INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
MANAGEMENT THE BUSINESS OF INDEPENDENT EDUCATION
BURSARS I
HEADS I ADMISSIONS I DEVELOPMENT
AUTUMN 2020
INCORPORATING:
GOODBYE CHINA Independent School
ADMISSIONS Plus
Just a matter of time says Andrew Lewer MP
COVID-19 BACK TO SCHOOL CHALLENGE
MONEY LAUNDERING Expert advice for being on guard
Uniform that speaks for itself
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL
MANAGEMENT William Clarence Education Ltd Green Park House, 15 Stratton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8LQ Tel: +44 (0)207 412 8988 EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Steve Spriggs steve@williamclarence.com Editor Iris Jackson iris@williamclarence.com PRODUCTION Design & Print Constructive Media roger@constructivemedia.co.uk ADVERTISING Sales James Hanson james@fellowsmedia.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 schoolmanagementplus.com DISTRIBUTION Print and digital copies of Independent School Management 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 three times 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 Management 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.
Foreword Welcome to Independent School Management Plus! It gives me great pleasure to write the Foreword for this magazine for school leaders who are responsible for the business management of their schools. Without these leaders, schools simply would not function; the quality of education that schools are able to provide relies intrinsically on them. Independent School Management Plus has been created from the merger of Independent School Admissions Plus and Conference & Common Room, which has graced many a great school staffroom table since 1963. This opportune meeting of minds has resulted in a magazine which includes dedicated sections for bursars, directors of marketing and admissions, directors of development, heads and governors. This first edition, published in a school landscape dramatically affected by Covid-19, talks about the issues of the moment as well as of the future. We are especially delighted to feature MP Andrew Lewer’s thought-provoking piece on how changing relations with China will impact student enrolment, and potentially shape how independent schools consider their future options in the wider market of investment and recruitment. This has been a year like none other so far; we inhabit what in many ways is a new world, but equally one which we recognise and value. Together, we can make a positive difference to current and future generations of school students. Dr Helen Wright Read, think and add your voice to the Board Chair and Education Advisor; former Vice-Chair of ISC debate at schoolmanagementplus.com
Our School Management Plus online platform is now live offering a wealth of information. Keep up-to-date and get involved: • Latest news, regular features and opinion • Monthly newsletter and jobs to your inbox • Contribute your own ideas and opinion • Join our webinars and round-table discussions We are the leading opinion platform for the successful running of a modern independent school. Always keen to hear about the issues that matter to you most, get in touch to have your schools’ voice heard. editor@schoolmanagementplus.com
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Contents
2pm Tuesday 13 October Chaired by Dr Helen Wright schoolmangementplus.com/events
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
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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 Ian Hunt School board member in the UK and Middle East, leader of international educational projects and a contributor to the national press 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
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26 ON THE MAP Scarborough College
BURSARS
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PREPARING FOR AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE Essentials for financial
forecasting and modelling
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A CLEAN CHALLENGE
O N T H E C O V E R Stamford shares their back-to-school solutions for living with Covid-19
14 ON GUARD FOR MONEY
LAUNDERING O N T H E C O V E R Discover the potential pitfalls and what
Expert advice on adapting and transforming heritage buildings
35 MARKETING SPEAK AMCIS CEO
on innovative open days and the new normal
36 WHO SAID FUNDRAISING ISN’T ETHICAL? Maintain integrity with our
MARKETING & ADMISSIONS
22 WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT
EDUCATION IN THE 2020s
Affordability and flexibility: how to adapt to changing customer demands
DEVELOPMENT
21ST CENTURY SCHOOLS
MP Andrew Lewer predicts the future for inbound Chinese students
CHINA
illustrates the positive effects of embracing uniqueness
30 BUYING AN INDEPENDENT
to look out for
17 FROM LISTED BUILDINGS TO
ON THE COVER
26
insights and practical measures
HEADS & GOVERNORS
40 TALKING POINT GCSEs, holidays
and remote learning – it’s time for change
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BURSARS
PREPARING FOR AN
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Covid-19 has added another unknown variable to the survival of independent schools, highlighting the vital process of financial modelling and the ability to react quickly during times of uncertainty. Tom Wilson, partner at haysmacintyre, provides some sound basics on financial forecasting and modelling
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OVID-19 has caused significant challenges to all businesses, and independent schools are no exception. There has been a huge amount of work across the sector over the last few months from creating online methods of teaching to providing a safe environment for staff and students. However, there are still significant unknowns regarding the actual impact this pandemic has had on school finances, and for how long it will last. This has added to the already significant challenges faced by the sector including affordability, rising costs, declining local markets, and political threats.
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These complex and compounding issues mean that significant planning is required to ensure the future of your school, both short-term and long-term. Financial modelling is an essential part of this process.
Establishing a base model
Focusing on coronavirus specifically, the impact is likely to vary across the independent schools sector. Geography, whether you are a prep or senior school and the demographic of your pupil base, are all likely to create different challenges. Some schools will be able to ride out the financial impact of the pandemic with
relative ease, whereas others will face an existential crisis – and every school needs to know where it is on the spectrum. Good financial modelling starts with good planning – understanding how you are going to build your model, your anticipated end product, and the expectations of your stakeholders are key at the outset. This prevents time-wasting amending the base model at a later stage. Whilst a good model can provide invaluable insights, it is only as good as the composite data. It is absolutely essential to understand your data and the sources of it, as well as document your evidence and assumptions where possible, prior to starting the process.
BURSARS
“Every school needs to know where it is on the spectrum” Modelling has never been more important in recent years than during this Covid-19 crisis, and it is recommended that modelling includes different types of scenarios, one of which should be ‘worst case scenario’. Schools must be able to see the extent of the risks they face and where key decisions must be made, especially during times of increased volatility and financial hardship,
Consideration factors
Financial modelling is most often used by schools for forecasting income and expenditure or cash flows and balance sheets. Cash flow should be the immediate priority in the short-term and consideration must be given as to how cash flow may be impacted under different situations. Financial models allow you to test your assumptions and to understand how adjusting key financial levers can influence financial performance. Some of the assumptions and impacts that financial modelling may expose include: • Pupil numbers – likely the biggest variable. This will be very difficult to predict, but a range of models showing outcomes and timeframes will be helpful in planning for each scenario. • Parental hardship – we have heard various stories about parents who are, in some cases, unable to afford full fee charges. How will you handle this? Will you support them and what is the financial impact? Modelling the amount of bad debt you could face will help shape your policies and manage cash flow. • International students – there may be significant impact from Covid-19 on income from international students, perhaps even a complete halt on income from international students into
•
•
•
•
2021. With Brexit also on the horizon, is your school exposed to ongoing decreases in international students? Insurance – there are conflicting stories from schools regarding insurance cover for business interruption. We think it is unlikely that schools will be covered in full. From a modelling point of view, you should not rely on coverage. Even if you are covered later, payments are still likely to be significantly delayed and won’t help cash flow in the short term. Cost review – it is a good time to review all budgets and try to strip out extra costs wherever possible. Due to the nature of schools, significant savings are unlikely without looking at the staffing structure and this may be a serious consideration for some organisations. Capital work – consider all planned capital and maintenance projects and evaluate their urgency in the current economic climate. Priorities may need to change, particularly from a digital transformation perspective, so that funds can be reallocated. Financing – there may be schools who need an element of financing to see them through this period of uncertainty. You should model the amount of funding necessary and approach your bank early. Don’t forget about bank covenants, as these can be
easily breached, and if you find yourself with a particularly restrictive covenant, you should model the impact of a breach. Much focus has, quite rightly, been on the short-term, but schools tend to show delayed impacts from an overall downturn in the economy. Depending on the length and severity of the downturn, schools may see registration decline, and forecasting those potential shortfalls will be pivotal to medium and long-term survival. Other impacts that should be included in your modelling considerations over the medium term should be: • Brexit • Teachers’ pension planning • Potential removal of business rates relief
Review and react
It is also recommended that you have a robust independent review of your model. The model will be used to make key strategic decisions and if the data isn’t correct, or if important possibilities are missed, it could be disastrous. In simple terms, ask an independent reviewer to try and break it! If the modelling is showing an unfavourable position, then it is worth considering your options quickly; one of the biggest mistakes boards of governors make is not reacting to the models with decisive action.
Financial forecasting is essential to secure the future of your school Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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BURSARS
Brexit is another important scenario to model Some of the current strategic options schools are considering or have implemented include: • Limiting year groups – years seven and eight at prep schools, for example • Co-educational provision instead of single sex • Diversifying boarding/day makeup of the school • Investing in areas of weakness: facilities, specific education provision etc • Mergers and acquisitions of complementary schools • International expansion
“Modelling bad debt helps shape policies and manage cash flow”
Year-end compliance
Modelling also has the benefit of allowing boards to complete their fiduciary duties of regularly reviewing the ‘going concern status’ of the schools they run. This is particularly important in the current environment when trustees are signing the financial statements. A formally documented review of the going concern assumption is recommended in conjunction with the modelling review process. It is also best practice to formally record this in minutes of a relevant board meeting. It is an area the school’s auditor will be paying close attention to this year. Tom Wilson is a partner in haysmacintyre’s education team and has worked with independent schools for over a decade. He specialises in statutory audit, financial modelling, due diligence and governance matters.
