Independent School
MARKETING I TOPICAL ISSUES I INSIGHTS
ADMISSIONS Plus EXCELLENCE IN STUDENT RECRUITMENT
MAXIMISING
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A GUIDE TO
GUARDIANSHIP
Winter 2019
ADMISSIONS DASHBOARDS
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elping you find first class teachers.
Exclusively for independent schools.
At Harris Hill Independent Schools we follow the philosophy of doing one thing exceptionally well, which is why we specialise in high quality permanent/long-term teaching and non-academic staff, solely for the independent sector. As the UK’s only agency focused exclusively on independent education, and with personal and teaching experience ourselves, we’re able to offer genuine understanding of the sector, the unique requirements of your school, and the calibre of person needed to meet them. This is why Harris Hill are renowned among many reputable and high-ranking schools nationwide, regularly appointing outstanding candidates for roles such as:
Early Years Teachers • Specialist Subject Teachers • Heads of Department Senior Leadership Team • Development (and further non-academic staff)
You can rely on our highly professional service to: • Undertake the full recruitment process
to your own exemplary standards, saving you valuable time and resource
• Provide you with talented, fully
vetted candidates who are ideally suited to the ethos of your school
In the past year alone we’ve made successful appointments for a wide range of excellent schools, including: Pembridge Hall
Lancing College
Rokeby School
Epsom College
Giggleswick School
Sevenoaks School
Connaught House
St James Junior School
Mulberry House School Lord Wandsworth College North Bridge House Senior School
St Paul’s School (Barnes) North London Collegiate School Notting Hill & Ealing High School
If you’d like to find out more, please contact Jess Green or Faye Marshall via the details below and we will be delighted to help you.
020 7587 5153
www.harrishillschools.co.uk
schools@harrishill.co.uk
Independent School
ADMISSIONS Plus
William Clarence Education Ltd Green Park House, 15 Stratton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8LQ Tel: +44 (0)207 412 8988 EDITORIAL Editor Iris Jackson iris@williamclarence.com Editor-in-Chief Steve Spriggs steve@williamclarence.com PRODUCTION Design & Print Constructive Media roger@constructivemedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Sales Iris Jackson iris@williamclarence.com PUBLISHER William Clarence Education Ltd William Clarence Education is a leading UK education consultancy working with independent schools throughout the UK, and British international schools overseas. williamclarence.com schooladmissionsplus.com DISTRIBUTION Print and digital copies of Independent School Admissions Plus are distributed to named head teachers, principals, marketing and admissions leads in every independent school in the UK, plus British international schools overseas. The magazine is published twice a year. © William Clarence Education. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. The information contained in Independent School Admissions Plus has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded to the fullest extent permitted by law. Front cover: Cranleigh School in Surrey making a good first impression. See page 14.
Foreword
There’s a peculiarly British habit of trying to undermine something that’s proven, successful and admired around the world, and sometimes UK independent schools get caught up in this tangled net of negativity. Media watchers will have no doubt read at various points in the past few months, stories ranging from urging independent schools to widen their access at one end through to scrapping their charitable status, slapping VAT on fees or even outright abolition of the sector at the other. Given the current general mood of political uncertainty it is impossible to know which, if any, of the various ‘doomsday’ scenarios may actually come to pass, which begs the question of where this actually leaves the thousands of excellent independent schools spread across hundreds of miles from Exeter to Elgin. Fortunately for parents the answer is simple. While politicians and journalists chatter away, British independent schools are getting on with the job they have done for decades or even centuries, providing the very best education and all-round development for young people from two to 18 years. So, for the parent looking for the right school for their child, the choice across the independent sector remains extraordinary, perhaps even bewildering. Large schools, small schools, city schools, country schools, day schools, boarding schools, junior schools, senior schools, co-ed schools, single-sex schools, all-round schools and specialist schools. Whatever pre-school, primary or secondary education question any parent might have, the UK independent sector, as ever, has the answer! Robin Fletcher
CEO,The Boarding Schools’ Association
Winter 2019 I schooladmissionsplus.com
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“When it comes to school branding, Heavenly is a class act” Sarah Lee
Director of Marketing & PR Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools
To find out more email john.rhys@weareheavenly.com
London | Cardiff | Birmingham
FREE WEBINAR The Parent Experience and Journey Tuesday 26 November p.18
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Susan Barnhurst Academic Deputy Head at Wellingborough School and senior leader for a major UK examining board Dr Helen Wright Educational consultant, former Head of St Mary’s Calne and President of the Girls’ Schools Association Tory Gillingham AMCIS CEO, former Marketing Director at Pocklington School and Marketing and Development Director at St Peter’s School, York Dianne Barrett Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate, advisor for safeguarding and compliance and former Head Ian Hunt School board member in the UK and Middle East, leader of international educational projects and a contributor to the national press Hilary Moriarty Schools inspector, an educational journalist and former National Director of the Boarding Schools’ Association Hugh Monro Board director and chair of governors for schools in the UK and Europe, and previously Master, Wellington College Peter Tait Educational journalist, advisor, trainer and former Head of Sherborne Preparatory School Stuart Nicholson Principal at Bishopstrow College, former Head of CCCS and Kingsley School and former Chair of ISA and CIFE Nick Gallop Head of Stamford School, regular contributor to the TES and editor of Politics Review
If you would like to have your voice heard please email us with your thoughts and ideas at info@schooladmissionsplus.com
Contents 4 9 13 14 19 20 23 27 28 32 34 35
Project rebrand
Sarah Lee from Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools shares their engaging story
Dashboard for success
Learn how to measure your vital admissions and recruitment statistics
Prospectus of the Year Award Read about our worthy competition winner
First impressions
Three schools talk about their experiences and best practice
Marketing speak
Tory Gillingham, AMCIS CEO, on their work and the ever-changing landscape
Educational guardianship: a brief guide AEGIS provides guidance and top tips for international student welfare
Spotlight on the USA
Gain an understanding of this growing market and their education system
Competition
A chance to showcase the work of your marketing and admissions teams
Good relations
Make the most of educational agents for international student recruitment
How are we doing?
Discover a new service to help with your marketing and recruitment activities
Jobs board
The latest educational vacancies
The feedback loop
Consider Nick Gallop’s perspective on feedback for innovation and survival Winter 2019 I schooladmissionsplus.com
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INSIDER
PROJECT REBRAND Following on from our feature on branding in the previous issue of ISAP, Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools agreed to share their own experience. They took the courageous step to redefine the schools’ brand. Sarah Lee, Director of Marketing and PR talks us through the process
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illiam Jones was a local boy who became a London Haberdasher, and part of his legacy led to the establishment of Monmouth School in 1614. The school has seen a lot of changes over the past 400 years, the most recent of which was in 2017 when the school rebranded. But it was much more than that – the school structure, efficiency, vision, purpose, philosophy and values were all re-examined and re-defined.
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What was the impetus?
‘We have a 10-year schools’ strategy and as we worked to develop our next 10-year plan, we became increasingly aware of the huge changes in the education sector and the challenges that lay ahead for us as educators and for our students. Set in a beautiful semi-rural area in the Wye Valley, there are not that many children in our day catchment area. We have, therefore, always had to work hard to attract students and have been fortunate to benefit from a large
number of regional British boarders and forces families. We have over 1,300 children across five schools, so are really quite a big school. But when they are broken down into their smaller parts it means you still have the friendliness, where everyone knows each other. It’s a lovely set up. We wanted to ensure we were offering a progressive education suited to modern life for all our students. A key issue to address in the review was affordability. We felt parents could not
The marketing team at Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools
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How about budgets?
“It was an unusually large piece of research for an independent school” be expected to continue to pay constantly increasing fees to off-set costs which were often outside the schools’ control – the increase in employer contributions to teachers’ pensions, changes in legislation, minimum wage – combined with increases in building and maintenance costs have all had a big impact over the past decade. You have to deliver best practice across every single area which meant we had to examine everything we did to improve our efficiency and our offer.’
How did you go about it?
‘One of the great strengths of these schools is that everyone loves them and that means they are passionately involved. But with a brand review you need clear thinking, and a level of objectivity. We commissioned an external branding agency, Heavenly, to undertake the review to maintain the necessary objectivity, and because there were so many different strands to the project. It was a sound investment because we wanted to be as consultative as possible, and when you gather all that information you really need someone who can present it in a clear and unambiguous way. Initially, we had shortlisted six agencies. We had a very clear brief and the companies pitched for the project. Our selection panel included the Senior Heads, Chairs of Schools, an external marketing executive, representatives from
the Haberdashers, staff, governors and me. We were very brave – we went for company that had a really fresh approach with masses of experience outside the schools’ sector. We started gathering information in 2016-17. It was very intense. We were trying to run parent focus groups in the evenings, pupil focus groups at lunchtime, online staff questionnaires and staff focus groups with a mixture of different subjects, different disciplines, and roles – support staff as well as teaching staff. We also ran a series of one-to-one interviews with governors, Haberdashers and active alumni. It was a couple of months of intense co-ordination. A lot was done in-house to save costs but we worked closely with the team at Heavenly throughout the process. For example, we worked on the questionnaires but the consultants sent them directly to staff to maintain anonymity. It was an unusually large piece of research for an independent school. We involved parents and pupils, including alumni, our governing body and trustees. We spoke to people who were prospective parents, people who hadn’t taken up a place and even reached out to parents who were not on our database at all. Among the questions we asked was what they felt were the key strengths of the school and what they would like to see change?’
