bursars, marketing managers and observers alike.
Higher parental expectations
Independent schools are already used to demanding parents. In 2009 anecdotal evidence from our survey (the report is partly informed by a survey of 31 sector leaders) revealed that parents are becoming even more “picky” when choosing schools, paying closer attention to inspection reports and examination performance, demanding more attention from heads and taking longer to decide on offers.
We believe that the trend towards higher parental expectations will become near universal because…
- Public opinion will recognise the need to overhaul the state education system and will resolve to do better for current and future generations. Parents in the state sector will not tolerate “bog standard” schools. Even children could become much more motivated by educational achievement.
- Economic competition from emerging markets will place a greater importance on education, qualifications and skills as a means of establishing successful careers. Education will perhaps be increasingly treasured, as it is in emerging markets, rather than seen as merely a right.
- People’s lives are increasingly diverse so there will be more distinct groups of parents with common values and attitudes towards life in general and education in particular. An example: for a growing minority of parents materialism, the “culture that has dominated our lives and behaviour for the past two decades, has been uncovered as a sham… [producing] a fast hit, then a vague sense of dissatisfaction” (Rosie Boycott, speaking in The Sunday Times, 31st May 2009). Education for its own sake will be an important issue for them, as is the instilling of values and morals in their children.
However, state provision will not able to deliver what parents want at the necessary scale. Instead, the operation of schools could increasingly be handed over to private companies, just as might happen as a result of limited funding. This will likely begin with the creation of free schools, but the policy eventually moves on to state schools. This process will be accepted by parents and be supported by all political parties (who must be seen to be championing the demands of parents and children). Labour will probably accept the free schools set up by the Conservatives – the party will largely recognise that the comprehensive system could not meet parents’ expectations and it will not have found a suitable alternative itself. So in power it will be content to maintain the free schools.
What might the results be?
Menu-based options. The varying needs of individual pupils are catered for with different types of school run by different kinds of operator. In order to further increase customisation, all schools (even those that specialize in particular types of pupil) have a menu of options that pupils and parents can choose from. Virtually every aspect of what schools do has to take into account the specific requirements of the individual child.
Mixing and matching. As a pupil’s needs also vary over time, there is even more mixing and matching than there was in 2010. By then there was already plenty of evidence that pupils were transferring between independent schools more and at non-traditional moving points and that children from the same family were increasingly being sent to different schools.
Children as decision-makers. The rising expectations of children mean that they are more important in the decision-making process. A headmaster observed to us that the decision about which independent school to attend is being made by a greater proportion of children and at a younger age. “In the [mid-1990s] they did it at 16+: by the turn of the Millennium it was more and more at 13+ and 11+; [now it is] a growing trend at 9+ and 7+.”
New forms of marketing. Independent schools’ marketing has to change radically to reflect this driving force. Increased marketing activity from free schools means it is even more important for each independent school to have a very clear statement about its principles and points of differentiation. The coffee table prospectus has disappeared, being replaced by downloadable prospectuses, DVD guides and virtual visits and webcams in most lessons. Although independent schools had been slow to develop a presence on Facebook and Twitter, they are quicker off the mark as these social networking and blogging sites are superseded by new formats. Finally current parents are also a target for marketing activities that seek to boost customer loyalty and keep the incidence of mixing and matching down. This means inclusive event management, regularly updated online report cards and web-based parent-teacher forums. This focus on current parents has the added advantage of making it more likely that parents act as ambassadors, recommending the school to friends, neighbours and colleagues.
mtm consulting has worked alongside independent schools for 25 years. To discuss how we can support you through turbulent times in school strategy, marketing and e-marketing, please contact mtm.