TOP TIPS
for financial modelling 1. Plan effectively and know your end product before you start. 2. Use ‘check totals’ to confirm the arithmetic accuracy. 3. Obtain independent scrutiny. 4. Try not to overcomplicate. 5. Ensure you have the modelling capability in-house, or consider external advice. 6. Ensure flexibility over assumptions. 7. Ensure sensitivities are honest and applicable to your school. 8. Keep the model up-to-date.
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“Another big concern for schools is how to guarantee safety for children who have ‘free from’ requirements. Within our range of main meals and desserts, we have an extensive collection of dishes that are ‘free from’ all the 14 known allergens. “For additional peace of mind, we do not allow nuts or any of their derivatives into our kitchens, and through working closely with suppliers, we have removed nut warnings from 99 per cent of our dishes. Furthermore, we operate a strict allergen control and simple ordering system, which means allergens within meals are made clear at the point of ordering and service. 8
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“Taking ethics and sustainability pledges very seriously, apetito is a strong supporter of the British food and farming industry, sourcing ingredients from suppliers who share a commitment to improving the world we live in. Fish is one example – 100% of our wild fish is MCS certified. “This commitment extends to waste and our determination to reduce single use plastics across our supply chain where we expect each of our suppliers to mirror our high standards of quality control. Our dedicated in-house team can trace the source of every ingredient we use right through the food chain. Every element of our production is rigorously checked; apetito is also a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative.
Fast-paced innovation
was impossible. But in the last few months, we have changed HOW we work to help us ‘forge a new future’. One example is how we develop new meals. This year, we reached out to five leading UK chefs, whose businesses had been adversely impacted by Covid-19. “The result was six new meals, created by those chefs (working with our inhouse dietitian, and expert product development team). These dishes launched in early August as the first in an ongoing series within our Culinary Inspirations’ collection. “Meals include delicious options such as Chicken and Chorizo Paella and the classic Coronation Chicken, and Chicken & Sweetcorn Bake, (set to be a surefire winner with pupils). Coming soon is our new pasta range, followed by some inspirational additions to our plant-based line up of dishes. “As with all our meals, Culinary Inspirations represents great value, and all dishes can be easily cooked from frozen on site by schools’ own teams.”
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BURSARS
A clean
CHALLENGE Covid-19 has taken hygiene standards and personal space to a new level. Bursar, Dr Dean White talks about how Stamford Endowed Schools have faced the practical issues of this highly contagious virus
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ack in March the language of coronavirus was not dissimilar to a 1940s Pathe Newsreel. Government met as a ‘war cabinet’, the NHS was the ‘front line’ and we were going to ‘go to war with the virus’. By early April I wouldn’t have been surprised if the daily Downing Street briefing included a Dad’s Army style map showing how the virus was being repelled at the borders. But, despite the hyperbole, some of what turned the tide on Covid-19 was much
simpler – soap and bleach. If any army has allowed us to return to some semblance of normality, it has been an army of cleaners, or at least that is my experience at the Stamford Endowed Schools. Like all schools, Stamford closed to the majority of pupils in late March and moved overnight to remote learning. Through April and May we had children of key workers in school every day, and by the end of June we had managed to bring every child – who was able to travel
and who wanted to attend – back into school as the guidance permitted. There is no magic to how we achieved this, it was simply planning, teamwork, and some investment.
Planning and adapting
Involving many people in the planning stages proved key; this has been no time for the autocratic style of leadership that is often appropriate for immediate crises. Our Covid team has been broad, Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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BURSARS
“The balance between easy to clean and a meaningful educational environment is a fine one”
and included teachers, operations, IT, marketing, HR and the school nurse – the tentacles of this crisis spread widely, so the team similarly needed to cover every base. Throughout we have also drawn on the expertise of classroom teachers, the housemasters and site maintenance staff – they are the ones who know what is possible and ultimately made the plan successful.
“There is no one-size-fits-all solution” Since March our mantra has been to follow government guidance. Guidance could have been more timely, and in some cases it could have been clearer (I have had to check my interpretation with our insurers on at least two occasions), but generally I think the intent and spirit of
the guidance has been clear. What did come through, and this should already be part of our DNA as independent schools, was that each school must manage the return of pupils in the best way for its own circumstances. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Each classroom has been stripped back and any ‘unnecessary’ furniture and fixtures removed. Some discussion was needed between teaching and maintenance staff to agree a definition of ‘unnecessary’; the balance between easy to clean and a meaningful educational environment is a fine one. We have also stocked each classroom with hand sanitiser (we found a foam version that was less harsh on children’s skin) and tissues. In junior school classrooms we made no attempt at social distancing and adopted social bubbles of no more than 12. More lessons moved outside where each bubble had its own play area and a small gazebo. Again, we are fortunate to have space. The approach in the senior schools mirrored that of the junior school – clean, clean and then clean some more. Here, though, we have managed to enforce social distancing between pupils and staff.
Physical changes
Our junior school re-opened first, with each class split in half and pupils coming into school on alternate days; the class teacher led one bubble and the TA the other. We are fortunate in that we have three entrances to our junior school and, therefore, did not have to consider staggered start or finish times. Instead parents were directed to their own year group drop-off zone where children were collected by staff. We installed outdoor sinks at each entrance so the children could wash their hands before entering the building – the first of many additional costs which may eventually prove to be covered by insurance, but as I write are not.
Outdoor sinks were installed so that pupils could wash their hands before entering the building Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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BURSARS We deliberately made use of classrooms that are large, airy, close to the entrance, and near toilets. Science and the other practical subjects re-ordered their curriculum to focus on theory for a term, thereby avoiding the risk of shared equipment. We also implemented the controls that are now commonplace; two-meter markings, queuing outside, signs, new sinks and hand sanitiser.
Reassurance for all
What reassured parents and staff most, however, was the significant step up in the cleaning regime. It was obvious from the moment that re-opening became a possibility that everyone expected a very high standard of cleaning and for it to be constant. Fortunately, our cleaning and catering teams are all employed in the domestic team; we were therefore able to move 90% of the catering team on to cleaning duties without any HR difficulties. This increase in manpower meant that each classroom and the communal spaces could be deep cleaned each evening, and regular cleaning took place during the day. The visibility of cleaners has been one of the reasons our staff and parents have been so happy to return to school.
PPE or not?
PPE has been a thorny issue at Stamford throughout this crisis. Our approach in the summer was to follow government guidance and conclude it was not 12
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necessary. However, a small majority of staff did question this, and so at one point I purchased some medical grade face masks. At the time masks were in very short supply and I bought the whole stock on one website – all 42 of them; I’m not sure they did ever arrive! With the start of the autumn term, we are diverting from government guidance slightly – we have bought a stock of reusable fabric face coverings (we are deliberately not calling them masks) and will issue one to every pupil who uses the school buses. They will also be optional for teachers when they come into close contact with pupils. PPE proper – medical grade – is reserved for our nurses.
“Involving many people in the planning stages proved key” At the time of writing, boarding is an area we are still considering. In the summer term we decided it was too hard to offer, but the demand from parents was not there anyway. We will continue to look at the guidance from BSA; but I can already see that the approach will be similar: treat each house as a bubble, clean regularly and be ready to isolate if necessary. The BSA Covid-Safe Charter seems sensible, and we have signed up to it. As for opening, the guidance on year group bubbles makes a full re-opening seem very manageable. Like many schools, we anticipate catering is going to be the biggest challenge and our solution is multipronged. Firstly, we will make use of other spaces; assembly halls and covered atriums will be converted into secondary dining rooms, and we will also have a takeaway sandwich ‘cart’. A new menu has been developed by the catering team which is quick and easy to serve; but regrettably, this means less choice and also the removal of the salad bar and other ‘help-yourself ’ options. The size of the catering team has been
increased so that we can clean tables and chairs thoroughly between each bubble; and I’m also trying to figure out how I can have bubbles within the catering team in case it becomes necessary for any of them to self-isolate. All these things are costing money and the eventual bill will easily exceed £150,000. But these measures mean that our boarders are confident to return, we have carried on recruiting day pupils and our staff are happy to be on-site. The downside of not doing enough far outweighs the cost. Thankfully, it feels like we are winning the battle.
TAKE-AWAYS 1. Planning, teamwork and investment are essential. 2. An increase in cleaning manpower reassures everyone. 3. Think creatively about the use of available space. 4. Find workable solutions for catering requirements.
Dean White has been bursar at Stamford Endowed Schools since March 2019; his second bursarship Previously he was a chartered accountant working in industry.
