Blog by Jane Davies and James Leggett, mtm Research Analysts
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… Read more
Blog by Melanie Tucker, mtm’s Managing Director
A large number of parents research independent schools but are not sufficiently convinced of the benefits. And the implications for school marketers?… Read more
While the UK’s independent schools sector is remarkably robust in the face of recession, challenges to charitable status, and national falling affordability, research from mtm suggests that there are a number of key opportunities for independent schools to better recruit from their target markets.
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… Read more
mtmconsulting Proprietorial Schools’ Forum
Monday 13th September, Cavalry and Guards Club, 127 Piccadilly, London W1
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. Read more
taken from the mtm Independent Education Sector Report 2010
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. Read more
The Institute of Fiscal Studies last week released a new report, Private Schooling in the UK and Australia, which explores experiences of private schooling in the two countries and draws similarities and lessons “from each country’s individual experience”.
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.
The Herald Scotland websitetoday reports that Loretto School in Scotland is the first school in the UK to launch an iPhone application for parents to keep up with its activities and events. Read more
Today’s news has covered – in considerable detail – Education Secretary Michael Gove’s letter to all state schools offering them the chance to opt-out of Local Authority control and adopt academy status, essentially offering greater freedom of control to Heads and school leaders over budget, spending and curriculum.
What impact might this have on the way state schools communicate and position their brands, ethos and values to prospective parents and pupils? mtm’s Schools Marketing Consultant Joe Faulkner explores the issue. Read more
mtmconsulting has announced that it will repeat and extend research undertaken in 2007 into how parents afford and pay for their children’s independent education. Read more
mtmconsulting has recently completed the design and build of Aldwickbury School’s new website: www.aldwickbury.org.uk.
Our schools marketing consultant Joe Faulkner recounts the process for the design and construction of their new site.
“mtm found the perfect candidate for the job.”
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