‘My team is small – three people and one part-time – and we did not have a large budget put aside. Knowing that we wanted to undertake this project we made real savings over several years, which meant that we kept our prospectus for an extra three years and eked out our stationery. I used to feel a bit embarrassed about my old-fashioned prospectus and signage. But we felt strongly about the long-term value of such an in-depth brand review, so that we could decide on the best way to move forward. Our governing body also recognised the importance of having this clarity and consistency. We are all under pressure to maximise returns from our marketing budgets but sometimes I think you need to step back. It can be easy to produce a one-off brochure or film without defining your core message and whether or not it will appeal to your existing and potential parents and children.’
What was the outcome?
‘We wanted to really understand our market and our USPs, and then to communicate them effectively. And so, the information gathered was analysed to develop our brand DNA. This covered all the elements of what makes us different, the way we work and what our core values are. We worked with Heavenly to define our vision, purpose, the way we operate, and how we want to plan for the future. It influences everything we do – from our behaviour to our performance; it inspires the way we work with each other and the way we communicate both within the school and when outward-facing. We produced a brand folder to communicate this to every member of staff. Whilst the academic structure of the individual schools was maintained, the recommendation in the brand review was to rename them all. It was radical and no mean feat! They had always had different names: Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls, Monmouth School, The Grange, Inglefield House and Agincourt. Now we have a cohesive Monmouth Model with an overarching brand for the family of schools – Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools – which we launched in September 2017. Winter 2019 I schooladmissionsplus.com
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INSIDER
“Happy children equals happy parents equals good recruitment”
Once the brand consultancy had defined the tone, look and feel of the brand, it was given to our lead design agency to refresh the full spectrum of marketing material. Every element had to be redone. We are incredibly lucky, we had all the aces, it was just that we needed a framework. In our quest for efficiencies, the organisational structure changed too. We now have a Foundation Bursar working across the family of schools to see how we can share resources. We have one catering manager, one set of suppliers. IT is run as a whole, savings on licensing are ploughed back into upgrades and improvements. The mini buses are all shared, and all our
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schools can take advantage of visiting authors and guest speakers. The benefits are significant for our pupils. We also created a new role – a principal with overall responsibility for all the schools combined. James Murphy-O’Connor started on 1st September 2019 and has already made a really positive difference. We have been measuring the impact of the changes implemented over the past 18 months. Things are now really beginning to move along and we gained a record number of qualified enquiries in 2018/19. There is a clearly defined offer for children aged three to 18, boarding or day, British or overseas. It has provided us with a
blueprint for our future and put everything into focus. It was a huge project and one that would have been easy to put off until another year!’
Was there resistance to change?
‘People don’t like change, particularly within schools. Tradition and continuity, and the way that the term structure runs, means there is a predictability about what happens. There is a comfort in that. So, an exercise like this is not for the faint-hearted. But if you love your school and you can see challenging times ahead, you really need best practice in every single element of
INSIDER
what you do. From teaching, to the sports provision to the curricula programme, to your support staff. And you need a structure and strategy to do that. Once people understood the tangible benefits, we did not have huge resistance from any quarter. In fact people could see that there were common goals, values and aspirations across the schools and were keen to do more things together. We now use resources much more sensibly. Understandably, there were people who were upset about the names of the schools changing. Even small changes, such as adding ‘for boys’ was difficult for some alumni. It’s simply because they care so much and we recognised that. We found quite a good solution by using the original school names to name some of the buildings. That way we retained the history.’
Can you tell us about your team?
‘We have a brilliant team of three and a half. A multimedia manager, an online supremo who does programming, development, targeted campaigns, online presentations etc. A PR and Social Media Manager who is an ex- journalist and brilliant at writing. He pulls together the news stories and adapts them for different platforms. And a part-time marketing assistant who is amazing at negotiating prices with the media. We do all our media buying, placements and tracking in-house. Every four years we check we are getting the best prices and to-date no agency has been able to match the prices we get. A local design company makes up the ads. We try to use local suppliers whenever we can as community is one of our core values.’
How does marketing fit in to this?
‘As you can see we are a small department but we have excellent admissions teams with whom we work closely. They are singled out in parental research for offering an incredible service during the whole entry process.
However, we believe that everyone within the organisation is involved in marketing. So we develop and maintain good relationships with colleagues across the schools, and draw on their skills whenever we can. We work to an annual marketing plan and each year we look at budgets, resources, and manpower. We also do a SWOT and PEST analysis. Different marketing strategies are developed and a budget is attached to each. We monitor and track how many enquiries are generated from each, so that at the end of every academic year we can calculate a cost per enquiry and refine our plan for the forthcoming year. We also look at key messages, aiming for consistency and clarity in all our messaging. That includes our website, social media, print, film work, posters, banners, presentations, invitations, stationery and signage. We promote the family of schools, but each individual school still has its own name and identity. And you wouldn’t want to change that. Like many schools, regional recruitment is challenging and so we recruit internationally, focusing on specific overseas markets. We have a lovely broad mix of nationalities but work hard to retain a high number of British boarders. Regular parent surveys are undertaken with RSAcademics where we can benchmark parental satisfaction against the sector and over time within our schools. I prioritise that in my budget because parental endorsement is the best. Happy children equals happy parents equals good recruitment. I am very research led. I like to know there is a firm foundation for everything we do and that it is going to have resonance and appeal. I see the role of marketing as being customer-focused and that there has to be a way of feeding that information back into the schools. So it’s important that the admissions teams – who receive feedback all the time – have a good working relationship with heads and the senior teams who go out to help with exhibitions and our outreach programmes.
All of the information and feedback we receive needs to be shared in a virtuous circle to help us develop strategies for the future.’
TOP TIPS
for marketing and admissions teams • Know your market and invest time and resources in research. • Be brave and don’t stand still. Be open to new ideas and test what you do. • Remain top of your game by staying aware of changes that will affect the education sector. • Consider using an external agency to ensure objectivity and a fresh perspective. • Work well with all your colleagues, including teaching and support staff, as they have valuable skills you can draw upon. • It’s really important you love your school and have the child’s best interest at the centre of every decision. That is what is at the heart of it all.
Sarah Lee is Director of Marketing and PR at Monmouth Schools, having worked there for nearly 20 years.
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ADMISSIONS
DASHBOARD
FOR SUCCESS Do you know your school’s vital statistics? Can you see at-a-glance what is working well and what needs remedial action? Nathalie Sinyard provides a helpful guide to admissions dashboards
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hat is an admissions dashboard?
In today’s data-driven environment, dashboards receive a lot of attention. But some readers may not be clear on what they are, what their purpose is, and if they are really necessary. The term originates from cars and, in many ways, the use is the same. The main purpose of a dashboard is at-a-glance data visualisation. There are so many things that can impact on a school’s performance and a dashboard summarises these with easyto-understand, real-time information. In the car, you can immediately see how fast you are travelling, how much fuel you have in the tank and if you need to “Check Engine” when something needs immediate
attention. In much the same way, the function of a dashboard is to aggregate and extract value from all the data you collect, letting you know exactly where your attention should be focused right now. Compared to admissions spreadsheets, it simplifies data into more manageable chunks of visual information that allow you to see what you are doing right and where you need to take some action. When utilised properly, dashboards can be used to help you make informed decisions that dramatically impact school performance, and crucially to communicate this information to other staff and board members in a way that is both easy to understand and impactful. While there are infinite ways to customise a dashboard and make it your
own, all dashboards fall into one of three categories: •• Operational dashboard – the most common type, with metrics updating in real-time showing data related to daily operations. The main purpose is to provide a comprehensive snapshot of performance. •• Analytical dashboard – uses data from the past to identify trends to influence future decision-making. •• Strategic dashboard – tracks performance in relation to your key performance indicators, to better align actions with strategy. If you are looking for a dashboard to share with your whole school leadership team, creating a strategic dashboard is a wise investment of time. Winter 2019 I schooladmissionsplus.com
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Benefits and uses of dashboards
A dashboard has many functions, which all have their own utility, but the top three benefits of any dashboard are: •• Data transparency – data is any school’s most important asset when it comes to making improvements, saving costs, planning and marketing. Its use will be limited if understanding or accessing it is problematic. A well-designed dashboard provides on-demand access to all of your most important metrics. Better still, it reduces the amount of time it takes to compile reports – time you can spend on other activities that require a human touch, such as school tours and telephone calls. •• Better decision-making – dashboards provide an unbiased view of performance, so are ideal for decisionmaking and opening dialogues with others in school. •• Accountability – while it’s always nice to see where things are going right, you also need to see and understand what is going wrong. Dashboards can pinpoint where your trouble areas are and arm you with the information you need to improve.