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BURSARS
On guard for
MONEY LAUNDERING Tim Ryan gives clear and concise advice on ways to mitigate the problem and avoid unwittingly committing an offence
U “Do you have a Money Laundering Reporting Officer?” It has been estimated that every year about £90 billion of criminal money gets laundered through the UK, but in 2017 only six out of the 423,000 Suspicious Activity Reports submitted to the National Crime Agency (NCA) came from education institutions. In September 2018, the head of economic and cyber crime at the NCA stated that private schools need to be doing much more to address the issue, and later that year, in announcing a major crackdown on money launderers, Ben Wallace, Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime, threatened to come down hard on those schools ‘who don’t ask many questions if suspicious people come along with cash’. Whether the criticisms are fair or not, it can no longer be denied that the risks are significant. According to the latest UK Independent Schools Council census, more than 55,000 pupils at its member schools 14
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ntil recently, you might be forgiven for thinking that money laundering is really only a problem for banks, accountants and solicitors to worry about and not something to overly-concern schools. Certainly, schools have never been subject to the same strict anti-money laundering regulations that apply to businesses and individuals who carry out work in the so-called regulated sector. A few wellpublicised cases and warnings from senior police officers and politicians have, however, gone some way to change that perception.
“It’s very easy to be complacent, and to think it won’t happen to you” come from overseas, including more than 2,500 Russians, 1,400 Nigerians and almost 600 from Central Asia. While the vast majority of parents choosing to educate their children at schools in the UK are doing so from perfectly legitimate sources of wealth, there are a small number for whom that won’t be the case.
In a nutshell
Money laundering, put very simply, is the process by which the proceeds of crime are converted into assets which appear
to have a legitimate origin. But money laundering is far from simple and can take an almost infinite number of forms, in which money is cycled and recycled through the system, again and again, to prevent it being traced back to the criminal activity from which it first derived. In the independent school sector, money laundering can include any of the following scenarios: • donations to projects for which an appeal is being run • donations to the school for no obvious reason • payments in advance for fees • the requested return of fees paid in advance. Or, it might just be the payment of fees from illicit wealth in order to enhance a family’s reputation by having their child in a prestigious school. Clearly you need to be on your guard.
BURSARS
Principal offences
The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (‘POCA’) sets out a number of money laundering offences, attracting heavy fines and substantial prison sentences for anyone – including school staff – who commit them. The three principal offences are: 1. acquiring, using or having possession of criminal property; 2. concealing, disguising, converting or transferring criminal property, or removing it from the UK; 3. entering into or being concerned in an arrangement which facilitates the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property. Other offences include disclosing information which prejudices an investigation, falsifying, concealing or destroying evidence, and failing to report suspicions. ‘Criminal property’ is broadly defined as constituting or representing a person’s benefit from criminal conduct, in whole or in part, whether directly or indirectly; it covers not just cash, but pretty much anything, however small and wherever located. An alleged offender will be guilty if he knows or ‘suspects’ the property might be criminal. ‘Suspicion’ does not require firmly grounded facts, but must be more than just a fanciful possibility, and knowing where the threshold lies is not always easy.
In your defence
For each of the principal offences, POCA provides a statutory defence to a criminal charge when a disclosure is made either to a police or customs officer, or to an officer within the organisation nominated for receiving disclosures. This must be done either before carrying out the act or as soon as practicable after the knowledge or suspicion first arises. In practice, the school should appoint a Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO), usually the bursar or someone of equivalent authority, who can receive any internal suspicion reports from other members of staff and make a formal Suspicious Activity Report to the NCA where needed. While this may provide some comfort against possible prosecution,
it provides little in the way of reputational protection if it transpires that your school has been unwittingly targeted by criminals. A more comprehensive strategy is clearly required if you are to be sure of minimising the impact.
Be prepared
You should, at the very least, have a documented anti-money laundering policy and detailed procedures to cover such things as: the appointment of an MLRO; the requirement for comprehensive identity checks; identifying Politically Exposed Persons or ‘PEPs’ (holders of prominent public positions who are regarded as posing a higher risk of money laundering); screening against HM Treasury consolidated sanctions lists; monitoring of payments from high risk jurisdictions; and limits on amounts that may be accepted in cash. The Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) has some helpful guidance, updated in January 2020, which provides an outline of the law, advice from the Charity Commission on due diligence steps to mitigate the risks, information on how to submit a Suspicious Activity Report to the NCA, details of various providers of electronic searches that can be used to supplement in-house checks and a very good policy template schools may wish to adopt. The problem with money laundering is that until it happens it is very easy to be complacent, and to think it won’t happen to you. That is what the criminals are banking on. Don’t let your school fall into that trap. Get it wrong and you could be facing detention at Her Majesty’s pleasure. Money launderers can be very convincing and very clever; and, increasingly perhaps, even well-educated. Tim Ryan is a consultant at Warners Solicitors, Tonbridge, where he specialises in criminal and regulatory defence cases. He is a qualified barrister and solicitor and is also the firm’s Money Laundering Reporting Officer.
WARNING SIGNS ISBA guidance includes a useful list of money laundering ‘red flags’ for bursary staff, which may be indicators of possible money laundering: • Are transactions unusual because of their size, frequency or the manner of their execution, in relation to the parent’s known business type? • Do payments involve complex or illogical arrangements that make it unclear who is making the payment? • Does it appear that a parent’s (or guardian’s) assets are inconsistent with their known legitimate income? • Are a parent’s funds made up of a disproportionate amount of private funding, bearer’s cheques or cash, in relation to their socio-economic profile? • Has the parent taken steps to hide their identity, or is the payer difficult to identify? • Is the parent (or guardian) unusually anxious to complete a transaction or are they unable to justify why they need the payment to be undertaken quickly? • Is the parent (or guardian) engaged in unusual private business given they hold a prominent public title or function? • Is information or documents being withheld by the parent or guardian or their representative, or do they appear falsified? • Are the parents native to, or resident in, a high-risk country? • Have you, or other professionals involved been instructed at a distance, asked to act outside of your usual speciality, or offered an unusually high fee? Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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BURSARS
From
LISTED BUILDINGS to 21st century schools
Many UK independent schools were built in the 1800s and adapting them for modern-day use can be challenging. Architect Regine Kandan from Make highlights the considerations for listed buildings
T
he transformation of any existing building, listed or not, is a challenging undertaking. Heritage-led projects require bespoke solutions, customised to respect the historic content of the building and protect its long-term ambition. The transformation of historic school buildings in the 21st century is particularly complex, not just because of the changing delivery of education but also because of the sensitivities in working with historic fabric.
“The adaptation of historic spaces requires innovative solutions” The National Heritage List for England contains over 500,000 listed buildings, of which over 5,000 are historic school buildings. Listed buildings are specifically celebrated for their special architectural and historic interest. In addition to architectural merit, there are other aspects which contribute to their heritage significance, including communal values. They also have social or cultural significance and contain stories that need to be retold. Repair and maintenance must be undertaken with a good understanding of the building’s composition
“Questions based on the principles of conservation are likely to arise” New demands
Teaching is no longer about delivering content in a classroom setting and therefore, historic school spaces need to adapt to new demands. Self-studying expands beyond libraries as students prefer grouping together in different settings. Common areas have become less utilitarian and take inspiration from spaces outside of the standard school typology, such as cafes and lounges. Considerations for well-being and the integration of nature are more emphasised in the learning environment. Additionally, the diversity of today’s multi-faceted society requires that the built environment responds to the needs of its users. Modern techniques aim to provoke curiosity amongst the younger generation and encourage students to take an active role in their education. In Nottingham, Make’s Teaching and Learning Building, provides new, adaptable technology and encourages social interaction. The learning spaces feature digital displays, interactive screens and lecture capture. A simple but essential provision of USB ports integrated within furniture gives flexibility
to the space. There are ample spaces for students to meet and socialise, arranged around learning labs, study rooms and a performing arts space. Historic school buildings were never built for these contemporary developments and their adaptation requires in-depth knowledge of its existing nature and innovative solutions as to how they can be transformed. Before proposing physical alterations, changing the use of one space into another should be the first consideration. Make’s work at the University of Birmingham to repurpose a former municipal bank, which is Grade II-listed, transforms former offices into flexible studios for project-based learning activities. Any repurposing should not focus solely on present circumstances but also on future use. As the continued emphasis on technology will be demanding on historic fabric, the accessibility of any new infrastructure must be considered, so that they can be modified in the future with ease. Spaces that have multiple uses work well in buildings where its footprint cannot be altered. Where new-built Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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BURSARS extensions are planned, consider how both the historic and the new interface with each other, architecturally and functionally. Other common challenges are accessibility and compliance with building regulations and construction standards: Accessibility is vital in historic buildings as they must accommodate the needs of diverse groups of people and not exclude the enjoyment of any building user. Revised fire regulations, following the tragedy of Grenfell Tower, are fundamental to preventing the spread of fire and ensuring that safety measures are in place. And in special circumstances, additional management procedures must be established if modern interventions significantly harm the buildings’ special interest.
