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.
Gove’s move offers all schools the option to move toward academy status, and for the 2,600 state primary and secondary schools currently judged as outstanding an opportunity to fast-track this change in status. This could lead to a seismic shift in the dynamic of state education, the promise being that school leaders will be able to enjoy far greater freedom over how their schools are run and how children are taught.
With this freedom, presumably, will come a greater degree of distinction between state schools. Amongst existing academies already we see expertise across a broad spectrum of subjects, which sits in stark contrast with the (to use an oft-coined phrase) ‘bog-standard comprehensive’.
As more schools become academies, we envisage a considerable increase in the level of competition for pupils. These schools’ funding models will continue to be based on a per pupil allowance, meaning that competition to attract pupils in areas with a choice of schools will be fierce. (It should be noted that Mr Gove used the concept of ‘choice’ for parents as a key message throughout the run up to this month’s election.)
With so many choices of baked bean marketing and differentiation is key. Are schools any different?
The logical conclusion from this increase in differentiation and competition to attract pupils is that we are likely to see a significant increase in schools’ marketing, communications and promotions activity. This is already evident in the independent schools sector, where marketing and admissions teams are often a core part of school administration and marketing and school research techniques are increasingly sophisticated. In the state sector, schools will increasingly need to illustrate their unique selling points and differentiators in order to maintain a consistent flow of pupils and funding.
Of course, choice for parents and pupils, and the option to choose schools that suit the individual can only be a good thing.
Clarifying individual schools’ brands and positioning, however, is a complex matter. mtmconsulting are specialists in marketing and communications for schools and UK leaders on branding and positioning in education. To discuss our services and how we might support your school, please contact mtm.