“Data is any school’s most important asset when it comes to making improvements, saving costs, planning and marketing” 10
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Do I really need a dashboard?
Almost every school can benefit from having a dashboard that reflects their objectives, and certainly if you are experiencing any of the following issues, it may be time to try one out: •• You feel that your school can improve but would like guidance or validation on how and where to start. •• You’re monitoring and tracking data but are unsure what to do with the information or how to make sense of it. •• Your current activities aren’t giving you the results you need and could be trailing behind the competition. •• You’re struggling to see all of your data from multiple sources in one location. •• The leadership team requires analysis and strategic guidance from the admissions team.
What to include and how to use it
The more data available, the more challenging it can be to find meaning in it. In spreadsheet form, information can be tedious, patterns get hidden in the rows and columns, and often relevance is lost without cross-referencing the results against other data sources. If you decide you would like to try a dashboard system for your school, it makes sense to start with the questions you have about your data and then build a dashboard around those. However, the suggestions below may help get you started: •• Enrolment trends – can you tell whether your enquiries, applications or starts are increasing or decreasing. By comparing year-on-year and quarterover-quarter statistics, admissions teams can monitor their progress and whether they’ve hit previous benchmarks. •• Marketing source trends – what marketing sources are driving leads, applications and starts? By understanding marketing sources, schools can start to understand what efforts are generating interest in the school. •• Admissions pipeline – what does your pipeline look like for prospective students? By understanding the stages that prospective students are in,
admissions teams can start to identify bottlenecks and reprioritise resources to help move students through the funnel more efficiently. •• Yield rate – what is your yield rate by marketing channel? Marketing channels can generate a wide range of results. Some channels deliver higherquality enquiries, others deliver higher quantities. By looking at yield rate by channel, schools can adjust their marketing investments to maximise their return. •• Admissions efficiency – how long is it taking your admissions team to contact prospective students? By measuring this variable, schools can assess the relationship of response time to application volume, acceptance rate and likelihood of enrolment. This metric is often overlooked but can be a critical factor.
The importance of inputs
Of course, the dashboard is an output created by the inputting of data. In this sense, a dashboard is only as effective as the data used to generate it. Schools have many opportunities to collect the information needed at enquiry, application and enrolment stage, but it is essential that this is done in a timely and efficient manner, so that the dashboard always reflects the current landscape, not the situation a month ago. Your existing school management information system should have the facility to capture source of enquiry and track an applicant throughout their interaction with the school. If you are unsure of how to go about this, or suspect it is not being done in the most effective way, arranging a short training session will reap great rewards. There are a number of online resources such as the Tes.com and gov.uk sites, and often the school’s current information system provider will provide free follow-up training. Collecting data, however, is only half the battle. Schools must also decide how to manage it, and investing in a data management system is a wise move. Lengthy spreadsheets are no longer adequate as schools need consistent
ADMISSIONS
records instantly accessible by anyone who needs the information. There are many different data systems available, and a decision about which one is best suited for your school requires careful analysis of your specific needs. Begin by asking who needs to access the data, how can we ensure it is being recorded accurately and consistently, and what information do we need to capture to make critical decisions, both day-to-day and looking at the bigger strategic picture? Some schools may also consider appointing a data manager. The essential role of a data manager is to keep track of and analyse all the data schools are generating, presenting it in a format that is comprehensible and actionable. They are also responsible for ‘cleaning’ the data and removing any errors or inconsistencies before they are fed into the system. Your data manager is a key player in school growth and performance. When schools have a data manager on staff, it does free
up a significant amount of time for other tasks, and provides confidence in the data behind your decisions.
Whole-school benefits
Too often admissions professionals are left with gaps in data meaning that genuine insights into student recruitment gets replaced by anecdote and intuition. Intelligent use of dashboards can guide decision-making with real-time facts, enabling the school to act based on evidence. By making a practice of reviewing dashboards, you can verify your assumptions with data and will quickly notice when changes occur, allowing you to be nimbler in your approach. There is no shortage of data today but finding meaning in it can be tough. Identifying key questions and creating dashboards to answer those questions makes data-driven decisions easier for you and your management team; and provides a valuable tool for your whole school.
“a dashboard is only as effective as the data used to generate it”
Nathalie Sinyard is an education consultant specialising in immigration and admissions. Prior to this she was Admissions Quality Assurance Manager (Europe) for Cognita Schools, and Director of Admissions at New Hall.
TOP TIPS • Less is more Avoid confusion and maximise impact by including only the information that is needed to make a decision. Having the information on record is not a good enough reason to include it on your dashboard. Simple, expressive graphics and summary values are the most effective. • Aim for good, not perfect The benefits of an easy-to-use and well-governed dashboard has dramatically increased the interest and adoption from the school community, and many wish they had tried it sooner instead of being inhibited by questions. The value that a good dashboard delivers far outweighs the unrealised potential of a perfect one. • Show don’t tell Admissions professionals are familiar with being asked to do more with less and dashboards provide a handy tool for demonstrating exactly this. Sending a dashboard proactively to your Head or board shows precisely what activities are being pursued, what impact they are having, and supports planning and strategy with evidence.
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Independent School
ADMISSIONS Plus
PROSPECTUS OF THE YEAR Award Winner In the last issue of ISAP we ran a competition giving schools the opportunity to showcase their prospectus and win a valuable free day’s consultancy with William Clarence Schools Service. Here we reveal the results.
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e received many excellent entries and have been interested to note how different independent schools convey their message in a modern and unique way. Informative and insightful covering letters outlining the rationale behind the design, message and intent have helped our judges in their decision-making process. Understanding the school and what makes the culture ‘tick’ is essential for a top-performing prospectus as a parent tool. Our worthy winner, the Royal Hospital School was founded in 1712 in Greenwich, London, to ’improve navigation’. Today this co-educational boarding and day school is set in the Suffolk countryside overlooking the Stour Estuary. They are proud of their naval heritage, and discovery, exploration and challenge continue to shape their ethos. The traditional values of loyalty, commitment, courage, respect, service and integrity underpinned the school’s core aims and philosophy. Their new prospectus launched in January 2017 and was part of an overall review of the school’s market positioning. What attracted us to this winning entry was that their distinctive history shone through, from the title of the prospectus ‘Navigating Success’ to the use of navigational graphics and titles which embrace discovery, challenge and adventure. Through its clear narrative the reader is taken on a journey which whole-heartedly illustrates the school’s brand and positioning. The photography too is very striking – bold, dynamic images, many with interesting lighting create powerful visual appeal – and the colour palette is strong and modern. Copy also reflects the theme with headlines linking to the hero pictures. All-in-all we felt that it created a compelling call to action for prospective parents. So it was a unanimous winner amongst our judges.
Well done to the Royal Hospital School and our four highly commended schools!
ISAP
PROSPECTUS OF THE YEAR 2019
W IN N E R
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PLUS
WINNER
Royal Hospital School HIGHLY COMMENDED Bury Grammar Schools Canford School Felsted School St. Faith’s
Headmaster, Simon Lockyer, of the Royal Hospital School said: “I am delighted that we have won this award. The agency we worked with on the project positioned the school exactly as we wanted it. One of our aims was to achieve a roll of 750 plus by 2019 with a proportionate mix of boarders and day pupils - this prospectus has contributed to achieving this.” Winter 2019 I schooladmissionsplus.com
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MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
FIRST IMPRESSIONS Do you take every opportunity to create the best first impression for prospective parents? It’s vitally important in today’s competitive marketplace. Kate Bohdanowicz speaks with three schools who share their insights and experiences
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t takes a job interviewee four seconds to impress an employer, a house-hunter eight seconds to decide whether to buy a property, and a singleton 15 minutes to determine if a date is relationship material. In short, first impressions count and that’s no different when it comes to choosing schools. Your school might be at the apex of the league tables, boast glittering alumni, have ample grounds or a neo-classical building but if parents don’t get that warm, welcoming feeling when they make contact with you then you’ll probably be passed over for one of your rivals.
Previsit perceptions
First impressions aren’t made on the initial face-to-face contact. In today’s digital world, decisions are taken long before parents arrive at your front door – it begins when they look on your website (so make it user-friendly), scroll through your social media (keep it engaging and updated) and 14
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pick up the phone to make the first call. ‘The way we manage the first phone call is really important,’ says Guy SteeleBodger, Admissions Registrar at Rugby School in Warwickshire. ‘We don’t know how nervous they are and what their preconceptions are. Some parents are very experienced and some are as nervous as kittens.’