“Contactless features will become the norm” The effects of Covid-19 has added another new dimension when considering a building’s design and operation. Whether new or existing, interrogating a building’s configuration is the first step as the circulation of people is fundamental. Historically, multiple entrances were often incorporated because students and staff took separate routes, and this characteristic lends well to introducing one-way systems. Some 19th century schools dwelled on the plan of classrooms surrounding a central hall; some were designed with separate ‘wings’ where boys and girls entered via their own entrances and staircases. Little physical intervention will be required in these cases to adapt to new circulation and distancing needs, and can just as easily be reversed. Having openable windows and spaces that cross between the interior and the outdoors will assist in tackling the transmission of illnesses, a consideration for staff and students now and in the future. New extensions should also consider improved hygiene measures at design stage
so they can be built-in on day one. For example, specify material surfaces that are easier to clean and sanitise. Contactless features will become the norm, from access-controlled doors to sanitary fittings with integrated sensors.
Constructive conservation
There is a perception that listed buildings cannot be altered and must be preserved in their entirety. This statement is often misinterpreted, as institutions such as Historic England, SPAB (The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) emphasise that buildings must not just exist but must continue to be in use. Therefore, it is extremely important that the adaptation ensures continuous occupation and maintenance. Historic England encourages the philosophy of ‘Constructive Conservation’, where the right collaboration can be positive for both the advancement of the school and the preservation of the special interest of the building.
Where to start
The starting point of all heritage projects is a thorough understanding of the buildings’ significance and a detailed study of its contents and composition. This includes identifying its original features, distinguishing modern additions and uncovering its social narrative. This forms an understanding of how the historic fabric may be transformed; whether major alterations are likely to take place or if there are opportunities to introduce new interventions reasonably and sensitively. The sub-division of spaces, quality of light, perception of volume, external expression and relationship with its context are some of many aspects that will give clues as to how the spaces can be altered. Substantial changes may require a more innovative approach or may have to be reversible, should there be a need to restore the space to its original appearance. There may also be opportunities for extensions or new adjacent buildings, and an understanding
of the building’s ‘setting’ will influence this. Protection of a building’s setting ensures that the appearance and appreciation of the building in its context is unharmed if changes are envisaged to its structure and surroundings. Proposals should be planned with consideration to the building in its entirety, not in piecemeal. An initial spatial masterplan will provide clarity in the relationship between one proposal and the next which can then be executed in a phased approach, mitigating unplanned disruption to students, staff and building operators.
Step by step
Firstly, it is essential to commission a thorough condition survey of the building. This will identify areas in need of repair. In large buildings, some areas may have received poor care, particularly where they are difficult to access. And repairs made with good intentions, but with little understanding of the building’s construction, may have caused harm to the fabric. For example, poor insulating techniques cause contrasts in humidity, and repointing without the right mortar prevents the building from being able to move. Any alteration to a listed building will require consent. It is imperative that preapplication consultations and statutory engagement are sought from an early stage. Proposals which respect the building’s special interest with consideration to scale, use, external appearance and access, will give better confidence to authorities that the alterations will not significantly harm the building’s historic value. Continuity of consultation is also recommended as good practice to keep case officers abreast of design development. Inevitably, amendments to the consented plans may be required and it is wise to discuss changes to preagreed principles before submitting formal applications. As the design becomes more detailed, questions on the principles of conservation are likely to arise. Does replacement have to be like-for-like, down to the chemical composition of the material? Will the Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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BURSARS
Modern education encourages social interaction between students, so create spaces to facilitate that
a list of permitted works which can be consented through a different procedure, thereby saving time and resources. The transformations of historic buildings are often complex and have great demands. While every project takes a different turn, the outcomes are highly rewarding – as the lives of these buildings have been extended and future generations are able to experience and enjoy them. Successful projects stem from solid background studies, the practice of good judgement and the effective collaboration of a multi-disciplinary team with a shared vision.
TOP TIPS • Understand the condition, architectural and social significance of the building. new interventions replicate the existing or will they be completely new in appearance to differentiate between the two? It is crucial that stakeholder engagement should take place early in the design process. Ongoing work by Make with the University of York puts end-users’ needs at the heart of the design process, involving both staff and students. As the design progresses, consultations with specialists will help inform the design and ultimately cost of works. Ideally, these are carried out upfront, whilst a suitable consultant team is assembled, one with specific experience and skills compatible with the period of the building.
“Projects conceived in an organic fashion may be detrimental to the institution”
A common dilemma on historic projects is that the cost of refurbishment is difficult to quantify, more so when repairs are extensive. At Hornsey Town Hall, a traffic light system aided the definition of the scope of work. Elements were categorised into three different levels of repair. An allowance for unknowns discovered during construction work is fundamental as there will always be an element of uncertainty until the strip-out of the building commences.
Ongoing commitments
The stages after the project completes are equally as important, where care and maintenance must continue through the implementation of management strategies. Occasionally a Heritage Management Plan is required to document the significance and condition of the building, to set objectives for implementing works and to monitor progress. Heritage Partnership Agreements may be a suitable collaborative approach for historic buildings that require routine work. It is an agreement between local authorities, building owners and occasionally with third parties such as Historic England, to define
• Consult statutory bodies and engage with stakeholders. • Have an overall vision which addresses present and future needs. • Appoint appropriate specialists with relevant skill and experience. • Plan for unknowns and new discoveries. You may be interested to read England’s Schools – History, Architecture and Adaptation by Elaine Harwood, published by English Heritage, 2012. Regine Kandan qualified as an architect in 2010 and joined Make in 2014. She is an RIBA conservation registrant with a portfolio of prestigious listed building projects. Make is an awardwinning international architectural practice (make.com).
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MARKETING & ADMISSIONS
Several factors are putting a strain on relations with China. MP Andrew Lewer MBE, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Independent Education gives us a frank and honest personal view about the challenges of international student recruitment
F
irstly, I would like to lay my motivations on the table. An appreciation and respect for the independent education sector, support for increased state/independent school partnerships, and a belief that the sector can benefit wider society even more than it does already with greater government support (co-sponsored bursaries, some modern version of Assisted Places or even a Dutch or Australian style voucher scheme for example) led me to found and to Chair the All Party Parliamentary Group for Independent Education. It is not the most fashionable cause in Westminster, but I believe in it. It is, therefore, very much as an ally that I make some possibly uncomfortable observations.
“It would be a mistake to think that geo-politics does not affect the sector” Value of international fees
The large number of international students in UK independent schools and colleges is a source of pride to most people in the sector. They have given an extra educational dimension for domestic students learning and living alongside their international classmates. They have provided an important – and for some 22
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schools a critical – source of additional revenue. This has also benefitted the UK economy, both in overall revenue terms and particularly for the local areas where successful independent schools are based. Whether a large international contingent in UK schools has also contributed to fee inflation is a separate discussion, but the significance of international fee income is indisputable. The question is, how probable is continued fee income from the Chinese market? I would suggest that a very large slice of this revenue is now at risk and it is highly likely to diminish even further in the future. This reasoning is due to two converging factors: at the exact time coronavirus struck, with the huge challenges it has brought to the independent education sector and the incomes of its customers, the not entirely unrelated issue of relations with China has come to the fore. It cannot be ignored. As a sector, we need to talk about China.
Getting real
I try to be wary of Godwin’s Law in my article-writing and speech-giving. The ‘law’ has numerous versions, the relevant one in this case is: ‘whoever mentions the Nazis has automatically lost whatever argument was in progress.’ But it is very difficult to avoid when you have a state with around 1,000,000 people in concentration camps, actively sterilising thousands of women for being the ‘wrong’ race and religion and is trading the organs and hair products of prisoners. Vocal and high-level abhorrence at the activities of the Chinese state is no longer a fringe position – the Foreign Secretary himself said on the
MARKETING & ADMISSIONS
We need to talk
ABOUT CHINA ‘While China desires to understand the world, it fails to accept its universal values.’ Ai Weiwei, 2012 Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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MARKETING & ADMISSIONS
“There is no point in soft-soaping this change in attitude” A reduction in students from China is inevitable
BBC that forced sterilisation and wider persecution of the Uighur Muslims by the Chinese government were ‘reminiscent of something not seen for a long time’. Even if many in the West were slow to appreciate the true and worsening nature of the Chinese Communist regime under President Xi Jinping, and the movement from authoritarian to totalitarian, it is beyond question that this realisation is now mainstream. It is cross-party at a time when political consensus in the UK has been especially hard to come by. And it is not just a change in rhetorical tone but is leading to hard outcomes, of which Huawei/5G and the immigration status of British National Overseas passport holders in Hong Kong are just the start. There is no point in soft-soaping this change in attitude. It extends now to British people looking at labels to see if a product is made in China and putting it back on the shelf if it is, reminiscent of the way my parents used to refuse to buy anything from South Africa in the apartheid era. This is a very strong feeling in political circles, and it is getting stronger in the wider population too. Unless China stops the activities which give rise to this reaction, I very much doubt the strength of these views in the UK will lessen now they have reached this pitch. In terms of said activities and 24
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provocations, then take your pick from: the Uighurs, Hong Kong, Tibet, the Indian border, suppression of information around coronavirus, cyber warfare, the South China Sea, Taiwan and general totalitarianism. It is true that in the global economy it is impossible to suddenly pretend that China does not exist, or even to avoid its products altogether (although discovering that the product is made by slaves does assist the process); but that should not blind us to what is going on, either from a humanitarian point of view or from a business perspective.
