INSIDER
Life in
THE SHACK Sedbergh is a thriving boarding school. Principal, Andrew Fleck shares their admissions and recruitment best practice and provides valuable insights for our readers
“You need to have your finger on the pulse at all times”
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aced with increased competition in the UK and abroad, independent schools are working harder than ever to recruit pupils. When ISC published their 2018 stats that UK boarding numbers had fallen 57% in the last 20 years, you can only imagine the thoughts going through the minds of admissions and marketing departments around the United Kingdom. Sedbergh School is one of the few remaining proper ‘full boarding’ schools in the UK with over 550 pupils who stay 24/7. For a school in the north of England, Sedbergh is doing exceptionally well and has seen a continued increase in applications over the last six years. We
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schooladmissionsplus.com I Summer 2019
believe this is, in large part, attributable to Sedbergh’s global reputation, effective marketing activity and efficient yet personalised admissions process. To further build on this success, Sedbergh is investing in its overseas partnerships and in September 2018 opened Rong Qiao Sedbergh School in China.
It’s about strong foundations
Many schools will talk about structure, discipline and a rigorous curriculum being the core principles that underpin daily life at an independent school. These principles don’t just apply to pupils and teaching staff, it is also evident within an admissions and
marketing department; a well-structured department with strong leadership, realistic expectations and a clear vision and strategy helps form the foundations of an effective team. Every school is different. But most schools promote the same USPs rather than focusing on what really makes their school stand out from the competition. It isn’t just about academic results, league tables, facilities and pastoral care – there is so much more. Articulating this difference can be challenging, but doing so will give those in the school community (pupils, staff, current future and past families, agents, feeder school heads and more) a clear understanding of the school’s ‘X’ factor.