“The phone call is key and a bad day is a killer” Never rush a parent, cut them off, sound rattled, refer them to the website or tell them all will be explained on the school visit. You might have heard the same question six times that day but independent schooling is a huge investment – financial and emotional
Large schools, such as Rugby School, need constant maintenance to look their best
– and parents have every right to grill schools. Some parents might even ask an awkward or ‘daft’ question simply to test your reaction. ‘One of our key phrases is everything we do is marketing,’ says Liz Laybourn, Headteacher of Burgess Hill Girls School in Sussex. ‘We always have to maintain that professional approach no matter how many questions a parent asks or how many times you tell them things. Not only do you want them to come to your school but you want them to know they are already part of our community and those phone calls can take forever. The phone call is key and a bad day is a killer.’
The visit
Once you’ve overcome the hurdle of remote communication, the focus is on the school visit. If you’ve taken time to find out a little bit about the child and their strengths, interests and ambitions via
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
phone or email, you’re better placed to link the family up with a pupil guide with whom they have something in common, and even a relevant member of staff. It shows parents you’ve listened, that you see their child as more than just another recruit, and it helps them envisage their child fitting into your school. Yet, no matter how much you plan, some things such as bad weather, hideous traffic or a punishing schedule, which leaves the parents one hour to see everything when you’ve factored in four, are out of your hands. What you can do is expect the unexpected and make the visit as pleasant and meaningful as possible – hand out umbrellas if they’re walking across grounds in the rain or deviate from the tour and ask them what their priorities are if they’re pushed for time. And even though you’ve emailed directions, repeated them over the phone and listed them on your website, don’t for a minute think they will always be looked at. Some parents are woefully unprepared. Make sure you’re not. Having clear signage on the approach to school and in the grounds and car park is a small but crucial way of making a good first impression. ‘People feel less stressed if they can see clearly where they’re going,’ says Jody Cooksley, Head of External Relations at Cranleigh Prep and Cranleigh School in Surrey. ‘People forget that it’s a stressful experience choosing a school for their child’. Cranleigh prides itself on its small, family-oriented setting and this is reflected in the school visits, which accommodate a limited number of parents every other week. ‘Instead of having one massive open day we invite 25 or 30 families to visit, with a chat from the Head in one of our small library rooms, which is much more intimate,’ says Cooksley. ‘We invite parents in early for coffee so they have time to chat to each other.’ On the visit, it’s not just the school that’s being judged but parents will also be subconsciously sizing up the other parents. ‘It’s really important that families feel they’re meeting families who are like them,’ she adds. From a practical point of view, organising smaller visits mean Cranleigh can focus
on adding personalised touches, such as placing the visitors’ names on parking spaces to make them feel welcome and identify easily where they can leave their cars. How the school looks as the visitor pulls up to the door for the first time is important. Large schools need constant maintenance and whereas old buildings will obviously show signs of age, weeding, repairs and decoration need to be kept on top of. Consider developing a rolling programme so all classrooms and boarding houses are refurbished in order. That way everywhere will be at the same standard and parents won’t feel short changed if they’ve toured your top-of-the-range living accommodation only to find their child is placed somewhere of a lower standard. ‘I would love to thank our groundstaff as that kerb appeal is largely down to them,’ says Cooksley. ‘We work very hard to get people through the doors but we’ve got 280 acres here and you can see the lights go on in people’s eyes when they see those grounds looking amazing.’ If you don’t
have impressive grounds, small touches such as colourful flowers in window boxes or hanging baskets can go a long way to presenting the school in its best light. Make the reception inviting and don’t leave parents standing around waiting to be greeted. Whether it’s a roaring open fire, an eye-catching fishtank or colourful examples of pupils’ work, this area has to be warm, welcoming, vibrant and reflect the school’s values. A sporty school might install a trophy cabinet, while one that prides itself on its theatre could display photographs of a recent production. Either way, a smiling face, attentive welcome, comfy seats and fresh coffee can all convey the feeling that you’re interested in the parents, are happy to see them and care about their experience in your school.
Your image
You must be prepared to change with the times. The impression your school wants to make now might be different from the one it chose to make a century ago.
“You must be prepared to change with the times”
New branding and a welcoming office at Burgess Hill Girls
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MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
know you were here. Now anyone who drives past sees right across the front of the school.’
Colourful flowers at Cranleigh School help to present the school in its best light
It’s about people
All of these factors are important, yet no matter how attractive your building, or how fresh the croissants are with which you greet your parents, the best impression you can give is that your school is a happy, thriving place that will care for their child and value their education. ‘It’s down to organisations to keep their staff happy to ensure that love spreads out,’ adds Cooksley.
At Burgess Hill Girls, they recently changed their school motto from “Excellence in education since 1906” to “Tomorrow’s women”. ‘The strapline was a bit old fashioned,’ says Head, Liz Laybourn. ‘Not just the words but even the font size. It didn’t represent us as we wanted to promote the school as a place that was forward-thinking.’ The traditional but littleused logo of a skylark was also replaced with a big yellow ‘B’ (with additional different coloured Bs to denote nursery,
junior, senior and sixth form) – and that is everywhere: on the website, on social media, on girls’ badges, in people’s cars. Now anyone who sees it knows it’s related to the school – it’s a brand that people recognise throughout the community. Burgess Hill Girls also cut down the huge hedges that hid the school from passers-by. ‘In the past, I think it was quite quaint that the school was hidden behind the hedge,’ adds Laybourn. ‘But for us it was all about being visible. People were saying we didn’t
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“People are what visitors are looking for” This is even more important in boarding schools where parents are effectively choosing loco parentis for their children. On a school tour, you might steer parents away from the rooms with the least tidiest occupants, but living areas should be informal and comfortable. Parents don’t want to see a showroom, they want to see if they can picture their child feeling at home there. Seeing pupils smiling and
Parents want to see if they can picture their child feeling at home, as at Burgess Hill Girls
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
TOP TIPS for a good first impression
Little touches go a long way to creating a lasting impression
relaxed around the boarding staff is more important than checking if sheets and pillowcases are crease-free. At Cranleigh they’re seeing more ‘first-time buyers’ come through the door as fewer parents have had the boarding experience themselves. With that comes less allegiance to specific schools and more competition. ‘As they don’t have particular ties to schools, before they’d visit one or two, now they’re seeing four or even six,’ adds Cooksley. ‘We always leave lots of time for questions. It’s important parents who have never boarded can ask anything they want in an understanding and welcoming environment.’ Making a first impression, be it engaging with modern parents on social media (knowing that younger parents of prep-school pupils prefer Instagram and older parents of senior school children tend to use Facebook), keeping the school maintained and ensuring all staff are clued up on how to answer questions is important. But it’s not everything. ‘Of course, we must get the arrival experience, website and social media right but I don’t relate to anyone who buys because the website is better than another school,’ says Steele-Bodger from Rugby School. ‘I relate to people who meet other people who they believe will look after their children, educate their children and give them the best educational experience.’
DO
DON’T
1. Consider training frontline staff on how to handle phone calls, deal with questions and diffuse any situations that might arise.
1. Forget to produce brochures and prospectuses in print. Many parents like to flick through physical reading material and not just look at it online.
2. Make your website mobile friendly. Research shows that in the past few years, more online searches are made from phones during the commute than on computers. 3. Ensure pupils are in the correct uniform and kit during school visits. Relaxed happy children are welcomed but no-one wants to see untidy pupils. 4. Ask parents for feedback. This is especially important if a family has viewed your school but chosen to go elsewhere. Take their comments on board and make changes if needed. 5. Realise that people talk. Mumsnet has a thread about a ‘highachieving school’ that was ‘super up-itself on the phone’. ‘Do I bother with the rude school?’ asks the offended parent. The consensus was no!
‘You can wow people with place – with a fantastic sports centre, design centre or boarding house – but I strongly believe that people are what visitors are looking for. They’re looking at staff and at the children they meet. They’re wondering if they’re the kind of children they’d like their own children to become, and to be educated and socialise with. For me it’s about people every single time.’
2. Script pupils taking parents round or force an unwilling child to take part in a school visit. It will be seen through in an instant and create a poor impression. 3. Be scared to create new jobs (and retire old ones). Five years ago, you might not have had any need for a digital and communications manager but now you do. Times change and your school needs to change with them. 4. Overlook the support staff. A decorator or gardener might just as easily be asked questions by visiting parents than a teacher or admissions registrar so let them know it might happen and that it’s OK to chat. 5. Be flustered by people who turn up announced. This can happen, especially with overseas parents. Fit them in.You never know who they are or who their friends are.
Kate Bohdanowicz has been a journalist for more than 20 years, writing mainly for national newspapers. She is also a qualified teacher.
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In this session, we will be examining: • How the interest of prospective parents can be secured and retained • Key points of contact between a first visit and firm acceptance of a school place • Optimum customer handling
FUTURE WEBINARS
Jem Duducu is an International Business Trainer and Customer Development Consultant. In the months ahead, he will be hosting further free webinars on: • Understanding your competition • Closing a deal: what’s the difference between an excuse and an objection For further information please see upcoming editions of the Independent School Admissions Plus e-newsletter or visit williamclarence.com/events-0
To join the webinar simply log on at williamclarence.com/events-0
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hosted by Jem Duducu
at 2pm on Tuesday 26 November
PARTNERS
MARKETING
SPEAK Tory Gillingham, AMCIS CEO
Can you give us a little background about AMCIS?