Impacting UK education
It would be a big mistake for the independent education sector to think that all of this, and geo-politics more generally, does not affect them. It would also be misguided to believe that as long as plenty of reassurance is offered by schools about social distancing, quarantine arrangements and other anti-coronavirus measures then Chinese students will not only return (they may do so short-term), but that new students from China will continue to choose a UK education in the same sorts of numbers in the future. I would suggest that there is a strong chance they will not and, therefore, schools need to look to other markets as a matter
of urgency. This is painful in the extreme for the sector as Chinese students are the largest cohort of overseas boarders in the country (over 25% when combining China and Hong Kong markets), but the drop in numbers from that part of the world in the years ahead is moving from possible to probable.
New markets near and far
Markets to focus on include other Asian countries, Europe (where any Brexit angst will soon fade; I was an MEP, it will!) and West Africa. This last category is especially promising. Nigeria has the largest population in Africa and an expanding middle class; and Ghana has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Both have a history and culture of enthusiasm for UK independent education, and indeed enthusiasm for it in the round – not just as an exam factory. The sector must look to the domestic market too. Many parents have felt disappointed by the provision made in some sections of the state education sector and are therefore looking for alternatives. Parents of students already in independent education may feel that the disruption of coronavirus makes boarding more attractive, especially for older students. I personally think it may boom at sixth form level, while doing so less or
MARKETING & ADMISSIONS not at all the further you go down the age range. This increase in older age boarding (particularly weekly, possibly flexi too) may well outlast the pandemic, but fee levels will be key.
“The desire to have children closer to home will be a continuing trend” Certainly for the medium-term, partly also as a result of coronavirus, it is likely that the desire to have your children closer to home, or at least in the same country, will be a continuing trend and highlights another reason why UK students must always be the bedrock. In addition, political support is more likely to be forthcoming (at least from those not implacably opposed for ideological reasons to private
education) if UK students remain the principal focus. Longer-term it is likely that developing and growing economies will focus on improving and enhancing their own educational provision, both independent and state, day and boarding, because what can assist economic growth more than good education? Whilst there will always be a market from overseas parents for the most well-known school brands, it cannot be guaranteed for the majority of the sector.
China knows best
There is another reason, strongly related to the growing international tensions outlined above, which I believe will contribute to a decline in Chinese boarders in the UK. It’s the growing nationalism in China, very much fuelled by the cult of personality around President Xi. This is a nationalism that proclaims China to be the best in all fields – including education. We may well see a change in their enthusiasm for sending students abroad to reap the
WHAT ABOUT HONG KONG?
If it seems likely that mainland Chinese students are less likely to be in the UK in such large numbers, what about those from Hong Kong? In terms of education, mainland China and Hong Kong may look very different from each other in the future, but in all other respects the distinction between the two is now massively reduced. The new Hong Kong Security Law turns Hong Kong into almost as much of a police state as the rest of China. Residents of Hong Kong are used to freedom and liberty in a way that those of mainland China are not, even in the pre-President Xi period. It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that parents will want their children to continue to enjoy the kind of education which provides these elements. Up until now, for the most part, it has been available in Hong Kong but going forward it will be severely curtailed. (If anyone has any doubts about this, you only need look at the schoolchildren who have been arrested and badly treated by the police in Hong
benefits of an overseas education (which in Chinese Communist Party terms is the technical rather than the cultural), to a suspicion of parents not educating their children in China, at least at pre-18 level. Growing international tension between China and many countries around the world will have far-reaching impacts on the UK independent schools sector. This will not only be in terms of student numbers and fee income as outlined here. A separate article by Andrew Lewer discussing reduced financial investment, and the reputational jeopardy schools should seek to avoid in the foreseeable future, is available on our online platform schoolmanagementplus.com/chinarelations Andrew Lewer MBE MP is Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Independent Education, Parliamentary Secretary to the Home Office and Vice-President of the Local Government Association.
Kong for protesting, or learn of the books that are now banned from libraries in Hong Kong schools, by order of the state.) As a result, it is possible there will be an increase in Hong Kong students arriving at UK boarding schools. Whether this will continue, or even permitted longer-term if their parents remain in China, is yet to be seen. At a press conference on 30th July the Chinese Ambassador to the UK announced that China will not recognise BNO passports as a legal travel document which is a relevant and concerning development. Indeed, we may see more Hong Kong children in UK independent day and boarding schools if their parents choose to relocate here. This could be a consequence of the new paths to British citizenship that have been opened up as a UK reaction to the Security Law (or to other countries that will be similarly welcoming to the exodus of talent that may result). It is a trend that has yet to emerge, but it is worth looking out for.
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MARKETING & ADMISSIONS
On the
MAP A
s an independent school, indeed as any business, there are many ways in which you can look at uniqueness. Uniqueness can be a selling point but it can also be unfavourable. Arguably for too long, Scarborough College looked at its uniqueness in a humble and almost negative way. It was a school tucked away by the sea, well over two hours from the nearest international airport of note and surrounded by moors and dales. How do you begin to promote it to an international clientele many of whom are primarily looking at Cambridge and Oxford?
Tucked away on the Yorkshire coast, Scarborough College has renewed confidence to shout about its USPs and top-class boarding offering. Remco Weeda, director of marketing and admissions, explains the journey
Embracing strengths
A few years ago it was decided that Scarborough College would go on a journey to embrace its uniqueness in a positive and dynamic way. Instead of looking at what other schools could promote, and Scarborough College could not, the college built a brand around what it had. Without arrogance, it was decided that the school might even take their brand to a level where it could lead others. First, however, they had to agree on what made them unique. Of course, on the east coast of Yorkshire, that’s not difficult to agree on. Ask anyone in the locality and they’ll
“We decided to go for broke and the results are spectacular”
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say – the North of England is its own community. They’ll tell you the same thing about Yorkshire where they have their own tea, their own rallying cries and their own brand of humour. ‘We’re Yorkshire,’ is what they’ll tell you. Scarborough is no different in that respect; community within a community. Nestled between the North Yorkshire moors on the north, the North Sea on the east and the Wolds all around the west and south; Scarborough is unique. Britain’s first seaside resort, a favourite of Queen Victoria, the birthplace of Sir Ben Kingsley, and the first English actor to ever win an Oscar, Charles Laughton.
MARKETING & ADMISSIONS
“The students take a sense of pride in their surroundings and look after it”
In Scarborough, if you feel like you’ve reached the edge of England, it’s because you probably have. It is easy to see how, for years, Scarborough College found it difficult to embrace that unique side of its character. It’s difficult to run a strapline that says: ‘Welcome to the edge of England.’ Part of understanding how to rebrand was accepting its location and embracing its strengths: the more remote a location, the tighter its community. ‘For as long as I can remember, Scarborough College has always been a tight-knit community,’ says Zoë Harrison, marketing manager and Old Scardeburgian. ‘I boarded here from the age of eight. My son also went to school here before recently graduating from university. I was a governor and have been involved with the alumni association since the age of 18. I suppose you could say that from the age of eight, I never left.’ Harrison is not the only one. Phil Wilson, Housemaster at Denys Crews House, was a pupil at Scarborough College before returning as a teacher of business studies and psychology, a boarding house master and a sports coach including hockey, rugby, cricket and tennis. The school becomes your family.
Out of the comfort zone
Lauren Hindlaugh from Blumilk Creative in Newcastle, the company that guided Scarborough College through their rebrand, recalls: ‘The unique atmosphere at the college meant we had opportunities to do something different. In many ways, we felt the brand was already there. It was just about how we got the message ‘out there’ and that was really a case of getting Scarborough College out of its comfort zone of pleasant, shoes by the fire, rural and old-fashioned cosiness.’
The college was to become almost a contrasting image of what we see when we say family, according to Hindlaugh. ‘Family atmosphere doesn’t necessarily spell modern and dynamic but having that contrasting message can help amplify the message.’ Blumilk proposed to add a second, more contemporary logo in addition to the school crest: The SC.
The modern SC logo lends itself well for STEM subject classrooms and dynamic educational developments but is also easy to use on social media. The main message the college started using was the hastag #wearesc, conveying the most important message of all. We are family. By the end of 2019, a new school uniform supplier, School Blazer, was chosen and in a highly controversial move, the crest was removed from blazers. Possibly even more controversially, the SC was adopted on the sports kit, hitting home the dynamic message of #wearesc, and also the messages #wearesport and any other messages the school could add in this manner. Traditionalists objected but one classroom at a time, the college was reinventing family values and rebranding itself. Not that the one-classroom-at-a-time policy was a chosen one. Budgeting on a shoestring meant that Scarborough College did not have much choice. Nevertheless, already #wearesc could be seen and felt throughout the school. ‘Some of it is fairly straightforward and relatively cheap,’ says Remco Weeda, director of marketing and admissions. Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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‘SC signs on all the classroom doors for instance and an almost hysterical attention to staff following brand rules.’ He admits that pushing a brand through does not always make him Mr Popular. ‘Take the Leavers’ hoodies,’ Weeda says. ‘We were being difficult about the font on a bunch of students’ jumpers which the students couldn’t understand. But it’s about a message we want to convey.’
Going for broke
To ensure Scarborough College was on the map once and for all, a bold decision was made to abandon the shoestring concept of one-classroom-at-a-time when it came to the boarding houses. Rebranding became remodelling and then remodelling became extending. Ensuring the word ‘family’ would resonate each time the school name was mentioned, Scarborough College decided to go for broke and the results are spectacular.
“Many schools claim they are a family. How that message is packaged is what counts” ‘Hands-down the best entrance into a boarding house in the UK,’ is what senior education consultant, Dominic Moon, said stepping into Weaponness, Scarborough College’s Sixth Form Co-Ed house. Having visited over one thousand boarding houses, Moon knows what he is talking about. Remodelled and extended in September 28
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2019, Weaponness is as close to the concepts of coming home and being home as a boarding house can get, but at the same time different. This is contemporary family living; luxurious, comfortable, light, bright and very popular. Across the road is Denys Crews House, which, in many ways, is its younger brother. Home to 17 young boys, it was finished a year prior, yet still looks immaculate. With quirky (and commissioned) skateboard lamps and a smooth chill-out lounge, this is 21st century boys’ boarding. Both Crews and Weaponness scream home because they look like places you really want to come home to. This is essentially what separates a house from a home – and, perhaps surprisingly, the students take a sense of pride in their surroundings and look after it.
Chicken and egg situation
Willersley, the College’s junior girls house, is to follow and so are many classrooms but the one lesson Scarborough College has learnt is that doing it right is better than doing it swiftly. The rebrand is a journey and both the school’s website and prospectus were clear exponents of the arduous character that journeys can sometimes take. With the brand mostly in place and visible, it was time to do some serious shouting. However, at the time of the earliest prospectus and website redesigns, there was still very little to shout about. ‘Those were interesting times actually,’ Zoë Harrison, marketing manager, recalls. ‘We knew where we were going. We’d seen the plans. We knew how amazing Crews was going to look. It just wasn’t there yet. It meant that the marketing team was designing an image based on what didn’t yet exist. To make matters worse, each time a design for the prospectus had been agreed upon, something new got delivered. ‘Our prospectus was set to print in October 2019,’ Weeda says. ‘About two weeks later Weaponness was completed.’ The website was a lot easier to adapt to the many twists and turns of the journey, though not also without challenges. ‘Your website is everything,’ says Weeda. ‘It’s what connects your social media, which is your
other everything, and it’s your company image before anything else.’ While it might be easier to adapt with some new pictures, the challenge of the website was to convey the Scarborough College message, the #wearesc, to amplify it where possible and to do this in a non-conformist manner. After all, many schools claim they are a family. That message is not unique, how that message is packaged is what counts. Most at the school will readily admit that when it comes to the site, the journey has not yet come to its conclusion. The vision is clear. With so many Old Scardeburgians making up its staff, no one is under any illusions of where the college came from. With future challenges ahead, everyone is well aware that the college’s future, like so many others, will have its ups and downs. ‘But,’ says Zoë Harrison. ‘We also know that we’re part of something exciting. Our rebrand has given us a licence to clearly inform others what we are about. On top of that, with what we have created within our boarding, we have also got a lot of people keen to take a look.’ ‘It shows that even small independent schools can lead the way,’ adds Weeda. ‘Our rebrand has provided a platform for recognition. It allows not so much for Scarborough College to talk about itself but for others to talk about Scarborough College. And let’s be honest, that’s still the most influential advertising in the world.’
Remco Weeda is director of marketing and admissions at Scarborough College. Originally from the Netherlands, Remco has fifteen years’ experience in education marketing.
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MARKETING & ADMISSIONS
Buying an
INDEPENDENT EDUCATION Any successful business needs to adapt to survive and these are unprecedented times for independent schools. Philippa Scudds discusses affordability, flexibility and identity
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schoolmanagementplus.com I Autumn 2020
in the 2020s
With graduates struggling to get on the housing ladder, how will they afford a private education for their children?
MARKETING & ADMISSIONS
I
am something of a rarity, having attended the same institution for my entire school career. It is almost unheard of today, as we see families switching independent schools through pre-prep, prep and senior stages, and increasingly beyond the traditional 3+, 5+, 7+ and 11+/13+ entry points. With the rise in primary school performance and strong grammar results, there is also a shift by what might have historically been seen as the traditional independent school parent into state choices, without a trace of seeing the option as second best. In addition, there is an increasing trend towards decisions by parents on which stage offers the most perceived ‘value’ by a buyer who cannot afford the full fourteen or so years’ worth of eye-watering fees. In this regard, sixth forms appear to be benefiting, seen as the tickets to top universities and highly paid employment opportunities, and therefore worth two years of financial sacrifice. The ISC in its census highlights that approximately 15% of all sixth form pupils in England attend ISC schools compared to less than 7% for 11-15 year olds. Research by RSAcademics and Mungo Dunnett Associates also indicates that transfer from the state sector at 16+ is an increasingly likely option for parents keen to keep overall costs affordable.
Next gen affordability
Affordability is indeed an ongoing concern for the sector and Covid-19 will no doubt bring challenges for both schools and families for many years to come. In its latest census, the ISC records that private school fees have risen by almost twice the rate of inflation over the past year to a record level, with London seeing the biggest increase. The report, which represents more than 1,300 independent schools in the UK and overseas, says that the average fee increase in the UK was 3.7 per cent; currently inflation stands at around one per cent. The overall figure does mask wide variations across the UK, with day fees for boarding schools in two areas actually falling, and the ISC stating that there ‘appears to have been a conscious effort by schools over the last
10 years to control fees’, with average fees rising by 3.9 per cent a year during the current decade, compared with 6.6 per cent between 2000 and 2010. Yet despite the noted increase in means-tested bursaries, rising 6.3% to £133.5 million, it is increasingly unlikely that, bar the very few at the top of the earnings pyramid, the next generation will be able to even consider an independent school education for their children.
“Schools have had to become much more flexible in their approach to recruitment” Financial tax breaks and house price rises have to an extent supported the sector in recent years. Current parents have benefited from tax efficiencies for grandparents wishing to contribute to their grandchild’s education and also from growth in the value of their own homes. They have been able to release equity, or remortgage to pay for their child’s education. The next generation won’t be so fortunate. With the average graduate salary around £23,000, grim post-Covid unemployment forecasts and the struggle to get on the first rung of the housing ladder, how will they be able to afford independent school fees?
Impact of change
The new fluidity of parental decisionmaking has certainly created more uncertainty for schools and made budgeting more difficult. It has also made the marketing and communications job more multi-faceted and pressurised, and the admissions job more complex. Prep and junior schools have been affected perhaps more than senior schools so far, as the latter tend to have more fixed entry points and recognised stages for entrance tests. Preps are no longer seeing pupils only join in the traditional September, but also at the start of the spring and summer
terms, and sometimes even mid-term. Parents may choose an independent for a couple of years, perhaps in Year 4, to benefit from the smaller classes with a view to grammar school testing preparation and entry at 11. Others may choose a primary school until 11, move straight into a senior independent or into a prep for Years 7 and 8 before joining a 13+ entry senior school at Year 9. Spaces become available as these children come and go, and in this more variable market schools have had to become much more flexible in their approach to recruitment, and associated marketing of their entry and exit. The exception to this is arguably the London market, where fierce competition for places in both prep and senior schools shows little sign of a slowdown as demand outstrips supply by a considerable margin. Conglomerates are forming with school groups run by corporates, and they seem to be thriving. The international demographic of the capital has only increased the demand, and with a British education still highly sought after across the globe, anyone involved in marketing in London schools is working in a very different world to the rest of the country and most can afford to be highly selective.
Adjust and adapt
There are numerous ways in which school marketers have had to adjust and adapt to the way that parents are viewing the purchase of an independent education. In the past 20 years, the advance of digital has increased pressure on marketing and communications teams as it has opened up prospective families’ eyes to a wider range of schooling options and therefore increased the competitive nature of the industry. In particular, information about fees and bursaries is much more readily available on school websites, with parents easily able to compare prices. Armed with this information, they are much more overt about negotiating fees and ‘discounts’. A clear demonstration of how parents are increasingly viewing education as buyers of a product with the expectation of a first-class service. Yet the internet has also brought with it many benefits for marketers. Schools Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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MARKETING & ADMISSIONS have been able to tailor their offering through their website, with sections for the different elements of school life, and thereby illustrate the increasing number of potential entry points. A prep school website will now typically have a split of sections, allowing parents to see the benefits of investing at each stage, and within each stage, and demonstrate the merits in a much more engaging and interactive way. At senior level, you will typically see sections tailored to boarding and/or day school life, a lower school curriculum and something separate for the sixth form, written in different styles to appeal to the different age groups and thereby similarly offering parents a greater range of positive options. This has become a particularly relevant shift since lockdown in mid March with a whole summer term of teaching and learning online, recruitment via virtual open days, virtual visits, and online admissions interviews and testing. We have also seen additions to existing school webpages with filmed guided tours, interactive maps and links to social media feeds illustrating how the school has continued to offer as full a curriculum as possible during the period. Schools have been able to take advantage of families staying at home and connecting through screens, harnessing the power it offers for more dynamic marketing and a broader reach than available through print material. Even prior to the Covid-19 crisis, it was already allowing for much better communication with current parents, and increased engagement with alumni across the globe. School marketers will no doubt now need to use digital more than ever to appeal to the new varied customer base seeking independent education at whichever stage they feel they can afford.