AMCIS is the leading association for those working in admissions, marketing and communications in UK independent schools. The association was formed in 1993 as an informal group of marketing directors who wanted to share best practise. Over the years we have grown, and changed our name to reflect the ever-changing needs of the sector. I took over the running of AMCIS (then AMDIS) in 1994 in the role of part-time General Secretary, with one very parttime member of staff. My position has developed over time as membership has grown, and the events and services we offer have evolved. The office now has a team of four. We represent 500 schools across the UK. The membership is taken out by the school which means any member of staff within the school can take advantage of the professional development opportunities and services we offer. This include our New to Sector Guide, mystery shopping, an extensive resource library, job vacancies, events, training, industry insights and an advice helpline.
How does the association contribute to the sector?
Schools cannot survive without balancing the books and this relies on pupil numbers. It is our role to ensure that marketing and admissions professionals are using the best tactics and strategies so that school rolls remain high. No longer are schools full of alumni children; the increase in fees in real terms has made independent education less affordable and therefore schools are under increased pressure to demonstrate the value of an independent education. AMCIS
AMCIS CEO, Tory Gillingham talks to us about the work of the association, changes in the industry and her recipe for success
serves to develop our members and work with Heads in the continued quest to promote individual independent schools.
What is the biggest change you have seen in recent years? In a word, many! The increase in international pupils has been one obvious change in the boarding market and it will be interesting to see what impact Brexit (whether it happens or not) has on these numbers. The increased importance of the role of admissions and marketing within schools has also been fascinating to watch. Traditionally schools had, at best, one admissions or marketing individual. Typically now schools have admissions teams, marketing teams and also development teams with staff numbers often into double figures.
What advice would you give to anyone working in admissions and marketing?
The French phrase ‘plus ça change’ springs to mind – ‘the more things change, the more they stay the same.’ In the past ten years the role of admissions and marketing has changed drastically. Digital marketing has had a huge impact, direct mail is almost obsolete, and the quest for pupils is even more challenging. That said, the requirements remain the same: in order to be successful, people need to be passionate about the school they work in and have an excellent relationship with their Head and common room. With this in place they are equipped to succeed and face the challenges in our ever-changing landscape. The role is not for the faint-hearted, so without a real passion and excellent support from colleagues it cannot work.
2020 EVENTS 15 Jan
Implementing a Marketing Brand Workshop
16 Jan
Digital Marketing Workshop
29 Jan
AMCIS / IAPS Prep School Seminar
18 Mar
Impactful Copywriting Workshop
19 Mar
Personal Effectiveness Workshop
11/12 May AMCIS Annual Conference 10 Jun
Marketing Strategy Research Workshop
11 Jun
Stakeholder Communications Workshop
For details, including venues, costs and on-line booking form see amcis.co.uk Tory Gillingham has been CEO of AMCIS since 2004. Prior to this she spent 11 years in independent schools’ marketing as Marketing Director at Pocklington School and then Marketing and Development Director at St Peter’s School, York. Winter 2019 I schooladmissionsplus.com
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ADMISSIONS
EDUCATIONAL
GUARDIANSHIP A BRIEF GUIDE
E
Does your school ensure the safest experience for students far from home? Yasemin Wigglesworth from AEGIS advises on guardianship for international student welfare
ducational guardianship is an incredibly important part of the UK educational experience; and it is vital that schools and guardians work closely together. Guardianship can be a confusing topic for schools, which is not surprising given the vast amount of misquoted and misinterpreted information out there. The most common mistake is referring to an educational guardian as a ‘legal guardian’. These are two very different roles – a legal guardian is appointed by a court, whereas an educational guardian is appointed by the parent(s)/legal guardian and provides guardianship services and support for international students studying in the UK. Some educational guardians also cater for British students who do not have family living close to their place of study.
Support for students
An educational guardian acts as the parents’ representative and can attend 20
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parents’ evenings, arrange homestay accommodation during holidays and term-time if necessary, arrange airport transfers, doctor’s appointments and generally support the child both practically and emotionally. Good guardianship should make parents feel reassured that there is someone supporting their child, and most importantly, result in the child feeling wellcared-for and happy. The size and geographical range of guardianship organisations varies hugely. For example, a sole educational guardian might act as guardian to a small number of students in one particular area of the UK; and students might stay in the guardian’s home during holidays, and/or the guardian may organise homestays. Equally, a guardianship organisation could be a larger company which appoints local coordinators to oversee specific UK regions. In this instance, the named guardian on any paperwork is the name of the guardianship organisation who would
generally have several people fulfilling guardianship duties, from office staff who deal with logistics and administration, to local coordinators who attend parents’ evenings.
Statutory gaps
Safeguarding experts identify international students as a vulnerable group: far from home, family and familiarity. It is astounding, therefore, that no regulation of the guardianship sector exists. Those wishing to act as guardian or host children as young as prep school age, can do so without any vetting. The only regulation which currently exists is if a child aged under 16 years (18 years if the child has a disability) is being hosted in a homestay setting for 28 consecutive days or longer, in which case the arrangement would fall under private fostering, and the homestay would be subject to local authority checks. Short stays of under 28 days, such as exeats and holidays, fall under
ADMISSIONS
the radar. The role of AEGIS is to fill these statutory gaps. Established in 1994 as a charity, the core work of AEGIS is the accreditation of guardianship organisations through a rigorous programme of inspections, led by experienced independent school inspectors. AEGIS also aims to share best practice in guardianship with schools and agents, which the organisation’s recent partnership with the Boarding Schools’ Association reflects.
Safeguarding for all
The role of educational guardian carries huge responsibilities which include delegated parental responsibility and safeguarding duties. Those that run professional guardianship organisations will therefore want to ensure that they are doing all they can to safeguard the children in their care, as well as their own business, employees and reputation.
“Safeguarding experts identify international students as a vulnerable group” The AEGIS Minimum Standards offer guardianship organisations a clear inspection framework and guidance on best practice. For example, it is an AEGIS requirement that DBS checks are carried out on all members of a homestay aged 16 and over, that references are sought for the main carer and that the home is vetted before placing any students with the family. According to the current National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools, if a parent appoints a guardian, the school is not obliged to carry out any checks on the guardian. If the school appoints a guardian for a child or arranges accommodation for the child outside
school, whether directly or through a third party such as an agent, then the school is responsible for carrying out checks on the accommodation and person acting as host or guardian. A school sponsoring a child on a Tier 4 visa has a general responsibility to ensure that suitable care arrangements are in place for them in the UK, both in and out of school grounds, and this is where schools can get caught out. If an unaccredited guardian, appointed by the parents, places a student in unaccompanied accommodation during holidays, the school is often the last to hear. Such unsafe arrangements put the child at risk, and also put the school in a difficult position, potentially compromising their Tier 4 sponsor licence.
Policy advice
A school guardianship policy helps to establish the expected standard of care required of an educational guardian and provides clarity not only for parents and guardian, but also school staff. AEGIS provides full school guardianship policy guidelines to assist member schools. For more details contact info@aegisuk.net. Amongst all the policies, regulations – or lack of, standards and best practice – are the children. International students enrich and diversify our schools and they deserve to have the best possible care. Accredited guardianship organisations play a key role in supporting these students.
Yasemin Wigglesworth is Executive Officer at AEGIS (The Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students) where she oversees the running of the charity. Previously, Yasemin worked in international student recruitment and marketing, and also ran an English language school.
TOP TIPS Aims of a school guardianship policy: • To ensure that parents understand that the school has the right to reject the arrangements planned for a child if deemed unacceptable or inappropriate by the school. • To ensure parents and educational guardians understand the level and type of communication expected by the school. • To provide the basis of a guardianship agreement for the educational guardian and one or both parents to sign.
Essential information to include: • Make it clear it is the parents’ responsibility to appoint an educational guardian for their child. • Elect a responsible adult who will support the child in day-today circumstances, as well as emergencies. • State that any homestay accommodation arranged by the guardian must be safe, appropriately supervised, and of a good standard. • Specify that unsupervised hotel, B & B, hostel or rental accommodation is not considered acceptable by your school (if that is your school policy) • Direct parents to the AEGIS website aegisuk.net
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www.cambridge-guardian-angels.com julia@cambridge-guardian-angels.com +44 (0) 1223 233204 + 44 (0) 7719 606770
GUARDIANSERVICES for international students
Cambridge Guardian Angels provides support for international students under 18 years old. We welcome students when they first arrive in the UK and nurture them for the whole of their stay.
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ADMISSIONS
T
SPOTLIGHT ON
he USA and the UK are famously described by Winston Churchill as ‘two countries separated by a common language’, and in terms of education the same applies. US secondary and higher education is designed on a fundamentally different philosophy to the traditions of the British model; something which is key to be aware of when recruiting US students to your school.
USA Recruiting US students living in their homeland is often overlooked. It can be challenging, but it’s a growth opportunity as David Hawkins explains
Student pool
The market for US students to attend UK schools is a significant one, with the ISC Survey regularly placing US nationals in one of the top group of nationalities attending ISC schools. In 2019, 3,840 US citizens attended UK schools1. However, where these students are drawn from is quite diverse. There are many US students who are resident in the UK through their family’s work, attending a range of day schools across London, as well as boarding schools further afield. For these students, their admissions needs will be easier to meet. Most families will already have an understanding of how different the UK and US education systems are, and may not be looking to the United States for their child’s university future. With a network already in place, they can tap into resources to help them navigate the various school and university entrance procedures; though many will use a specialist independent university advisor to help their child with US university applications. For students currently residing in the USA, there is much greater complexity. Despite this, there is a significant untapped market for UK schools to recruit in the USA, with two key factors supporting the case for a UK education: •• most UK schools are significantly cheaper (even with the cost of flights factored in) than US alternatives. At the very top-end in the USA, yearly boarding fees can hit almost £50,000 – a significant differential
“most UK schools are significantly cheaper than US alternatives” 1
ISC Annual Census 2019 isc.co.uk/research/annual-census/isc-annual-census-2019
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ADMISSIONS
•• many US students prefer the format of the UK curriculum, something which can be seen as an offering that better suits that student than attending school in the USA.
The US system
A student attending a US high school will not, unless they choose to, take any formal public examinations. The diploma awarded to a student when graduating from a US school is in the gift of the school they attend, who will have accreditation either from the state government it is in (for state-funded schools), or a regional organisation (for private schools). In order to achieve a diploma, over a four-year high school career, students must gain a certain number of credits across a range of subjects. Each credit is gained by taking one class, for one semester – equivalent to half year. For example, a student attending the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut must take four years of English, three years of maths, two years of lab science, two humanities classes, three years of a language and one arts class, over their last four years of school. A full course load is six classes, so a student in their final year of school would take a greater number, and broader range of subjects, than a student studying A levels. Within this, students can also personalise their curriculum, as the range of classes offered within each subject area is much wider. A talented mathematician might take classes in their first year of high school alongside students in their last year who struggle with maths. They may then go on to take more advanced classes in subjects like trigonometry or calculus, while others stop at algebra. A high school can choose which classes to teach, and how a student progresses from French 10, to French 11, to French 12, for example, or how maths and English classes sequence through. For all of these classes, assessment is cumulative and contributes to the Grade Point average, with no terminal exams awarding grades. Where external tests do come in are for entry to university, with students choosing
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to take either one of two tests, the SAT or the ACT (the latter being the more popular option). These skills-based tests are similar to ALIS or YELLIS, and though they may be offered at schools, classes will not necessarily be taught to prepare for them. For the more elite universities, students may also take SAT Subject Tests, examining content. Another option for students is to take AP (Advanced Placement) exams, which earn them college credits to transfer to university. It is more common for schools to offer classes in AP subjects, so, for example, a student might take AP US History for a year, and then take the exam; but many students will enter an AP exam having self-studied the subject.
An opportunity
It’s clear that a two year GCSE programme followed by a two year A level, IB Diploma or BTEC programme is completely different than that offered by US schools. Here, however, is an opportunity for UK schools. A student only interested in maths and physics in the UK system is able to focus entirely on those subjects for A levels. However, in the US they would still have to take a wider range of courses. The same is true in the arts, humanities and social sciences. A more focused curriculum is very attractive to many US students. This is illustrated by the increasing numbers applying to UK universities where the difference between the US system (which retains the breadth of study and a creditbased system), and the single or joint honours UK system, is again clear to see. Extolling the benefits of the UK system – which we take for granted – is crucial to the US market. Videos explaining just how different a UK curriculum is, and how it might better suit their child, can be very useful for US parents.
Assisting progression to uni
On the global stage, UK university admissions, Oxbridge aside, is seen as one of the world’s most straightforward systems, with the US by far the most complex. Schools can get themselves into difficulties
by admitting students who aspire to return to US universities, and automatically assume that their UCAS team will be able to support this work effectively. Having detailed knowledge of how US university applications work is crucial. In the US, each private school has a team of trained, credentialed college counsellors. These are full-time staff, without teaching responsibilities, who support students with applications, and who may have been admissions officers themselves before moving to high schools. Each counsellor may work with about 30 students, though in the state school sector it could be a few hundred. This might seem strange to us, where often a head of careers or head of sixth form does all the UCAS work while still teaching classes. However, the sheer complexity of US admissions requires qualified support with significant resourcing. Specialist advisers are able to help train UK school staff in this area; and by joining organisations such as the International Association for College Admission Counseling and the Council of International Schools (and attending their annual higher education conferences), schools can build their knowledge and capacity to assist US students. If a school is confident in providing this provision they should promote it to prospective parents, whether it’s in-house or out-sourced – it’s a selling point.
Worth the effort
Despite the extra resources, knowledge and effort required in recruiting and accepting US students, the opportunities are huge. Each year group in the USA currently has around 3.5 million students, and many of the elite private schools are charging fees that dwarf the levels found in the UK. Cultural tropes such as Harry Potter and the Royal family mean that there is great fascination in the US for the tradition, history and rituals associated with many UK schools. As boarding schools in particular look to search for that almostmythical full-fee paying, English-speaking boarder, the US might be the next place to go looking for them.
ADMISSIONS
TOP TIPS 1. Fully understand the difference between the USA credit-based GPA (Grade Point Average) system and terminal assessment in the UK. 2. Review the language in your admissions material and website: don’t assume a level of familiarity in how UK schools work.
3. Win parents over by doing your research to make a clear case that studying in the UK is ‘cheaper and easier than you think’. 4. Don’t neglect onward progression, and don’t over promise what can be delivered by under-estimating the complexities of US university applications.
David Hawkins works with students and schools as an international university application specialist. Known as ‘The University Guy’, he is an active member of several international associations including the US Independent Educational Consultants Association, and serves on a committee for the Council of International Schools.
“A student attending a US high school will not, unless they choose to, take any formal public examinations”
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Marketing & Admissions Team of the Year Award Call for nominations! Independent School Admissions Plus is launching a new annual award for the stand-out marketing and admissions department* in a UK independent school, as nominated by the Head or Principal. Open to any independent school which is in membership with the ISC, entrants should send a circa 400 word narrative which explains why their marketing and admissions team deserves to win the award. Supporting evidence of the activity referenced will be useful. GREAT PRIZE! The winning school will be announced in the spring edition of Independent School Admissions Plus. They will be awarded a specially commissioned trophy and one-day’s free consultancy from William Clarence School Services (see page 32). Award criteria
The judges will be particularly interested in learning about: • • • •
Innovative student recruitment activity, and the associated outcomes resulting from it, undertaken within the Marketing and Admissions team in 2019 A signal achievement of the nominated team in the past school year (for example, this could be in relation to reaching a particular target or running a specific campaign) The contribution the team makes to the wider life of the school as a whole and its well-being as a business Feedback from parents and other stakeholders on the positive impact of the team, particularly in relation to customer liaison/handling
The judges will include: Steve Spriggs, Head of Education, William Clarence Education Iris Jackson, Editor, Independent School Admissions Plus Caroline Nixon, General Secretary, British Association of Independent Schools with International Students (BAISIS)
How to enter
Hard copy entries, comprising the 400-word narrative, associated supporting materials and the name and contact details for the staff member submitting the entry, should be sent to: Marketing & Admissions Team of the Year Competition, Independent School Admissions Plus, William Clarence Education, Green Park House, 15 Stratton Street, London, W1J 8LQ Please also email a digital copy of the entry narrative and contact details to awards@schooladmissionsplus.com. For further information and terms and conditions see williamclarence.com/awards-0 Closing Date: 31 January 2020 *to include communications, external affairs and other associated functions
RECRUITMENT
F
ew topics in the international student recruitment and admissions space elicit as much conversation as the role of educational agents in the students’ journey to UK education, and in particular, independent schools. In discussing key considerations for working with agents, it should be borne in mind that agency partners use different models in different markets, and their priorities are very diverse. For example, some focus on summer school whilst others on multi-year boarding. However, from experience in recruiting international students to universities, pathway programmes, and to TASIS The American School in England, Simon Fitch recognises a number of consistencies which he shares here. At TASIS, their position as an American curriculum and IB school leads them to closely follow both the developing US and UK positions with regards to agent partnerships. As an example, in the US, the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) recently released model standards relating to agency relationships1. Their focus on Stewardship, Transparency, Engagement and Partnership provides a relevant reminder of the pillars from which schools can anchor success in their partnerships.