Community engagement
A second sea change is the development of schools into more overt communities, welcoming parental involvement and actively encouraging it. This has resulted in school marketers offering more opportunities for parents to be involved, and more events to make them feel welcomed.
Today’s buyers want to be part of their children’s school lives and see communications within the overall value they are getting for parting with their hard earned £1000s. Many may be new to independent education, and will be making significant sacrifices to give their child this opportunity. They will, quite rightly, expect to be welcomed and to feel part of school life. Some also see it as the chance to develop new friendships, or even as a career networking opportunity. School marketers have had to embrace this, and encourage collaboration between the school and prospective parents from the very early admissions stages.
“Without a clear identity, a school won’t appeal to the increasingly selective customer” Schools now offer a wide range of events for prospective families to keep in touch even before they have registered for a place, and during the admissions process there are invitations to get to know the school better. Similarly, nurseries are offering toddler groups, while prospective sixth formers at boarding schools might be offered taster nights, and parents are invited to pastoral talks, careers information evenings and music concerts. Covid-19 has moved many of these online and schools have seen wonderful levels of engagement from prospective, current and former members of their communities through premières of remote music recordings, virtual theatre trips and quizzes and other social events via school platforms. It is interesting that this is becoming a significant element in the buying process, aside from the educational opportunities the school itself may offer the child. It is very much viewed as part of the overall independent school offering.
Maintain identity
In addition, we are seeing significant strategic moves in the face of market forces which are reflective of changes in the customer buying process, such as senior entry ages moving from 13+ to 11+, the amalgamation of prep and senior schools, the closure or addition of sixth forms and the opening of overseas offshoots. As a school marketer what is important is not to lose sight of the foundations on which your individual school is based. While parental choices in the 2020s may be increasingly unpredictable, fundamentally parents want the best possible education for their child, and equally schools want children who will thrive within them. Embrace the changing customer needs, but stay true to your school’s values and ethos, for ultimately those are the characteristics which will set your school apart, and attract the families who want the particular style of education you offer. That can be a hard decision in a tough market, where it’s tempting to try and please every type of parent and child in the interests of financial survival. Yet without a clear identity, a school simply won’t appeal to the increasingly selective customer in an increasingly tough marketplace. Covid-19 has exacerbated the need to differentiate and to champion your school’s USPs. By attracting the right customer at the outset, you are much more likely to retain them, and above all, you will give each child the best possible chance of happy and fulfilling schooldays. Despite the changes in customer perceptions and expectations, this is still the ultimate aim for families and schools alike. Philippa Scudds has over twenty five years’ experience working in marketing and communications across a diverse spectrum of business and industries, specialising in the independent education sector. For the past decade she has combined consultancy advice (cathcomms.co.uk) with a role as director of marketing and communications at Canford School in Dorset. Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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Connect with Headteachers and Bursars and senior decision makers from 300+ independent schools on 25th November at the Independent Schools Conference.
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Julie Robinson Chief Executive Officer Independent Schools Council
Christopher King Chief Executive Officer IAPS
Kate Richards Chief Inspector The Independent Schools Inspectorate
David Woodgate Chief Executive Officer ISBA
Rudi Eliott Lockhart Chief Executive Officer Independent Schools Association
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MARKETING
SPEAK Shiplake College Open Day via Zoom
A
s with many other associations, the start of lockdown in late March 2020 saw AMCIS move to a ‘new norm’ of virtual communications with its membership. Regular Zoom networking meetings replaced regional lunches, as our members came to terms with working from home and new ways of communicating. Over 400 delegates take part in the virtual meetings and the comradeship and sharing of ideas and thoughts has been great in these uncertain times; the support shown to each other is very evident. One of the main issues regularly discussed has been open days, and how schools have converted these into an on-line experience for perspective parents. It has also meant working with unfamiliar technology including Zoom, YouTube live and Microsoft Teams to create virtual events. Against the odds, schools have reported extremely successful open days with a record number of prospective parents and pupils logging on. Some schools have even benefitted from attendees located on the other side of the world, who would not have come to a normal face-to-face event. Shiplake College was one of the first schools to hold a virtual event, early in the summer term. Using the Zoom Meetings platform, the school offered live addresses from the headmaster together with pupils and staff living on site who were ‘placed’ around the campus to give different views of the school. Breakout rooms to discuss specific areas of the school with live Q & A sessions ensured that prospective parents could interact as much as possible.
AMCIS CEO, Tory Gillingham tells us how schools have risen to the challenges of continuing to provide open days and getting to grips with communication technology
Katherine Green, director of external relations at Shiplake College, commented: ‘Feedback was overwhelmingly positive with many prospective parents saying they liked the smaller breakout sessions where they could have the same level of interaction that they would have had in person, but from the safety of their own home. The event allowed us to showcase our pupils, staff and school during lockdown and we will be holding more virtual events in the future, especially to connect with overseas parents and pupils; but we also anticipate holding face-to-face events as soon as guidelines allow.’ The use of pupils to promote their schools was an approach that Scarborough College also chose for their virtual open day. Pre-recorded messages from senior prefects alongside introductions by younger pupils for each subject area gave a real feel for the ethos of the school. Live Q & A sessions with the headmaster and other senior management, using YouTube live, helped to keep the attention of the younger audience and to allow questions to be moderated. Real-time Google Analytics tracked the numbers attending each session and visitors logged on from as far away as the Bahamas. Feedback across the sector is that virtual open day events will continue, with boarding schools, especially, viewing them as an ideal way to showcase their school to prospective parents across the world. However, the consensus of the AMCIS membership is that face-to-face visits are always preferable, as it truly is the best way to experience all that a school has to offer.
ADMISSIONS CONNECT 16-20 NOVEMBER 2020 Our Annual Admissions Conference will be online for 2020. This week-long conference features a packed programme including: • Daily webinars • Case studies • Product showcases • Networking meetings Don’t miss Friday’s webinar when Geoff Ramm, the internationally-renowned creator and author of Celebrity Service and OMG Marketing, will be our keynote speaker Further details of this live weeklong conference, open to all in the independent schools sector, can be found on amcis.co.uk Tory Gillingham has been AMCIS CEO for 16 years and had previously worked as marketing and development director at two top independent schools in the north of England.
Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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DEVELOPMENT
Who said
FUNDRAISING isn’t ethical?
James Underhill illustrates the potential dilemmas faced by schools when it comes to fundraising and outlines guidance for a successful approach
“Be genuinely ethical, through and through. It will help, not hinder”
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schoolmanagementplus.com I Autumn 2020
DEVELOPMENT
Y
ou take your school’s ethical standards very seriously, and you know there are certain areas of school activity which might challenge these standards from time to time. So, when the development director comes into your office flushed with excitement to tell you they’ve just landed a pledge of £1m from Mr Sweatshop-Owner in Asia, and this donor wants his name on the building, you sadly shake your head. It’s a question of ethics. Hang on. The school is already accepting £40,000 a year from this parent to educate his child. Where were the ethics when this application was accepted? Why are we suddenly getting uneasy about this? Let’s be consistent with our financial probity.
Ethics, morals and reputation
This is just one very obvious example of where ethics come to bear on fundraising. And in this instance, it would be fair to say the issue is not intrinsically about ethics. Because if we are going to turn down the offer, we do so not on ethical grounds but because we are worried about reputational damage. Not all decisions relating to the acceptance, or not, of a donation are laced with inherent hypocrisy. Was the rejection by Winchester and Dulwich of the £1m from Sir Bryan Thwaites for white-only bursaries an ethical decision or a reputational one? It would be fair to say it was ethical insofar as the donor was applying a restriction which went against the ethos of the respective schools. Of course, we are all left pondering on moral relativism. And we have all noted the parallel drawn to Stormzy and his Cambridge, black-only bursaries. But enough has already been said on this. So, let’s pose another question. What’s it like to fundraise in an ethical minefield? Any development director reading the Sir Bryan Thwaites bursary story must have felt some pangs of sympathy for the fundraisers involved. For those of us continually challenged by targets and income/expenditure ratios these ethical decisions are very real. Raising money is hard enough at the best of times and there is a real temptation to ask those appraising
our operations to go easy on applying the ethical brakes, because each new handicap makes an already challenging job that much harder.
How about screening?
Take wealth-screening: another ethical issue. Fundraisers desperately need to be able to identify their top donor prospects. But is it acceptable to employ an external agency to carry out wealth research? Is it even acceptable to treat one prospect differently to another on the basis of the intelligence gleaned? This is a hot topic because of GDPR and the ambiguities around its interpretation, and it would be easy to use this whole article solely to examine the ethical and legal issues that apply to wealth screening. But if we are serious about raising money to do good things then perhaps we should be a bit more robust before we apply another handicap to our fundraisers. Once you can be confident that the Information Commissioner’s Office is not going to come knocking on your door (and there are ways effectively to mitigate against this), then it’s down to whether there is really anything ethically wrong with wealth screening. When you look at the issue in detail, it’s hard to see how it is ethically reprehensible (provided you stick with publicly available information). So, it’s back to reputation again. How would your school look if it got out that you were carrying out wealth research? Surely the answer is an unabashed response along the lines of ‘we are in the business of cost-effective fundraising to achieve the maximum results’.