Stewardship
Stewardship includes an expectation that agents and schools will act ethically, honestly, professionally and responsibly and in the interest of students and parents. These principals should be employed from the very beginning of the relationship, starting with the school’s intentions and initial courting of agencies. The sheer number of agent/school conferences is staggering but schools should thoroughly research their agent ‘dates’ at these events beforehand. It will ensure an excellent start to the relationship and help to maintain and develop others. Many schools will follow up initial conversations with due diligence via questionnaires or similar methods, but analogous with obtaining employment references, these mechanisms will at best provide mostly safe and unenlightening 1
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responses. Fitch, therefore, recommends at least one personal conversation with a colleague at an existing client school regarding each agency; though respect should be given to the fact that your potential future partner is an established part of their recruitment family. A key consideration at this stage should be the agency’s primary focus as many are predominately concerned with university placements, and those who prioritise K-12 education are in very high demand. Events such as ICEF’s forthcoming dedicated secondary education conference provide a potential value-for-money route to those committed to younger students.
“What are you doing to really stand out?” Transparency
Transparency logically follows, and the signing of an agency agreement itself can provide many opportunities to really understand your partner’s business model. Just some of the questions that should be addressed prior to signing on the dotted line include: •• do they use sub-agencies and, if so, how many? •• who pays for the agency services – the family, the school, or both – and are these payments clearly disclosed? •• will the agency play a part in their students’ subsequent college admissions process, formally or informally; and if so, how will this integrate with the efforts of the college counselling office or similar? At TASIS they have experienced high numbers of graduates accessing US universities via bespoke admissions pathways (50% of the class in 2019). This clearly illustrates how important the above considerations are in respect of the internal risk assessment around each new partnership.
www.csiet.org/2019/08/27/csiet-releases-new-model-standards-for-non-us-based-international-student-recruitment-agencies
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RECRUITMENT
Good
RELATIONS Educational agents can help with international student recruitment, but make sure you are making the most of the relationships, advises Simon Fitch
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TA R EC LR KU IN IT GMPEONI T NT
Engagement
Engagement is an area where excellence in agent/school partnerships truly becomes apparent. In a relationship where there are many schools working with an agency, how are you going to stand out? And are the basics in place? Schools should ensure that draft contracts are reviewed in a timely fashion, and that response times are both prompt and culturally sensitive. Often the only way you’ll discover that you are falling short in these areas is by a shortage of students! Ask what internal training the agency is undertaking for your key contacts, and for sub-agents for example; and consider how you can quality assure this before the catastrophes of fundamental misunderstandings of your product and visa refusals come to light. Check that your partners are truly aware of key standards and resources, whether school specific or more general such as the British Council’s online courses with Futurelearn2. Fitch suggests that the further development of this suite and similar resources can provide a talking point when discussing CPD opportunities with your partner agents.
Partnership
In terms of partnership, so much effort is put into the early stages of agent/ school relationships and initial engagement opportunities such as the much-loved FAM visits. Fitch says, ‘We love having agents tour our beautiful Surrey campus and meeting with our global community – but so does every other school, so we try to
make their visit as memorable as possible’. At TASIS, they pride themselves on the volume of student contact during these visits, which is well received, as is their airport pick-up service. But a true partnership flourishes via deeper engagement, often not budgeted for, and by a spirit of real collaboration. Regular, planned dialogue which doesn’t simply involve the sending of the latest showpiece student video is essential. These conversations can provide more market insight than ten in-market visits and can allow the partnership to withstand market pressures, staff changes and the rare occasions when a student struggles to adapt to the setting you are offering. Not every conversation will be an easy one – individuals within organisations can make mistakes. More seriously, it can sometimes become apparent that your school’s mission doesn’t match that of your partner and exit planning becomes essential.
“Are your responses culturally sensitive?” Long lasting relationships
For any school looking to further develop its international recruitment, agency partnerships are worth considering. As a snapshot, over 1,300 agents in 101 countries completed the ICEF i-graduate Agent Barometer in 20183; and organisations such as the British Council4 highlight how schools can safeguard their future and current students via agency relationships. In practice, the vast majority of agent/ student/school relationships are open, transparent and successful, and agents play an essential part in the admissions ecosystem in many countries. Fitch says, ‘I have
futurelearn.com/courses/study-uk-education-advisors https://monitor.icef.com/2018/11/global-survey-tracks-agent-perspectives-destinations-online-learning-alumni-student-experience 4 britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/guide-to-good-practice-for-education-agents.pdf 2 3
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consistently observed success resulting from marrying commercial aspects with this compliance-led base’. Stewardship, transparency, engagement and partnership are valuable watchwords; and like any successful partnership it requires an investment in time from both parties in each of these areas. To reap the best rewards, treat agency representatives as your extended family, but remember every family has its moments, and many will have corresponding partnerships with other schools. Aim to be the most trusted partner, true to your promises and you will build enduring, successful relationships resulting in successful international student recruitment.
TAKE-AWAYS • Embrace agents as part of your school’s extended family. • Do your prep around agent conference/’speed dating’ events. • Get the basics right – from initial due diligence through to on-going contractual arrangements and commission payments. • Listen, listen and listen to your partners, and respect their inmarket knowledge and expertise. • Assimilate all you hear in-market, and budget time and energy for deepening the relationships which matter most to you; quality over quantity.
Simon Fitch is Director of Student Recruitment and Admissions at TASIS The American School in England. Previously he held senior student recruitment and admissions roles in several London universities, and was a pathway Centre Director and US Recruitment Team Director within the INTO University Partnerships network.
THE WESTWOOD ORGANISATION CLEAR AND CONCISE IMMIGRATION ADVICE
TIER 4 SPONSOR COMPLIANCE WORKSHOPS • • • • •
Compliance throughout the student journey: recruitment to completion Policies and procedures for UKVI requirements £250 + VAT per delegate Audit process and tips to make it easier Includes comprehensive reference material How do UKVI auditors work? Lunch and refreshments What does a good record look like? Interesting content and delivery We run regular workshops at our Gatwick offices. Visit www.twolimited.co.uk/training/workshops for more information. We pride ourselves on demystifying the immigration jargon. We also deliver in-house training. Contact: 01293 889691 helen@twolimited.co.uk www.twolimited.co.uk
F200300132
ADVERTORIAL
Bringing the work of your admissions team into focus
“HOW ARE WE
DOING...?” David Moncrieff explores how William Clarence School Services can help schools review, validate and hone the contribution of their hard-working marketing and student recruitment departments
A
s many readers of Independent School Admissions Plus will acknowledge, the vital role of marketing and admissions teams is not always fully recognised or entirely understood in some independent school communities. Yet, of course, successful student recruitment is critical to the continued financial well-being of these schools as businesses. Marketing and admissions departments can be characterised as the engine houses of their schools which, working with Heads and Bursars and other members of the senior leadership team, carry a central responsibility for securing a sustainable future for staff and students. But what represents success in this context? What does ‘good’ look like in terms of this essential role? Does the admissions team know? Do their senior management know? Often not, it would appear, but reviewing and benchmarking your school’s recruitment programme can be a very valuable exercise.
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Lack of support
The challenges facing colleagues responsible for maintaining a robust school roll are legion. Increasing competition, economic constraints and a less than benign political environment makes student recruitment activity ever more complex whilst being completely integral to a school’s long-term security.
“Inspection regimes generally do not embrace a school’s student recruitment activities” Yet many marketing and admissions departments are left to get on with their task, away from the spotlight and often without a school’s leadership being fully aware of the issues they are confronting or how they respond.
Inspection regimes generally do not embrace a school’s student recruitment activities nor measure the impact or efficacy of its marketing outreach activities. There are no MOTs for marketing and admissions departments; and no established framework for evaluating, validating, benchmarking and supporting their work. However, there is now a solution.
A professional partnership
Working with colleagues from across the sector and drawing on the expertise of specialists in marketing, communications, branding and customer development – in addition to William Clarence Education’s own experience of working with families – their School Services practice can address this need directly with schools. The William Clarence Schools Services (WCSS) team has developed an innovative and 360 degree review framework – our MOT – which enables our associates to: •• review, and confidentially evaluate the key performance areas of a school’s
ADVERTORIAL
marketing and admissions function •• provide an insightful report for the school’s senior leadership team which narrates existing strengths and weaknesses, good and bad practice and overall effectiveness •• offer recommendations on areas of activity requiring support and development to secure even greater success with student recruitment in the future. Supportive and consultative in their approach, William Clarence works with marketing and admissions teams to refine their strategy, codify and quantify goals, capitalise on expertise, enhance skills and maximise outputs.
Book an MOT
The company’s commitment is to help schools secure the greatest possible level of benefit from this important and evermore sophisticated function in a school community. Following a marketing and admissions MOT, during which areas
for improvement or development are identified, experienced associates are available to support schools with follow up activity, from strategic benchmarking to overseas student recruitment. With successful projects already completed, WCSS would like to discuss how they can assist your school to review, validate and turbo-charge the work of your marketing and admissions department, be it large or small. To find out more about this innovative and much-needed service, contact WCSS at schools@williamclarence.com or call on 0207 412 8988. For further information and details of other ways in which WCSS can help schools with efficient and effective marketing and student recruitment – including their well-regarded trouble-shooting service – please visit williamclarence.com/marketing-andadmissions-mot.
MARKETING & ADMISSIONS MOT William Clarence Schools Service is pleased to offer readers of Independent School Admissions Plus the time-limited opportunity to book their own discounted Marketing & Admissions MOT. Comprising:
•• bespoke project brief agreed with the client’s SLT identifying the inspection’s priorities and objectives •• school visit by WCSS associate(s) to review and evaluate existing marketing and admissions activity within agreed parameters •• delivery of a customised report and recommendations to the key in-school client •• on-going mentoring and support for school leaders responding to the issues identified
SCHOOLS INTRODUCTORY OFFER £1495 PLUS VAT ................................................................................. For more information and to book your free, no-commitment consultation with a senior WCSS associate, contact schools@williamclarence.com or call 0207 412 8988.
Dr Michael Carslaw, Headmaster of St Leonards School, St Andrews, Fife says: “WCSS was extremely helpful in assisting us reorganise our admissions, marketing and development teams getting to the heart of the issues. Their expertise, sensitivity and experience was clearly evident. I recommend them unreservedly.” WILLIAM CLARENCE SCHOOL SERVICES ASSOCIATES Stephen Spriggs Head of Education, founder of William Clarence Education Dr Helen Wright International Educational Consultant, previously Head of St Mary’s Calne Hugh Monro Educational Consultant and previously Master, Wellington College David Moncrieff former Director of Marketing, Mayfield School and Marketing Services Director, BTA Nathalie Sinyard Educational Consultant, former Admissions Quality Assurance Manager (Europe), Cognita Schools Jem Duducu International Business Trainer and Customer Development Consultant Iris Jackson Editorial, Content and Print Development Consultant, former director of a design and publishing agency Peter Young Branding and Marketing Consultant, School Governor
Winter 2019 I schooladmissionsplus.com
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Independent School
ADMISSIONS Plus
JOBS BOARD | Helping you find the perfect role Welcome to our new jobs board We are always striving to champion the role of marketing and admissions staff, as well as the broader non-teaching staff community within independent schools. They play an integral part in the leadership team and school strategy within a school and it is essential that schools get cost-effective access to the very best talent within the domestic and international candidate non-teaching staff base. With our targeted readership and growing brand name for school marketing, admissions and development expertise, we have a readymade audience from which schools can recruit. Independent School Admissions Plus will be launching a digital jobs board in February 2020 for all UK and international independent schools to promote jobs to our readership.
We will be featuring non-teaching roles, including: 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33
Registrar and Admissions Bursar Marketing Communications Development Officer External Relations International Student Recruitment Safeguarding Events and Fundraising
If you wish to feature a job pivotal to your school’s success, please contact jobs@schooladmissionsplus.com or call 0207 412 8988.
Kingsley School International Admissions Officer The role: This role will operate within the schools international students recruitment programme within Asia. The post holder must be able to demonstrate flexibility to support the recruitment activities within, and ad hoc visits to, other markets as required at the request of the Head and Director of Admissions. The post holder will also be responsible for developing and maintaining productive professional relationships with key external partners such as agents, the British Council, government bodies and sponsors. Salary: £21,500 per annum How to apply and further information: email applications@kingsleyschoolbideford.co.uk
Canford School Lab Technician – Biology (Maternity Cover) The role: Canford is one of the premier co-educational boarding schools in the country situated just outside Wimborne in Dorset offering an inspirational working environment. Biology is a popular subject at Canford and pupils achieve excellent academic results. The Laboratory Technician is required to trial, prepare and set up materials and equipment for all practical work. Applicants should have relevant qualifications and / or experience within a similar establishment. Salary: circa £20,000 per annum How to apply and further information: see www.canford.com/Job-Vacancies Contact: 01202 847590 or email recruitment@canford.com Closing Date: noon 18/11/19
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TALKING POINT
THE
FEEDBACK LOOP Capturing feedback, adaptation and innovation are essential to a school’s survival. Nick Gallop brings a personal viewpoint to this topic
I
nnovation – whether it be a product, service, new course or school programme – is no longer a linear process; instead we constantly refine, evaluate, change and improve. A brief visit to a school’s design technology department provides a clear illustration of this approach. Coffee tables and large wooden structures that once dominated school foyers for months, as examples of work, have been replaced by exhibits showing the process of design: problem definition, prototyping, iteration, testing and reacting. In all walks of life, the emphasis is now on feedback and adaption at every stage.
Listen and learn
Tim Harford, presenter of Radio 4’s More or Less, explores similar developments in his book Adapt. Harford extols the virtues of continually and eternally probing, listening, learning and being open to the possibilities of change and transformation. Experimentation, and even failure, are prerequisites of improvement. The theme of adapting to changing circumstances is not just relevant to modern times. It’s about survival. Yuval Noah Harari, best-selling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, explains the role of evolutionary psychology in our own development as human beings. The species that sought answers, that were open to new ways of functioning, that adapted their behaviours and habits, that innovated to promote health and longevity, that socialised into relationships and alliances, are the ones that flourished. A similar process is as appropriate
today as it was to Darwin’s theory of human evolution. The feedback loop sees organisations using information gathered from multiple sources to inform, influence and adapt their activities, continually re-evaluating to continue the cycle. The effectiveness of this approach can be the difference between success and failure.
“Negative feedback is where the gold is buried” Balancing act
A healthy dose of evolutionary psychology – establishing, communicating and reacting to feedback – is vital for schools in fastchanging times, when major political, economic or social shifts can sneak up on even the most alert of organisations.
There is a delicate balance between how strong or how weak a feedback loop is. Too weak a response to feedback, or interest in it, and a school can become inward-looking, standardised and stifled by self-regulation. Too great, and it can become unstable and overly reactive. If the feedback loop is too short, kneejerk responses can see core values jettisoned, confusion reign as new systems are shelved before their impact has been felt or evaluated. Too long and the preservation of the status quo can become a greater risk than its renewal. Developing a really effective feedback loop – one that informs and underpins change – requires a complex cultural balance between leadership, communication, systems and people. So, firstly consider how open your school leadership is to receiving information that might run counter to established wisdom and practice. Leadership teams are instinctively self-preserving: cohesion, trust and teamwork are important. Winter 2019 I schooladmissionsplus.com
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TALKING POINT
TOP TIPS
for an effective feedback loop • Recognise the importance of external feedback – especially the value of critical feedback. • Encourage those with wellinformed, even sceptical views to voice them in appropriate ways. But remember, so too is the active encouragement of well-informed sceptical voices and of creative conflict based upon alternative approaches. Rigid communication systems can prevent bad news or difficult views from reaching the leader, and the risk to the organisation can then grow exponentially. The demands of an average school day can mean that the sharing of information between sometimes overly-rigid management tiers is never meaningfully pursued.
Clued up
Give thought to who is best placed to gather external views and information about perceptions of your school, and what systems exist to process it. Have procedures in place to disseminate precious information and critical advice; those alternative perspectives and dissonant voices are invaluable. Information gathering is invariably a two-way process. Everyone in outwardfacing roles, particularly in marketing and admissions, must understand and share the school’s vision, ethos and aims. Colleagues interacting with prospective parents must fully understand all dimensions of the educational provision – how curriculum time is deployed and why; which subjects and co-curricular activities happen and when; what support is offered, to whom and why; how the day and the week is organised; and what have been the drivers of recent curriculum change and improvement. 36
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Not just good news
What about the nature of the information itself? Schools are usually highly-effective at creating, maintaining and processing systems that support positive feedback loops – the gathering and prioritising of praise and acclaim from trusted sources. But negative feedback is where the gold is buried. Schools need to understand why some prospective parents do not choose them. It’s vital to acknowledge and tackle issues before they become entrenched problems. Routine surveys, parental exit interviews, regular parents’ forums and focus groups, run by individuals unburdened by agendas and vested interests, are essential. As with so many aspects of organisational effectiveness, if a leadership team is receptive and undefended and appropriate communication systems are in place, then the ability to cut through established procedures, to adapt and to inspire can come down to recruiting and supporting the right people, especially ones in those vital outward-facing roles. The human capacity for innovation and invention is boundless, but how often are good ideas and great people stifled by internal bureaucracy? For Eric Schmidt, chief Executive of Google until 2017, one key principle prevails: look after your divas – they may come in passionate, discordant or maverick form, they may sometimes be high maintenance, but their disruptive thinking can be of immense value.
• Ensure that those in leadership positions are not isolated from difficult views or bad news. • Those in student recruitment roles should have a deep understanding of the organisation – ideally through the eyes of students. • Value passionate, customeroriented people: creative, disruptive thinking – if wellinformed – should be highly prized.
“regular parents’ forums and focus groups... are essential” Nick Gallop is Headmaster of Stamford School. He has worked within independent and state schools for nearly 25 years. Nick writes regularly for the Times Educational Supplement on leadership, is editor of Politics Review and writes Hodder Education’s UK Politics Annual Update.
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