Ethical ambiguity
Perhaps it is natural to assume that it is the fundraisers who, understandably, driven by challenging targets push a school for flexibility on ethics. However, in reality, it is often the other way around. Those on the fundraising front line need to be able to look a donor in the eye and tell them their donation will be used exactly as they intended. But this is not always the case. Take the question of bursaries. Many donors who support bursaries do so
because they believe in social mobility and they imagine that their generosity will enable a child who would not otherwise be able to dream of an education at an independent school to benefit from this life-changing opportunity. Yet, with affordability now affecting an increasingly large proportion of independent school customers, the ‘business bursary’, or discount, for want of a suitable euphemism, is understandably ever more important to heads and bursars. So, unless there are very clear restrictions on a donation, it is quite possible that the money given may be used to help in a case that does not quite fit with the donor’s original intentions. Is that ethically acceptable? Possibly, if the communications have been open and honest. But there is obviously real scope here for some ethical ambiguity. It is possible that while a school might carry out some high-profile ethical virtuesignalling by rejecting one donation, it might also be in danger of ethical transgression by accepting other donations and then not fully respecting the true wishes of the donors.
Establishing principles
So far, it would be easy to read from this article an inherent tension on the question of ethics between a school and its fundraisers. One could assume that fundraising naturally pushes for a relaxation of ethics, while a school must hold the line. This is too simplistic. In reality, a school’s ethics matter more in fundraising than anywhere else. Because, while it is one thing to pay for the fees for the education provided by a school, it is quite another to give. One is transactional, the other is altruistic. And trust in an institution and its ethos is critically important to altruism. Donors and legators often say that they give because they believe in the ethos of the school. And this takes us to the what is possibly the crux of the whole issue around ethics and fundraising. Putting to one side (but not ignoring) all of the other issues such as financial probity, interpretation of GDPR and respect for donors’ intentions, we are left with the central ethical issue of the Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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DEVELOPMENT
TOP-LINE ADVICE So, what does this mean in terms of practical measures?
Weaving environmental, social and corporate governance into a development project adds to the credibility of the proposition
cause itself. How ethically admirable is the proposition we advance for fundraising? Because this has a fundamental effect on our fundraising results. In the case of bursaries, notwithstanding the earlier point about levels of help, it is easy to admire the ethos behind this cause. Who cannot see the virtue in giving the life-changing opportunity of a top-class education to someone who combines genuine financial need with a hunger to learn?
“Is it acceptable to carry out wealth screening?” But for facilities, we should also examine how each new project measures up to our ethical standards. If an expensive building project only gilds the lily for the already privileged, then not only might it be ethically questionable, it may also be harder to promote as a fundraising proposition to potential donors – many of whom run companies with enlightened environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG).
Trust is the key
So, fundraising and ethical standards work together. And weaving ESG into a development project actually adds to the credibility of the proposition. Most donors will be more likely to support a development project that is designed to be environmentally sustainable and that
caters for some level of community benefit, beyond the immediate school. At the level above specific fundraising projects, a school that has successfully integrated ESG into its operations will be more likely to garner the generosity of its stakeholders. Furthermore, a school that walks its talk on ethics is more likely to stimulate unrestricted donations and legacies, because people will trust and respect the institution sufficiently to give with no questions asked. This is a key point, because a high proportion of unrestricted fundraising income must be one of the most important goals for development. On this point, it is interesting to note that $12billion of Harvard University’s $40 billion endowment is unrestricted. Many of their alumni clearly trust their alma mater sufficiently to give to the overall cause. So much of this is down to communication. But how can you keep promoting the ethos of your school and show that you are putting it into action? One obvious answer is to publish an annual report. These documents create helpful ‘background music’ for fundraising, as well as serving as useful marketing tools. James Underhill is an independent fundraising and communications consultant at Underhill Associates (underhill-associates.co.uk)
1. Naming agreements Whether or not you have misgivings about giving a donor the implied endorsement of a name on a development, you should protect your school by using a naming agreement, which allows you to drop the donor’s name should it cause you reputational problems in the future. 2. Wealth screening It is beyond the scope of this article to provide a verdict on whether it is legally acceptable to proceed with wealth screening. But if you and your legal advisers find room for debate, then do not be put off by supposed ethical objections. You will handicap your fundraising. Simply have your answers ready should you get called on it. 3. Bursaries Be honest with yourself about what your real needs are for bursary fundraising. If you actually need more funds to help your traditional, middle class customer, then concentrating on fundraising for ‘life-changing bursaries’ and expecting this to solve the problem is likely to lead to ethical issues around donors and their intentions. So, find a way of promoting a proposition that allows you the flexibility you need. 4. Facilities and ESG As you plan and design a new facility, keep ESG in mind. Increasingly donors want to know that a building is environmentally sustainable and that you have thought of users beyond the immediate school. 5. Communicate the steps you are taking Generally, make more of your ESG. For instance, if you have a burgeoning partnership or outreach programme, then find ways to communicate this to your stakeholders. An annual report is an ideal way of doing this. Autumn 2020 I schoolmanagementplus.com
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HEADS & GOVERNORS
~ TALKING POINT ~
TIME FOR CHANGE
With schools rising to current teaching and learning challenges, there has never been a better time to shake up the system. The independent schools sector should be leading the way writes Nick Gallop
A
mid all the post-pandemic talk of legacies, reboots and shake-ups, alongside other unwelcome health crisis ‘honours’ earned by Britain, several educational issues are disconcertingly unique to these shores too.
Our national obsession
While schools and colleges all over the world have been challenged to engage with their learning communities as never before, our expensive and time-consuming obsession with nationally standardised assessment has left us substantially more disrupted and exposed than almost all other others. We are one of very few countries to test heavily in two of the final three years of formal education. To compound matters, and in the name of ‘rigour’, we recently stripped out almost all reliable data-generating activities – coursework components, practical grades, continuous assessment scores, modular marks – from our examined curriculum. Indeed almost anything that might have mitigated the difficulties that we faced in accrediting our students fairly for examinations that they never sat has disappeared. An overwhelming number of school and college leaders now support the replacement of the narrow and curriculum-throttling GCSE programme with a more suitable alternative. The range of options deployed effectively and successfully by other countries – Canada, Australia, Denmark, Singapore among them – provide more than enough exemplar material for the adoption of a far more effective alternative.
The ‘too difficult’ drawer?
Should it be of concern, that a teacher of the 1950s finds greater familiarity than difference in 2020 school routines? Such 40
schoolmanagementplus.com I Autumn 2020
“the majority of other professions have changed unrecognisably” recognition is not only based on the ‘teach, revise, test’ culture that characterises much of school life; it is also in the timings and the rhythm of the school day, week, term and year. Routines that have remained unbending, even as the vast majority of other professions have changed unrecognisably around us. There are almost as many debates over the origins of the long summer break as there are of the origins of life itself, but this year it felt more out-of-kilter with educational necessity and with the national mood than it usually does. There are many reasons for reconsidering such a prolonged period of time away from formal educational development. The practical ones are manifold too: such a long break sits awkwardly with the childcare needs of working families and has been ruthlessly exploited by holiday companies, too. Yet while most schools have grappled with the length of their lessons, other aspects of school life have remained stubbornly unchanged. How long should a holiday be to ensure that teachers and students can recuperate but not lose touch? If there is an optimum length, why are almost all holidays so radically different?
The proper place for tech
Many schools have wrestled with the point and the process of homework for as long as anyone can recall. The same schools may well have poked the concept of the ‘flipped classroom’ too – a model that
comes and goes out of fashion as often as senior leaders replace one another at the lectern on training days. From March this year, our world was well and truly ‘flipped’ as remote teaching became our lifeblood. With it came the realisation that homework and flipped learning are one and the same. Flipped learning allows relatively small amounts of content to be absorbed and skills to be developed at a pace dictated by the learner, working at home with the support of textbooks and technology. This leaves lessons to be the creative, social, interactive and stimulating experiences that have been sorely missed. In supporting learners at home, the future of technological investment could not be clearer. Not least to future-proof schools and colleges against shorter, but equally unwanted, periods of lockdown in the years ahead.
Opportunity
The very presence of independent schools, with their access to greater funds, facilities, and technical capabilities, operating as an alternative source of vision and provision during the pandemic, challenged what is possible. The biggest problems exposed by the pandemic – our unhealthy obsession with examination, the unhelpful rigidity of our school calendar, and technological support of home learning – are ones for the independent sector to take the lead in shaping and sharing. Now is an opportunity to do things differently. Nick Gallop is headmaster of Stamford School, editor of Politics Review and writes Hodder Education’s UK Politics Annual Update.
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